truthlover123,
Blondie; you mentioned some of the GB indicated even what may be said from the platform may not be "official" - wow! Then how do we know what was real in the first place...if elders/ms are inserting things not on the talk, where does that leave the congregation?
It is interesting to note that separate committees handle info in print and info from the platform/assemblies/conventions. There is a little friction as to who thinks they are more important.
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/111152/sacred-service-article-review
Also, in the past some GB members (especially Fred Franz, pre 1971 and after), inserted their own ideas or speculations into talks at assemblies, conventions, and talks at individual congregations. They might have been corrected privately by the other members at the weekly GB meeting on Wednesday. Elders are never corrected on the platform but privately as well by another elder/s. The WTS did backtrack on what was considered sacred service from 1976 comments to "corrected comments in 1980. Ray Franz was asked to leave the GB and Bethel in 1980, but was not df'd or considered da'd then, But the WTS was quick to correct the 1976 article that I know from many insider sources had been penned by Ray Franz.
The WTS never advertises why the change. The rank and file jws just must accept without question.
Second, the WTS has been very careful to differentiate between spirit-anointed and spirit-appointed. Only the 144,000 are considered spirit-anointed, unless elders are also of the 144,000, elders are only considered spirit-appointed.
"Since the Bible speaks of certain men as “anointed” because they were specially chosen, or appointed, by God, could all overseers today be termed “anointed ones”?"
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1984208?q=appointed+spirit+anointed&p=par
1968 was the first mention of spirit-directed I found on WOL. More frequently the WTS used the phrase spirit-anointed. But that did not fit in with the change of the idea that only the GB were considered making up the "faithful discreet slave" and were the only ones directing the organization. All of the 144,000 are considered spirit-anointed, also consisted of women, who could not be directing the earthly organization. Perhaps the WTS decided it was time to make a differentiation of the 2 terms.
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102017563?q=governing+body+faith+discreet&p=par
In turn, Jesus has given “the faithful and discreetslave” the responsibility to care for God’s people on earth. (Matthew 24:45-47) Today, “the faithful and discreet slave” is the Governing Body.
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2017283?q=governing+body+faithful+discreet&p=sen
The July 15, 2013, issue of The Watchtower explained that “the faithful and discreet slave” is a small group of anointed brothers who make up the Governing Body.
