Reports are emerging of an announcement at the 128th Annual Meeting of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania that the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses now considers itself to be the Faithful and Discreet Slave Class of Matthew 24:45 in its entirety.
Previously it was understood that the Governing Body were merely humble “representatives” of the “Slave Class”, which comprised the 12,000 or more anointed remnant of Christians with a heavenly calling still on earth. Despite claiming to be “representatives” of this group of people, suspicions were raised in the minds of many thinking Witnesses after reading articles such as the Questions From Readers of the August 15th 2011 Watchtower, where it was admitted that the Governing Body has no actual communication with memorial partakers (the “anointed”) and even feels that some of these ones may be mentally imbalanced. (see w11 8/15 p. 22)
Many have predicted that, at some point in the future, the Governing Body would end this confusion by claiming that they themselves are the Faithful and Discreet Slave, with the anointed remnant playing no special role. According to numerous reports this has finally happened. However, this remarkable claim opens a labyrinth of fresh doctrinal puzzles that future publications must now attempt to explain.
The Annual Meeting at which this “new light” was revealed was held at Jersey Assembly Hall (The Stanley Theater), New Jersey on October 6th – the same day that a sensitive Watchtower letter was leaked on the internet.
Although I previously reported in this article that the meeting was NOT broadcast to other locations, this appears to be untrue. The meeting had a total audience of 15,514 including those watching via video link from Brooklyn, Patterson, Walkill and Canada. Some in attendance took notes of what was said during the meeting, and have leaked this extaordinary new information online, so the news is gradually spreading around the world even though this “new light” has not yet been presented officially in the publications as it normally would be. (Update: to read about the printed explanation of the “new light” in the July 15 2013 Watchtower, please click here)
Anointed demoted – Governing Body promoted
The new understanding was explained over a series of six talks delivered by various Governing Body members over a two-hour period. The purpose of the talks was to impart the following adjustments:
- The Faithful and Discreet Slave was NOT appointed at Pentecost 33CE, meaning that there has not been a continuous line of members of the Slave Class on the earth down through the ages. The Slave Class was only appointed for the first time by Christ in 1919.
- The Faithful and Discreet Slave is a small group of anointed brothers during Jesus’ presence serving at Watchtower Headquarters who are directly involved in the preparing and dispensing of spiritual food. The individual members of the Governing Body are not the Faithful and Discreet Slave. They only act as the Faithful and Discreet Slave when they are working as a collective body in making decisions regarding the dispensing of spiritual food.
- The “domestics” of Matthew 24:45 are all those who are fed spiritually by the Governing Body, whether of the anointed or “other sheep”. This includes individual members of the Governing Body when they partake of spiritual food.
- The events described in Matthew 24:46,47 now refer to Jesus coming during the Great Tribulation and giving the Governing Body their reward in heaven along with the rest of the anointed.
- The “belongings” of Matthew 24:47 refer to all of Christ’s heavenly and earthly interests.
- Despite founding the Watch Tower Society, Charles Taze Russell was not part of the Slave Class because he was not alive and serving at Headquarters when Christ made his selection in 1919. The work of Russell and his associates was like that of the “messenger” in Malachi 3:1.
- The cleansing of God’s people is ongoing because, apparently, the bible gives two accounts of Christ doing a “cleansing” work, once at the start and once at the end of his ministry
In addition to the doctrinal changes, it was also explained that:
- The Governing Body members now make decisions based on a total majority, meaning that if a doctrinal understanding does not have full agreement by all Governing Body members, it is “shelved” until a future date.
- The lecture for Gilead and Branch Schools about the Faithful and Discreet Slave being 1,900 years old has now been deleted.
It is understood that the above doctrinal changes will be explained in further detail in future Watchtower articles. However, it could potentially be months before these articles are published and then studied at congregation meetings. Reports on Annual Meetings are not normally published until the August 15th Watchtower is released in April of each year. In the meantime, many brothers will likely be confused and bewildered that the Governing Body has made such a radical departure from their previous understanding of Matthew 24:45. Still more will wonder why these dramatic adjustments were not first published in a Watchtower article so that they could be simultaneously disseminated throughout the entire organization rather than announced to a select few at a New York corporate meeting.
Anointed Christians who entertain a heavenly hope will feel particularly aggrieved at this latest humiliation. As memorial partakers they had already suffered the indignity of being labelled as potentially “mentally or emotionally imbalanced” in the aforementioned Questions From Readers article of the August 15th, 2011 Watchtower. In the same article, the Governing Body bluntly dismissed the suggestion that there was any requirement on their part to contact such ones when deciding over doctrinal matters.
Now the 12,000+ crowd of anointed spread throughout the earth has suffered the final insult of being demoted as members of the Faithful and Discreet Slave in favor of eight men in New York who have deemed themselves the only ones worthy of this title. When it comes to teaching Christ’s followers, the anointed must now share equal standing with the millions of the Great Crowd as Christ’s “domestics”, even though they are supposed to rule over such ones as kings and priests with Christ at some future date.
A subtle use of words
It is noteworthy that this “new light” stops short of expressly naming “the Governing Body” as the Faithful Slave – rather a “group” of anointed brothers serving at Watchtower headquarters, which can only be applied to the Governing Body in our present day. This distinction is significant, because it acknowledges that there was no Governing Body as we know it prior to 1971 – only the Watch Tower Society Board of Directors who, as I have explained in a previous article, were informally described as a “governing body” (lower case) only from 1944 onwards.
The significance of this is that, if Christ had come to inspect the organization and appoint the Governing Body as his Faithful Slave in 1919 he would have been disappointed, because this entity would not exist as a collective decision-making body for another 52 years! However, if Christ was less specific and instead chose “a group of anointed men at Headquarters” at that time, then Rutherford as Watch Tower President and his board of subordinate directors were available to be chosen collectively as the Faithful Slave. Even if you are prepared to accept this rather bewildering explanation of Matthew 24:45 (a scripture that most people regard as a mere parable), there is one particularly problematic doctrinal flaw that the Society will need to address.
