Should Jehovah's Witnesses Trust the Governing Body?

by Vanderhoven7 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Linda14
    Linda14

    It is very doubtful that Jehovah chose the GB in 1919 as the only channel on earth as they claim. I can only say that God would save honest hearted people in all Jesus believing Churches, the JWs inclusive. Some among the GB might be sincere, and might get God's approval individually. The same with all Jehovah's witnesses and all church goers and church leaders. There is that possibility.

    However, their stating that God uses them exclusively, you're the only channel, even makes me wonder if God would ever save any with that mentality. Why? Because that is blasphemy to state that the holy spirit led you to one teaching, and later pronouncing the earlier teaching the holy spirit led you to as falsehood. Even saying that you are God's only channel on earth is bogus. It carries serious consequences if Jehovah truly didn't tell you that. And the reasons for making such a bogus claim is too weak. Sometimes I wonder if these guys think it's a joke.

    It is doubtful, and I would have said totally impossible for God to choose a group from among the rest without letting them know that fact DIVINELY. Jehovah would have communicated such either through a vision, miraculous works, dreams, angel appearance, fulfilled prophecies etc. When God did that in the first century, he openly supplied abundant miracles to prove that He has shifted His attention from Judaism to Christianity.

    When God chose a prophet, He always makes it's clear to the one he chose.

    The WT would have been better had they gone on with providing meeting materials for any group that wishes to get those materials, and not forming another religion. If God has not appeared to you, you shouldn't form a religion without his approval. That would be presumptuousness. No matter how bad the Christianity has become, you can do your worship in your house, and not go as far as forming a religion.

    Well, we leave God to judge them, but I can only trust my Bible. There is no reason to even trust them. They have a track record of doctrinal errors. Why trust such a group to define what you believe?

  • Vanderhoven7
    Vanderhoven7

    @Linda

    "It is a serious matter to represent God and Christ in one way, then find that our understanding of the major teachings and fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures was in error, and then after that, to go back to the very doctrines that, by years of study, we had thoroughly determined to be in error. Christians cannot be vacillating – 'wishy washy' - about such fundamental teachings. What confidence can one put in the sincerity or judgment of such persons?" the Watchtower, May 15 1976, p. 298

    We cannot worship Jehovah in spirit and in truth if our worship is based on speculation. Truth and theory are not synonymous. " Wt 6/15 1962 p.383

    How many times did Watchtower speculate on the identity of the Faithful Slave...Will they baptize someone who does not believe in 1919?

  • punkofnice
    punkofnice

    Nothing is interpreted but the interpretation comes from God and is then published.
    (WT 1943 July 1 pp. 202-203)

    Angels deliver what is published.
    (PREPARATION 1933 pp. 36-37, 64)

    THE WATCHTOWER publishes "no man's opinion".
    (WT 1931 November 1 p. 327; 1936 March 15 p. 85)

    "To it (this organization) alone...the Bible is not a sealed book." The WTS is "the only organization on earth that understands the 'deep things of God.' "
    (WT 1973 July 1 p. 402)

    The leaders are "spirit directed" (WT 1988 March 1 p. 10)

    and "God's channel."
    (WT 1969 January 15 p. 51; 1960 July 15 pp. 439, 442)

    "It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the 'slave' as we would to the voice of God, because it is His provision."
    (WT 1957 June 15 p. 370)

    C. T. Russell founder of the WTS, called himself "God's mouthpiece" (WT 1906 July 15 p. 229); claimed that compared to reading his books Bible reading is "a waste of time" (WT 1910 September 15 p. 298)

    , and that his books "harmonize...every statement in the Bible."
    (DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES 1886 p. 348)

    God uses and directs the WTS.
    (VINDICATION Book 1 1931 p. 77)

    "The 'slave' class has served as God's sole collective channel for the flow of Biblical truth to men on earth. Just as the early Christian congregation collectively served as the channel of communication from heaven to earth, so in our time."
    (WT 1960 July 15 p. 439)

