Revisions to the Faithful & Discreet Slave.

Ben131895

http://avoidjw.org/2015/12/revisions-faithful-discreet-slave/

Thanks for the references, good work, very useful. I have a comment though. The June 2009 article says the GB represents the slave. That's not quite the same as the slave being the GB. The 2013 watchtower was more explicit about that, that was really a change. The 2009 watchtower said:

As a class, “the faithful and discreet slave” is one body, but as individuals, they have various work assignments.

Which suggests that somehow the GB and the remaining 144.000 function as "one body", but as the GB never consults the rest; the GB effectively is the slave alone. Splitting hairs here though. Confusing as hell, as always ;)

Finkelstein

The 2013 proclamation is just a statement of "self" reconfirmation as to identifying who the GB are in god's earthly organization.

At one time, all of the anointed were seen as the FDSL but wallah ..... New Light has come forward.

Being that the anointed has been climbing in numbers over the years when they weren't supposed to, the WTS strategically had to take action. Not only did they demean many of them as being mentally disturbed or emotionally off balanced, they instituted the directive proclaiming that only the GB are the FDSL

avoidjw

@nelim:

The watchtower started the process to change from all anointed to just the GB in 2009. From 2009 up until their clarification in 2013, they published a number of confusing articles detailing "who really is the faithful & discreet slave". This articles were purposely confusing as they were used to sow a seed, or in other words progressively indoctrinate, so that by 2013 they were ready to come out and say it clearly who the fds is, knowing that after 4 years of slowly feeding their docile sheep, they'd be ready to accept it without question.

Phizzy

You are dead right about their methodology Avoidjw, they have done this for years, it is the old principle of tell a lie for long enough and it becomes truth.

It is handy too, as smart-ass Elders and C.O's can point to older WT's etc and blame the JW who questions for "not keeping up", never addressing whether the Noo Lite makes any sense in the first or last place.

tor1500

Hi All,

I'm a witness....& I know that The FDS is just a parable...& they know it too...it's that no one has ever called them on it or should I say they may have & because they are so arrogant & ignorant at the same time...& this is a dangerous combination...they won't give-in. “Who really is the faithful and discreet* slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? Isn't this a this a question ? How can one build on this scripture & base their religion on a question ? & when was this questioned asked & who in the org. answered it or took it upon themselves to answer. This is a parable for those then & now to understand what Jesus is saying here...it wasn't intended for anyone to insert their name their, if so, the Scripture would read:“____ is the faithful and discreet* slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? They org. keeps changing things because of Technology...many people read up on JW.org & so are trying to appeal to the masses. But I think one day, a question will be from a reader & you best believe they won't ever post it in the WT or Awake ....The question or statement will be...This is just a parable & you shouldn't take it upon yourselves to say you are. They may print it but put their own spin on it. If one has to keep re-explaining their doctrine, something isn't right. I think they dug to deep into the scriptures to be different they dug too far...& now they have shot themselves in the foot. I know they are not the FDS or God's chosen...& I'm ok with that...The scriptures give me peace to endure what I may go through in this life whether it be good or bad...Jesus had more on his plate than I do...I'm not perfect but Jesus did say, Peace I give you, Peace I leave you...& I'm taking it...The org. can spin the bible anyway they want, but I can read...I listen but don't take heed to everything they say. I don't have a need to be in a chosen group. I just like the friends & the association. The org. did show my how to have my OWN relationship with God, not their relationship. There isn't any FDS class, the anointed say they are but how would we know ? So let them think who they are...it gets them through their day, they couldn't just be Joe Blow in the org. & This is just another reason the friends don't know anything...they keep changing....what's true today is not true tomorrow...but they say, well at least we admit our errors....oh really, if you follow God's holy spirit, who's lying to who ? God doesn't change but people change how they hear.

Tor

leaving_quietly

In the interests of accuracy, #12 is not correct. The June 15, 2009 Watchtower does not say the slave refers only to the Governing Body. It still says the Governing Body REPRESENTS the slave. Even the article is titled, "The Faithful Steward and Its Governing Body."

It really wasn't until the annual meeting in October, 2012 where the idea of the Governing Body alone being the slave class came to fruition. An idea, incidentally, that was thoroughly discredited in 1981.

Some readers may feel that this is a rather sectarian view of matters. Or they may object to the idea that the “slave” and the “domestics” represent the same class, one as a composite body and the other as individuals. The objectors may argue that not all of Christ’s anointed disciples have a share in preparing the spiritual food, so that perhaps the “slave” pictures only the leading ones, and the “domestics” those they serve in the congregation. - w81 3/1 p. 24-25

BTW, I agree with your assessment that they started earlier than 2012 to put more emphasis on the Governing Body and less on the slave for the very purpose you stated in your response above to nelim.