No scriptural precedent for apostolic succession
If Rutherford and his anointed associates were selected in 1919, then on what scriptural basis can it be automatically assumed that their roles as the Faithful and Discreet Slave were transferable, or could be “inherited”, by successive generations of the Board of Directors of the Watch Tower Society – which, after all, is merely a legal entity?
Part of the basis of this new understanding appears to be that Jehovah has always used a small group of people to teach and dispense spiritual food to the many, and that in the First Century it was the apostles and older men who were given this role by Christ. However, the bible provides no example of how those appointed by God to be his representatives may pass their duties on to someone else in the event of their death without God’s clear and unambiguous approval. (Numbers 27:18-20) The idea of someone inheriting someone else’s position because they have died is clearly a fleshly concept rather than a spiritual one.
True, the Kings of Israel and Judea were succeeded by their male offspring, but they played no distinct role in instructing the people. Most importantly, the arrangement of kings in Israel was not favored by God, but rather instituted to placate the Israelites who demanded a king to serve under in the same way as the nations around them. (1 Samuel 8:5-8, 19) It’s therefore inconceivable that a monarchic arrangement in which those appointed by God may choose their own successors would be a feature of “Spiritual Israel” – an institution that is not subject to the whims of humans but is of purely divine origin.
In the case of the twelve apostles appointed by Christ, once these died off they were not replaced by successors. Matthias was the only apostle “of the twelve” who wasn’t appointed directly by Jesus, but he was only appointed as a replacement of unfaithful Judas by the casting of lots. (Acts 1:23-26) The Society themselves admit that the reason for the appointment of Matthias in this manner was due to the unfaithfulness of Judas, rather than as a response to Judas’ death. As further evidence, when faithful apostle James died (as with the rest of the apostles) there is no record of any concern over whether a replacement should be appointed. Consider the following quote from the Insight book…
“Sometime during the ten days between Jesus’ ascension and the day of Pentecost it was viewed as necessary that another be selected to fill the vacancy left by Judas, not simply on the basis of his death but, rather, on the basis of his wicked defection, as the Scriptures quoted by Peter indicate. (Ac 1:15-22; Ps 69:25; 109:8; compare Re 3:11.) Thus, by contrast, when the faithful apostle James was put to death, there is no record of any concern to appoint anyone to succeed him in his position of apostle.—Ac 12:2.” – Insight On The Scriptures, Volume 1, Page 129
The Governing Body has long pointed to Christ’s apostles as a divinely approved model for their collective authority, but they have never once explained how Christ has any involvement in their individual appointment. They are now asking us to believe that Christ directly chose Joseph Rutherford and his anointed associates as his modern-day “apostles”, or Faithful and Discreet Slave, in 1919 – but they will never be able to satisfactorily explain how, once Rutherford and his associates died, the divinely appointed authority of these ones was conferred to successive generations of Watchtower leaders.
In the past, the Society was able to evade this issue with comparative ease, because they could point to the Faithful and Discreet Slave CLASS as being ever-present throughout history from Pentecost 33CE onwards (i.e. individual anointed ones were not “succeeded” by anyone on their death), with the Governing Body assuming an albeit self-appointed and symbolic role as representatives of these ones in recent times.
Now, the Society has effectively scrapped the idea of the Faithful and Discreet Slave as a “class”, and now insists that the office of the Faithful Slave was bestowed by Christ on the shoulders of Rutherford and his associates in 1919, and this office was somehow passed down to successive members of the Watch Tower Society Board of Directors until the Governing Body arrangement was introduced in 1971. Thereafter, they insist that this “succession” continued as Governing Body members died and were replaced until we arrive today at a situation where eight individuals, none of whom had even been born in 1919, are now Christ’s “Faithful and Discreet Slave”. Not only does this sound incredibly implausible – most significantly there is absolutely no scriptural precedent for things to be done by God in this manner whatsoever.
In the bible, God’s favored way of doing things has always been to appoint either an individual or group of individuals to lead his people, and once these ones died their office (or position) died with them – unless God made clear that he was handing it to somebody else. In other words, God appoints people according to their individual merits, not based on who has gone before them. There is no reason to believe that God or Christ would do a complete U-turn and now do things entirely differently, especially during times such as these when the Earth is supposed to be on the brink of falling under Christ’s millennial rule, and divinely appointed direction is said to be needed more than ever by God’s people deep in these “last days”.
It is also interesting to note that, according to reports, the Governing Body is now insisting that the organization has been in an ongoing period of “cleansing” since 1919. Whether this will be somehow used to explain the idea of succession remains to be seen. The Governing Body may try to claim that part of this ongoing “cleansing” involves Christ appointing new members of the Faithful Slave. Regardless of how they try to explain it, thinking Witnesses will wonder why Jesus Christ needs 93 years and counting, not to mention successive generations of Watchtower leaders, to cleanse his organization and impart divine truth.
A talk by Samuel Herd apparently attempted to reinforce the link between the Apostles and the Governing Body, but admitted that once these Apostles died the “restraint” was removed allowing apostasy to set in. As I have already asked in this article, how can the Governing Body justify likening themselves to every feature of the First Century apostles apart from the key characteristic whereby no apostles were replaced once they had died?
A poor choice of slave
Not only is the “successor” element of the Governing Body’s new teaching highly suspect, but prior to this new teaching questions were already being raised as to how Christ could possibly have chosen Joseph Rutherford and his associates as his approved earthly organization in 1919. There are two main reasons for this…
Spiritual Food – I have already published an article detailing how the publications of the Bible Students in circulation between 1918 and 1919 were not just partially inaccurate – they were shockingly misleading and downright fanciful in their application of scripture. There are few more obvious examples of this than the Finished Mystery, which spoke of the distance between the place where it was written and the place where it was printed as having prophetic significance, and described Charles Taze Russell as speaking from beyond the grave through its pages and supervising the “harvest work” even after his death!
In another of my articles, on InsideTheWatchtower.com, I have presented evidence of racist bigotry in the pages of early Watchtower publications both before, during and after Christ’s supposed inspection. Rutherford in particular described black men and women as a cursed “race of servants” in a Golden Age article ten years after Christ’s inspection was supposed to have taken place (see The Golden Age, July 24th 1929, page 702). Bear in mind that the Golden Age, the forerunner of today’s Awake! magazine, is still considered a vehicle of spiritual food just like any other Watchtower publication.