    "As Jehovah revealed his truths by means of the first-century Christian congregation so he does today by means of the present-day Christian congregation. Through this agency he is having carried out prophesying on an intensified and unparalleled scale. All of this activity is not an accident. Jehovah is the one behind all of it." (WT 1964 June 15 p. 365)

    "Therefore, in submitting to Jehovah's theocratic organization, we must be in full and complete agreement with every feature of its apostolic procedure and requirements."
    (WT 1967 October 1 p. 593)

    "It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the "slave" as we would to the voice of God, because it is His provision." (Watchtower 1957 Jun 15 p.370)

    Only this organization functions for Jehovah's purpose and to his praise. To it alone God's Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book. Many persons of the world are very intelligent, capable of understanding complex matters. They can read the Holy Scriptures, but they cannot understand their deep meaning.""( Watchtower 1973 Jul 1 p.402)

    The point is that Christians have implicit trust in their heavenly Father; they do not question what he tells them through his written Word and organization." (Watchtower 1974 Jul 15 p.441)

    "We must serve Jehovah in truth, as revealed in his Word and made clear in the publications of "the faithful and discreet slave." Watchtower 1996 May 15 p.18

    w10 7/15 p.23 par.10 “The Spirit Searches Into... the Deep Things of God”

    When the time comes to clarify a spiritual matter in our day, holy spirit helps responsible representatives of “the faithful and discreet slave” at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood. (Matt. 24:45; 1 Cor. 2:13)

    p.17: "Listening to the slave class means giving our full cooperation to its Governing Body."

    p.27: "Since Jehovah God and Jesus Christ completely trust the faithful and discreet slave, should we not do the same?" "The slave thus deserves our complete trust"

    p.28: "By all means, then, let us listen to the Christ and his trustworthy spirit-anointed brothers."

    ***w10 9/15 p.8 par.7 Earnestly Seek Jehovah’s Blessing ***

    We cannot hope to acquire a good relationship with Jehovah if we ignore those whom Jesus has appointed to care for his belongings. Without the assistance of “the faithful and discreet slave,” we would neither understand the full import of what we read in God’s Word nor know how to apply it.

    -- w10 9/15 p. 13 par. 8: "Similarly today, a Governing Body composed of spirit-anointed Christians contributes to the unity of the worldwide congregation. The Governing Body publishes spiritually encouraging literature in many languages. This spiritual food is based on God’s Word. Thus, what is taught is not from men but from Jehovah.—Isa. 54:13."

    ***w10 9/15 p.23 par.8 “Your Leader Is One, the Christ” ***

    The anointed and their other sheep companions recognize that by following the lead of the modern-day Governing Body, they are in fact following their Leader, Christ.

    ***si p.9 par.16 (2011) “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial” ***

    (1) Jehovah God originates his utterances; (2) then his official Word, or Spokesman—now known as Jesus Christ—often transmits the message; (3) God’s holy spirit, the active force that is used as the medium of communication, carries it earthward; (4) God’s prophet on earth receives the message; and (5) he then publishes it for the benefit of God’s people.

    -- w12 9/15 p. 22 par. 16 Learn From the Patience of Jehovah and Jesus

    Well, a person who lacks confidence that the end is near might start to make alternate arrangements, so to speak, in case things do not work out as Jehovah said they would.

    -- w12 9/15 p. 24 par. 4 "You Know Neither the Day Nor the Hour"

    As the end of this system draws ever closer, the work of pointing to Jehovah’s provisions for salvation has never been more important.

    -- w12 11/15 p. 17 par. 9 Cultivate the Spirit of a Lesser One

    A humble person has heartfelt gratitude for Jehovah’s provisions, including spiritual food. Hence, such an individual is a diligent student of the Bible and an avid reader of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Like many other faithful servants of Jehovah, he may make it a practice to read each new publication before putting it away on a bookshelf in his personal library. When we manifest humble appreciation by reading and studying our Bible-based publications, we make spiritual advancement, and Jehovah is able to use us more fully in his service.