In summarizing the publications of the Bible Students that were in circulation during the period of Christ’s inspection in 1919, nobody put it better than former Governing Body member Raymond Franz when he said…
“A direct investigation of the publications of the Watch Tower organization in the years from 1914 to 1919 reveals none of the prudent discretion that causes a man to ‘keep his lips in check’. It would be an insult to Christ Jesus to say that he selected this organization on the basis of what it was teaching, uniquely and distinctively, as of 1919.” (Raymond Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, page 145)
The personal character of Rutherford – I am still relatively recent in my “awakening” from the indoctrination of my upbringing as a Witness. Throughout my young life “Judge” Joseph Rutherford was frequently held aloft as a shining example of a humble servant of God, and to this day he is lauded by the Watch Tower Society as a man of great wisdom and courage. Such a depiction of him features prominently in the recent Faith In Action DVD series. Even so, the more I read about “Judge” Joseph Rutherford, the more I realize what a monstrous and vile man he truly was.
The Society’s problem with Rutherford is that, try as they may, they cannot prevent documented evidence of his questionable character from surfacing – especially since the internet has made it easier than ever before to share such information that would otherwise be hard to obtain. For example, I will shortly be publishing an article that will attempt to pull together some of the documented evidence of Rutherford’s temperament – in particular that which came to light during the libel lawsuit with Watchtower lawyer Olin Moyle between 1939 and 1940.
I will go into these matters in greater detail in my future article. However, suffice to say there is documented evidence connected with the lawsuit to suggest that:
- Rutherford allowed an atmosphere of alcoholism to prevail at Brooklyn Bethel, to the point where Bethel family members who decided to abstain from alcohol were ostracized and ridiculed.
- Rutherford was a bully, and used rude, abusive and patronizing words to humiliate Bethel workers that he disapproved of.
- Rutherford afforded himself a life of luxury with multiple residences across the United States while ordinary Bethel workers lived in cramped and squalid conditions.
- Rutherford was discriminatory in allowing one sister to get married and live in Bethel with her husband even though he had forced another brother to leave Bethel in disgrace because he chose to marry.
Added to what I have already mentioned about the racist material that was printed in Watchtower publications under Rutherford’s presidency, it seems inconceivable that Christ, who favored no race above another and encouraged his followers to be meek and humble, would choose a man of Rutherford’s bigoted and contemptible character to form part of his “original” Faithful and Discreet Slave. (Mark 9:35; 19:14) Even so, with this latest change of understanding, we are now being asked to believe that Christ not only approved Rutherford’s character, but found him and his associates the only worthy candidates out of all the humans on Earth at that time to form part of his “faithful and discreet slave”.
Fast forward to the 21st Century, and similarly we have a group of men who, despite having nowhere near as bad a reputation as Rutherford, still leave much to be desired in both humility and intelligence. As I have explained in another article, I recently started uploading videos to YouTube that focus on the words spoken from the platform by various Governing Body members.
One such Governing Body member, Anthony Morris III, boasts of disobeying orders from a superior during the Vietnam War, and even routinely calls himself “the Shoemaker” – insinuating that the guidance in his talks originates from his own wisdom rather than God’s. Anthony also uses a “monarchical ordinal” (a roman numeral) after his name to distinguish himself and honor his ancestors. Is this really one of the eight most humble men available on the Earth today for Jesus to appoint as part of his Faithful Slave?
Outstanding intelligence has never been a prerequisite for those who are used by Jehovah. Moses was not a fluent speaker, being “slow of mouth and slow of tongue”. (Exodus 4:10) Jesus’ followers were said to be unlettered and ordinary. (Acts 4:13) Even so, in an era where the ability to communicate effectively is so important, it is surprising to observe the lack of basic knowledge in certain Governing Body members.
In one talk, Anthony Morris III coined the term “thinkingest” to describe Jehovah’s people, and in another talk Stephen Lett felt compelled to explain to his audience that God’s “express will” has nothing to do with express trains, or “expresso” coffee, but simply means God’s clearly stated will. The fact that Stephen saw the need to explain this simple term, or research it for his talk, raises serious questions as to his intellectual credentials as one who is called upon to teach millions of God’s people around the world. Again, would Jesus select men who fall so desperately short with even their basic knowledge of words to communicate globally with his people (or “domestics”) out of the billions of potential candidates at his disposal?
A Predictable Change
I’ve already mentioned that some have long predicted this new change in understanding. I myself considered the possibility a few times, but I felt it would be some time before I would see the teaching actually introduced.
Interestingly, some time ago we ran a mini-survey on this website asking “Who is the Faithful and Discreet Slave?”, and 15% of the 530 who voted said they thought the term referred to the Governing Body. This well-illustrates that a good number of Witnesses are already oblivious to the matter. It also gives evidence of the cunning way in which the Society has incrementally slipped suggestions of this teaching into its publications over some time in readiness for the change.
As an example, at the 2012 Safeguard Your Heart District Convention a new brochure was released entitled Who Are Doing Jehovah’s Will Today? Page 22 of this brochure carried the heading “Who Is the Faithful and Discreet Slave Class?”, and answered the question (in part) as follows…
“They are genuine, spirit-anointed followers of Jesus. The ‘slave’ dispenses timely spiritual food to fellow worshippers of Jehovah. We are dependant upon this faithful slave class to keep giving us our ‘measure of food supplies at the proper time.'” – Luke 12:42 (Who Are Doing Jehovah’s Will Today?, p. 22)
Most people reading this paragraph before being told of the new “understanding” would fail to spot that the word “all” is crucially missing after “they are” and before “spirit-anointed followers of Jesus” in the first sentence in bold. Whether the omission of this word was deliberate is, I suppose, a matter of conjecture – but it seems more than a coincidence that, just a few months after printing this brochure, it was announced that NOT “all” spirit-anointed followers of Jesus are to be considered part of the Faithful and Discreet Slave. Supposedly, only eight individuals in Brooklyn now have this special role in God’s purpose.
What this change means
All of this is first-and-foremost about increasing power and control. By claiming that they are now the Faithful and Discreet Slave in its entirety, the Governing Body reinforces their authority over the organization and their influence over millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world. Rather than, in the minds of many Witnesses, being theoretically answerable to a larger group of thousands of anointed fellow worshippers who they claim to serve as “representatives”, they are now answerable to nobody but Christ. Nobody can question their position because, just as with the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, they can now claim their authority has been granted to them directly by God through Jesus.
Even though I understand their reasons for making this change, I believe it will cause more problems for the Governing Body than it will solve. Not only have they opened up an entirely new Pandora’s Box of doctrinal issues in their need to explain plausibly how the 1919 Faithful and Discreet Slave has magically become the Governing Body of today – there is something even more troubling that they should concern themselves with.
Many Witnesses were already baffled by the total authority assumed by the Governing Body, and how they have wielded this authority as representatives of the Slave Class without any communication with their anointed fellow christians. This was indeed a major source of doubt for me, and one of the many things that led to my eventually “awakening” from my indoctrination. The obvious disparity gave me the courage I needed to research my beliefs more objectively.
Now that the Governing Body has so brazenly swept aside their anointed colleagues and stripped them of any significance whatsoever in the dissemination of truth to God’s people, I feel there may be a backlash from thinking Jehovah’s Witnesses who were already harboring serious doubts but who will now feel “enough is enough”.
There are only so many lies and deceptions that you can load up on an intelligent human being and ask them to take seriously and base their entire life upon before something snaps. Eventually these falsehoods become too numerous and too hard to believe, and (as happened in my case) an individual will finally decide they have had enough. I believe this may happen on a considerable scale with Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world once this new teaching becomes widely known.
Added to the already considerable downsizing in the organization caused by a slowdown in global growth, it may be that before long we will start to see the number of publishers enter negative growth as those who are already mentally on the fringes start to leave the organization in droves. Only time will tell whether the new teaching will play a significant role in this likely exodus, but the downsizing of the organization has already begun, and I certainly don’t believe this new teaching will improve matters for the Society.
Over the years the Governing Body has grown increasingly arrogant and out-of-touch. You can only hide those sorts of attributes for so long before they become plain for all to see. For a while I entertained thoughts of new brothers being gradually added to the Governing Body who would see through the lies and do the honest and humble thing by admitting that they do not enjoy God’s blessing and eventually dissolving the organization – thereby setting millions of misguided worshippers mentally free. However, the more I observe the frequency with which the Governing Body is making mistakes both doctrinally and procedurally (particularly in relation to handling child abuse), the more I feel that the future of the organization will be irretrievably jeopardized far more quickly and effectively if the existing members are allowed to continue undisturbed in their obvious self-importance and ineptitude.
Summaries of this article are available in the following languages: Hungarian | German.
A PDF of notes taken at the Annual Meeting is now available, and can be downloaded by clicking here.
Please read my follow-up article by clicking here.
Ale jaja toc to drugi Watykan !!!!
Translation for above comment is
‘but eggs are the second vatican too!’
I find that the problem is an interpretation of what Jesus said about feeding. Where does it say that Jesus finds them feeding as they should be. Jesus asks it as a question which is presumed by GB to mean which of those all claiming to be a slave of Jesus is then the real slave who is doing this? Thus showing one is appointed and the others are fraud christian churches. However, the emphasis on those who claim that role versus the one who actually takes it up does not actually say or prove they are feeding properly. Who is feeding at the proper time is rhetorical, especially if the one chosen by Jesus is sleeping like bride and bridesmaids when the hour is here already. Examples. 2005 onward are posts of FWB (friends with benefits) yet 2012 and articles are just coming out for 18 year olds who were 11 when their friends at school pushed for these orgies. So too now you have 3-ways on TV (Men Men &Half) or at the theatre with Streep. How many years before marriages are warned by article? and yet what about all the single people who watch this and think it must be publically acceptable to seek 3-ways all week. Jehovah & Jesus do not see nor understand how a GB who can not print an article on the purpose of genitals in marriage being one that forbids fudge packing and yet they can enforce who must get a marriage license (or define it as fornication) while others in the USA they give a license to marry against court order to remarry do to child support not being paid. I see this as Jacob reinstating the DFd Joseph only if he apologizes to his 10 brothers, and confesses of his pagan priest-wife (divorcing her) or Jacob refuses to move to Egypt.
Vamos aguardar tal mudanças na Sentinela. Mas dá perplexidade ver em pleno século XXI as pessoas serem robotizadas e perderem o senso crítico…
Above translation
Let’s wait for such changes in the Watchtower. But you see bewilderment in the XXI century people being robotic and lose critical sense …
The people hate it when the USA President who wins isnt the one they voted for. Yet then for 4 years all you hear from both sides who voted for and voted against is gripes of how worthless he is as a President. Then a decision is made to kill your sons as soldiers in the mass murder of some small country and you all swear to be behind the President. The decisions of Israel were all made by Moses. He didnt wish it that way. He said I wish all of you could have this insight (prophecy, which means se outcome of truth) that i have. He couldnt handle so much and asked his father-in-laws help who wasnt an Israelite. The people didnt wish to use their own eyes to see Jehovah, in fact the WT turned the good thing (during judges) of “each man did what was good in his own eyes because their was no king” (Jehovah was their king) into the bad thing saying it was chaos, they did as Eve did. Yet having Moses they griped he had a Cushite wife, and yet they let 10 men decide for them to stay in Sinai (not go into Canaan) and blame it on Moses for bringing them out of Egypt. I still hold in my heart that it is the WT at fault, not the GB, but if they be these 10 spies then Paul is correct, as all 144,000 Jews were lopped off the tree to be 144,000 adopted by Jesus the Jew, then so too these 144,000 Christians can be lopped off the tree by the decision of just 8 spies (as Mordecai told Esther she could be cut off, if she doesnt obey the cry to save her children). And an immediate replacement could be found by Jehovah without going to pagan Christians.