    -- w13 4/15 p12 par 11 Do not tire out

    Jehovah has provided a bounteous supply of written spiritual food to give us strength. No doubt, you can think of a time when after reading a publication, you thought: ‘That is exactly what I needed! It is as if Jehovah had that written just for me!’ That is not a coincidence. Through these provisions, Jehovah does instruct and guide us.

    WT 15 Nov 2013 - "At that time, the life-saving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not. (4) Now is the time for any who may be putting their trust in secular education, material things, or human institutions to adjust their thinking. The elders must stand ready to help any who may now be wavering in their faith."

    I don't have any of the latest garbage since I left in 2010.

  • LostintheFog1999
    LostintheFog1999

    The other glaringly obvious flaw is that because they keep reinventing themselves and applying revisionist history techniques to what has gone before, this is not by a long chalk the same religion that it was in 1919 CE.

    Even if someone genuinely believed that God chose them in 1919 - the teachings of that generation have all been consigned to the dustbin, and replaced with an entirety new set of beliefs.

    If you were asked in a general knowledge quiz "when did the Jehovah's witnesses religion begin?" you might be expected to say sometime in the 1930's whereas the real answer should be - whenever they revised what their R+F have to believe. Which might be around a month ago, for all I know!

    I really don't know how the PIMI can keep abreast of all the changes...

  • Hopeless1
    Hopeless1

    Punky,

    many thanks for the list of Watchtower quotes, reading them one after the other really emphasises how much they think of themselves. They condemn themselves out of their own mouths.

    How presumptuous, how hypocritical when reading the quote from the Feb 2017 Watchtower claiming they are not inspired or infallible!

    If I ever get a chance I shall be handing out this list of quotes to the local trolley pushers!

  • TonusOH
    TonusOH

    They sure do put a lot of emphasis on the authority of the "spirit-anointed" ones. But when they had to address the growing number of memorial participants, they explained that no one can know for sure who is truly anointed and who is just shamming or deluded. Why would anyone trust that the members of the governing body --men who have claimed for themselves the highest privilege-- aren't among the latter group?

  • Vanderhoven7
    Vanderhoven7

    @Punky

    Thank you for this somewhat exhaustive list my friend. Copied and stored for imminent use.

    van

  • punkofnice
    punkofnice

    Anyone would think the Governing Body(tm) (Pee be upon them) of Jehovah's Witnesses(tm), were not promoting themselves. (He said ironically).

    They have been ramming this home into the Jobots from time immemorial. No wonder the Jobots are hypnotised by it all. Keep repeating a lie until everyone believes it....and so on.

    I don't believe for one minute they even believe this themselves because at their level, they must know it's just a corrupt big business pretending to be a religion.

    If they were a bona fide religion, their top brass wouldn't be drunkards and they would take measures to stamp out child molesters, not protect them, whatever the cost to their reputation.

    If God is with them, who can be against them?

  • notsurewheretogo
    notsurewheretogo

    The criteria used by "Jesus" and "Jehovah" to choose in 1919 the "JW's" back then was not attitude but rather the truth on the doctrines they taught. Attitude was not the reason because the Proclaimers books advises that many zealous groups were around back then.

    So the criteria used was the Bible Students taught truth.

    Why I know the JW's were NOT selected in 1919 to represent any god is because the criteria that is published today as "truth" is vastly different to what they taught in 1919.

    If Jesus/Jehovah chose them in 1919 then either they both got it wrong too or the JW's were not selected.

    But you can't have them be selected in 1919 on the basis of teaching truth and doctrines and then change said doctrines and attribute the changes to the very beings who selected them in the first place.

    If they were selected in 1919 because of truth and doctrines then those truths and doctrines should still be in place today.

    They are not.

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