It would appear that this maybe the the first step in the subtle ground work for disavowing 1914 and the invisible parousia of Christ reign. First you nullify the man, and then his teachings.
Candidly many of our early doctrinal beliefs came not from Charles but rather were ” lifted” from the groups Charles associated with.
As we all know there is a big bubble that will burst when 2014 comes and goes. How do you explain Jesus hanging around for 100 years, seemingly doing nothing after he came to power. His whole life on Earth as recorded in the gospels was one of action.
Likewise that of his father, instead of humbly admitting that that they might very well be wrong, because why the flock might lose faith in them and how would our reputation look. They would be better served to worry about their standing before God and his Son Christ Jesus.
Your statements about the Pope are incorrect I have to point out. Catholics do not see the Pope as being unquestionable. It is only in the pronouncement of an infallible statement that the Pope is infallible; and those normally are backed up with the other bishops (since the Pope is the bishop of Rome). Just for future posts that you make. Great article.
Your point is moot. Infallible is infallible. It doesnt have to be the whole Pope. Or one declaration; or an approved declaration by bishops. To make any word as infallible as a human defines it, even if it turns out to be infallible when redefined or reworded by God Himself. The word of the human being was not infallible. As Jesus said I am not good, no one is good, only God is good; he makes his point that only God is infallible in word. Because how ever we define it wrong, God can redefine it in an infallible way. So the Pope is exalted above his reality, as jewish high priests were, and as you claim GB or FDS is.
People, the world…needs to start taking seriously the barbaric and cruel, brutal, brutal caveman, stone age mentality and treatment of Jehovah’s Witnesses towards the Mentally Ill! This is a systemic and world wide issue that has devastated and ravaged, savaged lives since all things are considered to be spiritual and a personal failure and shortcoming so no excuses or considerations are provided! Homes and property and jobs, lives have been completely lost repeatedly to homelessness and disfellowshippings after years, decades of protracted physical and emotional abuse and crimes as just happened at Moon Valley congregation in Phoenix. It’s silent because no one knows or cares about the “Non People” and the victims suffer in silence believing they deserve it or this is what is suppose to happen. Or Jehovah expects it from them and some might not even know or fully understand what is happening..
Dear KtotheRAD, What just happened at Moon Valley Congergation ?
What ever it was may be silent only because no one knows about it.
Please share, because we do care.
I just watched Nightline and its unbeleivable the crimes that exsist in Chicago. Children cannot go out to play for fear of getting shot by cross fire. Many have , Inteviews showed that they live day by day,not knowing if they will be aive tomorrow.
Not from lack of food or war, or a devistating earth quake or tornado, or the plauge, but from shededing innocent blood, just for the sake of killing.
We are living in a violent world.
What? is ARJW not enough for you? I am offended.
MM
please explain what and why are offended
Hi Susanna, Yes there are bad people in the world, but that must not blind us to all the good in the world. Here in UK, it is headline news if there is a murder or other terrible crime. That is because it is not the norm that happens thousands of times each day. It is the exception. Thinking the world is a wicked place is what JWs try to fool everybody with so as to recruit more members. It was the best day of my life when I finally realized that actually there are a lot of great people in the world.
A comment was removed because it was offensive.
You removed my comment because it was true, thats why i make sure i post them elsewhere too, so i can inform the world how you removed it.
I removed your comment, and subsequent comments, because this website applauds the courage of Candace Conti, and her bravery in pursuing action against an organization that knowingly puts countless numbers of children in danger. If you continue to spam this forum with hateful messages about the Contis, I will not hesitate to have your IP address blocked.
Sorry alan – this website isn’t a democracy I’m afraid. I won’t give a platform to those who pour venom on the actions of Candace Conti, or give them the opportunity to redirect visitors to this site to websites of their choosing. If you want to find Richard’s venom against Candace Conti – use Google!
Totally agree with you Cedars. I was calling his bluff. I know you would never edit someone if they spoke the truth.
Actually just seen the comment as it went to my email.
He needs to let the law do whatever is necassary in this case. It actually does not matter what we as individuals feel It is up to the courts do decide where any blame lies, and then punish the person or organisation that is at fault
Alan,
Sorry I just seen you had addressed my comment twice.
I agree there are a lot of civilized people in the world.
I also live in a small community that is obedient to the laws that protect us ,.there fore its pretty quiet.
If it weren’t for the news media we really wouldn’t think the world is so bad, but the scriptures do say the whole world is laying in the power of the wicked one.
Even those that are not JW’s will readily agree,
What attracted me to the JW’s was the scriptures on the promised peace that Jesus 1000 year rule will bring.
If one cant trust Gods word, then what is left ?
By the way when I walked away from the Watch tower, it was because they no longer were in touch with Gods word.
Hi Cedars and everyone.
Susanna, you say: “If one can’t trust God’s word, then what is left?”
What is left is something that is far more real and tangible than “God’s Word”. It is people whom we can trust. People are far more tangible and real, regardless of what an organisation like the Watchtower Society tells their followers is the “truth”. Websites like JWSurvey and many others allow people to connect, communicate and support each other, just like God’s word. God’s word in the Bible is a means of communication and encouragement, but it only becomes a reality through a person’s actions when they help others.
This is what is happening now in the present, not something that happened two thousand years ago, and you and many others are building this support network for each other which is growing every day across the internet and the world. Isn’t this a much better thing to be part of? To be part of humanity, which is what Jesus was telling us, rather than be subject to a set of outdated, convoluted and unfair doctrines that tells people how to live their lives, separating themselves from others, rather than allowing them to make their own decisions and form opinions for themselves. It is vitally important to see the bigger picture, as people can and do change things for the better every day.
Since coming into contact with JW’s, I’ve been doing a lot of research into the WTS’ belief system over the past year and this website, among a growing number, is invaluable in informing people about the JW’s and the WTS in a balanced and fair way. It really does seem like another world to me – both disturbing and fascinating – the more research I do, and it’s hard to believe how many people are suffering silently under our very noses.
It takes a long time to process information, but Jesus’ message is very different and far more positive in the Bible compared to what the JW’s/WTS say it is. Research really is the key to understanding: the more we understand the stronger we feel, the more control we have over our lives, and the better equipped we are to then help others.
I hope you and many others continue to see that the world isn’t a terrible place, and that people actually aren’t under Satan’s control, regardless of their beliefs. Is the Atheist, Muslim or Hindu who does charitable works really under Satan’s control? If Satan controls them, does that mean that Satan is doing charitable works too? Are people really under Satan’s influence just because they have a different opinion or belief to you or me or the WTS? It is difficult to get away from a mindset like the one the WTS promotes, but just by posting your messages here you are definitely helping people, just as they are helping you when they post theirs, so please continue to communicate, support and research.
According to Jesus, God’s word can live within us, God working through each individual’s actions: ‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word… and we shall come to him and make our home with him’ (John 14:23-24) and (1 John 4:15-16). Yes, there is suffering in the world, but according to the New Testament it is God’s word which encourages and empowers us to communicate with and help others, summed up perfectly in: (Matthew 25:31-46). Clearly, even the smallest of “good works” can make a difference: (Matthew 26:6-13).
Rather than blame others for our problems and wait for God to miraculously fix everything, we instead need to take responsibility for our own actions to make a real difference, which is exactly the point of websites like JWSurvey and the Bible itself.
I find it very comforting, the fact that we can make a difference, and I hope you do too.
Thank you for the website Cedars, and keep up the good work!
Kind Regards,
DB
Dear DB
Thank you for your loving concern.
I might ask ,was Eve under Satan influence ? Of course she was.
I stick with what I said, If we cant trust Gods word , then what is there !!!.
I never said that the WT organization was Gods word. How could it be.?
They support everything that goes against His word. From their main doctrine of 1914 , every thing is built on that lie, that’s why they cannot give out any truths.
I call the Watchtower the modern day Pharasees.
John 8:44
New International Version (NIV)
44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.*********
No, dear DB ,I feel that one must love Jehovah with their whole heart,soul and mind ,and their neighbor as themselves ,Jesus said these were the two greatest commandments..he also said,
John 4:23-24
New International Version (NIV)
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”**********
The word organization is not even in the Bible.
Jesus also said , let them be Blind guides, and they will all fall in the pit.
It is the Watchtowers greatest guilt trip that faith with out works is dead. That’s one way they got their empire built, by the sweat of the brothers brow. ( sick isnt it ).
I agree with you 100% in regards to the net work.
I thank sites such as Ceders and others that are indulging in helping others to break and get out of the Watchtower bond. I would not even post on a site where I didn’t see this happening,so honestly ,you have me all wrong, I am here as a supporter for Ceders.
I just wanted you to know, I appreciate the Internet as much as you do.
I would never use Cedars Site to advertise my topics , but in time I think you will run into them. Keep up the research
sincerely
susanna
Hi Susanna,
Thanks for replying. I didn’t mean to imply that you didn’t support sites like this one, or that you think that the WTS is linked with God’s word – apologies if my message came across like that, I think that a lot of my message was just me thinking out loud!
I totally agree with what you’re saying though about the WTS being the modern day Pharisees, and the two greatest commandments that Jesus said are the most important. Yes, the guilt endured by JW’s about faith and salvation through works must be very hard going, it really is tragic and a massive shame.
I think what I was trying to say was that the whole “deceived by Satan” thing is just another control method used by the WTS to discredit others and distract JW’s from the most important issues. According to the Bible, Eve was influenced by Satan to eat the apple, but surely this influence didn’t extend to everything else she did in her life. It’s very easy for the WTS to generalise along these lines, sweeping the real issues under the carpet so they are ignored and not dealt with. I’ll look out for what you’ve written elsewhere and I’ll definitely keep up the research!
Kind regards,
DB
Cedars’s don’t you think some of the reponses are getting too far away from the original topic. Some of the dialogues would better be continued privately rather than on this site. Anyway back to the main topic, a few thoughts. Designating the appointment of the FDS as in 1919 helps resolve a few difficult questions previously. For instance who were the FDS in the year 1000 AD. Who were the FDS that Russell needed to be intouch with to receive his spiritual food.
With regard to the 1919 appointment it will be interesting to see if any specific group is referred to. The WT editorial committee set up in accordance with Russell’s will after his death was dissolved by Rutherford about 1931 so they cannot qualify. Perhaps initially it will be claimed it was Rutherford and those imprisoned with him in 1918. Whoever it was the spirtual food distributed from 1919 onwards included the erroneous Finished Mystery book of false predictions and inaccurate information and the false prophetic Millions Now Living Will Never Die campaign. Infact Rutherford produced the vast majority of so called spiritual publications, broadcasts and recordings. Rutherford and the other Presidents and Governing Bodies have never consulted the remnant of the FDS CLASS and have never represented them as was claimed as they were and still are self appointed.
The 2007 dropping of the closing of the heavenly calling of the anointed in 1931 allows for a continuity of anointed Governing Body members born after that date without resorting to the replacement of failed anointed by others theory.
Where does this leave Charlie Russell in all this? Well I suppose he will be seen as just a member of Spiritual Israel or the Israel of God Rom 9:6, Gal 6:16 starting at pentecost 33 AD but as a special messenger along with Paul and the apostles. It will be interesting to see the eisegesic acrobatics the Governing Body will adopt to try to justfy their ever more controlling position in effect the FDS being the mediator between JW adherents and God.
“Cedars’s don’t you think some of the reponses are getting too far away from the original topic” or maybe they are just uncomfortable or insignificant to you? Did it ever occur to you that no one has ever had the opportunity after all these years to express these things? I carried heavy, heavy loads under the fear of “Bloodguilt” and a false sense of loyalty when I finally came to realize that I wasn’t responsible for the behavior or for keeping any secrets! I was raised to know right from wrong and the Bible is clearly written in English and German!
boy your angry, settle down people have a right to express how they feel, I mean how many JW were Catholics or whatever and are always having a say about their former religion.
You should be concerned as this position has never been scriptual nor is the corrent one, that should make you think and check out your bible.
sorry should have said who I was replying, post was to Steve.
Governing Body says: “We are the Faithful and Discreet Slave!”
Self-praise is not recommendation – proverb
Thanks Cedars.
This is huge. When I went through Gilead, I knew that the GB functioned as the de facto FDS, yet they refused to admit it. I still have my notes from the talk “The 1900 year old FDS”, which seemed unbelievable to me. Now they’ve dropped it, but unfortunatley, the sheeples will say “Oh, Jehovah’s given us new light!!!”
Thanks for sharing.
A@G
Are they admitting that each group of governing bodies before them were unfaithful/
May be a way of getting rid of the 1914 lie !!!
Are they admitting that all that proper food before hand wasn’t proper food at all !!
How could it be if according to them they just now became the Fathful slave,
which I might ask, what have they done to make up this faithful slave ???
Well, Susanna, I believe this is how they the gb handles things as they always have: this is ‘new light’. And, sadly, JW’s still go along with this. What word can I use except deception? Without the Lord opening my eyes I would still be in bondage to this cult. It’s not a problem of lack of intelligence. The problem is the need to be born again to trust only in Christ. Only then can theri be true freedom from bondage to the false teachings we all at one time believed with all our heart. Ernie
E I hear you loud and clear and also moved out, there for I am with you 100 %
Thanks Cedars. You have alot of hard work up here. It is appreciated.
Cedars, is it possible you are a part of the ‘evil slave’ who is beating his former fellow slaves? Anyway, Satan will be very happy with your ‘good and hard work” !
For Cedars to be part of or the evil slave, he would have to be willfully spreading lies about fellow citizens who disagree with him as being mentally diseased, deceitful in changing doctrine to suite himself, dishonest in accepting donations from congregations for kingdom hall building then lending back the money to congregations, authority grabbing in pre-setting requirements to obey the Faithful and Discreet Slave, then declaring himself as such, prideful in not admitting “wrong light” for failed predictions of 1914, 1919, 1925 and 1975, using conjecture in establishing his teachings, Pharasaic in establishing rules, evading taxes by switching to a “donation” for world wide work instead of charging a price for magazines, prematurely assuming knowledge about an unknown matter when remaining silent would be wise, printing trillions of publications about the Bible when the Bible is sufficient, loading time reporting burdens upon his friends to use as a yearly bragging report, and many, many, many other negative aspirations you can see in the GB. Cedars work speaks for itself. Research Cedars. Research Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc. and see who is an evil slave. Please don’t take this evidence as offensive. Please research it.
When I came into the org in 1968, the teaching was that the spiritual food comes from the FADS who were scattered all over the planet. I was told they would send in material to Brooklyn and then their work would be published. In recent years the society have been getting witnesses prepared for the downsizing of all the supposed members of the anointed scattered all over the earth.
Saying things like they have no special insite, and some of those taking the emblems at the memorial could be mentally unstable.
So it is really no surprise to most ex witnesses that they have made themselves the FADS.
The clever thing they have done, as I posted earlier was to make the FADS come on the scene in 1919.
So any false teachings of Charles Russell can now be said to be not from God, as he did not have any representatives on earth until 1919, after Russell had died
They fight a losing battle though, because there are still mountains of false stories, doctrines and wild guesses that have proved totally wrong since that date.
And as others have brought out, many of Russell’s teachings were kept for quite a few years later.
Thank you very much !
Great article, and good comments …
sky rainbow, you have it back to front, the GB are the ones beating the other anointed depriving them of fulfilling what they are to be judged for feeding the sheep, the GB are an elite group and have usurped the seat of Moses which belongs only to Christ.
I certainly believe they are trying to distance themselves from Charles Russell. I think they are now saying that the gov body only started around 1918/1919 after Russell’s death. This is probably because so many negative comments have come out about what Russell did and said. By getting rid of him and his false ideas, they only have Rutherfird’s mistakes to deal with.
“This is probably because so many negative comments have come out about what Russell did and said. By getting rid of him and his false ideas, they only have Rutherfird’s mistakes to deal with”.
Well they still rely on the 1914 date for the end of the gentile times which Russell picked up from Nelson Barbour. They also need 1914 as the date that Jesus began invisibly ruling to arrive at 1918-19 for his time of inspection and a mysterious small group at NY Bethel being appointed as the FDS. Remember there was no Governing Body then and it was not officially instituted as such until 1975 much to Fred Franz chagrin. In effect Rutherford was responsible for all that was published as so called spiritual food and signed off other material published in the Golden Age and Consolation magazine etc.
Now that the FDS class are officially out of the picture (in real terms they were never in) with regard to preparing and dispensing direction and scriptural interpretation, I wonder if they will still be counted at next year’s memorial. Any bets!!
Cedars, thanks for all the time and effort you contribute. Each of us has the responsibility to continue seeking for truth. That is why God gave us the Bible, and the ability to think and reason. The Watchtower loved to attack the churches, (especially the Catholics). If we simply take the same standards and methods, it is clear that the Watchtower is equally guilty of self-magnification. And I must agree with you fully – Rutherford is in many ways the creator of the monster that the Watchtower Society has become. It displays the same characteristics – a sickening professed “humility” towards God – and intolerance, abuse and malicious misuse of power towards the “domestics”. And don’t forget a love of luxury and abuse of alcohol. In poorer countries, where most of the publishers battle to keep alive, there is growing dismay as they become aware of just how well the so-called “faithful slave” is living. Which raises so many questions: where is all the money going? No more missionaries, cut backs in so many things related to the supposedly vital “preaching” work.
You are on the right track. FOCUS ON RUTHERFORD, get all those incriminating documents out in the public forum, and keep asking questions. If my family had known previously what we now know about that man, we would have run a mile before allowing ourselves to get entangled in his money-making schemes.
The other thing we could focus on is the truth about the preaching work. The WT Society really likes to praise itself over this. The real facts indicate, though, that it has scarcely scratched the surface, even in the western world, and is non existent in the Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu “fields”.
When one senior WT Official was asked about this, he glibly replied: “O, they have already been judged, because they choose to belong to religions that reject Jesus”. I kid you not. As if people have any choice where they are born. A recent magazine smugly commented that the WT Society has printed about 28 billion pieces of literature – 4 for every person on earth. And as we know – most of this was thrown away, given away, dropped off in letterboxes . . . . hardly what one could call a “preaching work.” Evidently the WT Society thinks that the printing press is mightier than the Holy Spirit – which powered the true Christians of the 1st century. Interesting times. We shall see more revelations yet. The WT Society has presumptuously appointed itself, and spoken on God’s behalf, saying many things that have proven false. So I don’t think God is finished with them, not until they have been thoroughly exposed. Then the true “sons of righteousness” will shine forth – a humble people, displaying the fruits of the Kingdom.
Most comments are just fantasies and contemplations of desperate losers.
skyrainbow, are you / have you ever served as an elder, regular pioneer, bethelite or on a circuit? If not, how would you be in a position to comment with any authority? It appears you are very immature and certainly very ignorant of what is actually going on behind the scenes. One question to start with:
The Watchtower stated that the “ancient worthies” would be resurrected in 1925, and the Society bought a house in California for them to live in. WHERE ARE THEY?
This prediction (by JF Rutherford) was a pipe-dream, or an alcohol induced hallucination. They same guy who said “millions now living will never die”. WHERE ARE THEY?
According to the Watchtower, even if a thing is only 0.001% wrong, that tiny bit of religious error will KILL YOU. Fact is, the Watchtower writings are RIDDLED with errors, big and small. So, according to them, you are all SPIRITUALLY DEAD.
Not so long ago, the Watchtower, trying to answer a question about the resurrection, ended up denying that “with God, all things are possible.” Did you read the article? Did you read their reply, which failed to apologise for being wrong, or for all the hurt the original article caused? Or do you just go blindly along, because this is the religion mommy and daddy chose?
cant address the posts so you insult, why bother coming here then, only to stir, you can’t defend your faith so you attack, how about addressing the topic.
Frank, you mean only elders, pioneers, bethelites, circuit overseers and of course Frank are in the position to comment here?
Maybe I am very immature and very ignorant but I am honest and loyal! And I don’t believe the propaganda of rancorous and frustated apostates and their old fairy tales.
And I don’t believe the propaganda of rancorous and frustated apostates and their old fairy tales”.
Then do some research. What the WT wrote, predicted, contradicted and reversed is all in print which you can easily access. Just look at one of numerous predictions, the 1925 prediction for Armaggedon through the 1920-25 Millions Now Living Will Never Die campaign which was claimed to be directed by God and claimed to be God’s date. When that failed no apology was issued (the brother’s imaginations had got the better of them). Many were disillusioned and the Memorial attendance dropped by 80% between 1925 and 1928. Well of course this would be claimed to be a ‘sifting work’, yet there is no instance in the Bible of predicting a date that did not occur. There are of course individuals or groups in the Bible who misunderstood or had premature or false expectations. However nothing WRTTEN by the Bible writers was later contradicted , reversed or failed. Peter explained why, because they were directed by the holy spirit 2Peter 1:21. WTBS claims to be God and Christ’s modern day prophet organization, his “Spirit Directed Organization” ( second baptism question) however a significant amount of what they have written has been later contradicted, oscillated, reversed and failed. Every prediction for the end of this system has failed and makes them false prophets, Deut 18:20, 21; Matt 24:23, 24. One of their latest predictions is that the present younger anointed overlapping the older anointed will not pass away before the start of the great tribulation (WT April 15, 2010, page 10). This has bought them a few more decades before yet another adjustment to the ‘Generation’ speculations will be required. Of course the great tribulation could start before then and the WTBS has since its inception in 1884 continually emphsised how close the end of this world system is despite Jesus warning at Luke 21:8 and Matt 24:42-44. Just stay awake!
skyrainbow, since you choose to judge us, and call us “apostates”, WHY ARE YOU POSTING ON THIS SITE? According to the Bible, you should NOT be associating or communicating with apostates. Do you actually study the Bible, the Watchtower and pay attention at the meetings? Anyway, you judge yourself out of your own mouth – by posting here you are being disobedient to the very Organization you claim to support.
And, if disobedient, then also disloyal and dishonest. Now, instead of making personal attacks on us, why don’t you supply some real answers to the questions I asked? Doing some meaningful honest research is the best way to cure ignorance.
Hi Alan, thanks for your positive comment. For the benefit of skyrainbow and others who may be following, I can say that my “frustration” iro religion dropped to zero once I put together the truth about the Watchtower Society, and broke free. For the first time in decades, I was free to really have a personal relationship with God, without the Organization standing in as a self-appointed mediator. More significantly, for the first time in my life, Jesus Christ became a reality that I could follow, instead of following ‘followers following followers’. I am free from the Watchtower’s obsession with knowledge, it’s endless speculation, its presumption in ‘going beyond what is written’, its interference in personal and family matters that are none of its business. Jehovah is interested in how we live, not in how many questions we can answer in the Written Review (for example). And devotion, faith and love cannot be calculated from a Field Service Report. The work that Cedars and others are doing serves a real need. It is not enough to just leave the WT Organization. One must see the evidence, and KNOW that you are doing the RIGHT thing. Didn’t Jesus say – ‘the truth will set you free’? Shalom.
Hey Skyrainbow, if you are so spiritual and loyal JW, then why are you even near a so-called Apostate website? As far as I know, JW are suppose to merely ignore any comments or propaganda made by again so-called Apostates and not intermingle with them just like you’re doing. If you’re faith is so strong as you portray it to be, then why are you so hesitant to defend it? Sure, is okay to defend it, but why are you being so hostile as if you are not even sure anymore of your own faith? Also, doesn’t the Watchtower teach to treat everyone nicely and with respect as they proclaim to be God’s people? I mean really, if you are just going to bash me like you have done to everyone else in this forum, you might as well leave. And one last thing, if you are so sure of your faith, then why do you keep coming back here?
Hi skyrainbow, what was it that Frank said that was not true? And in what way is he a frustrated apostate?
What he said about 1925 was totally true. You can check it yourself if you want. Also what he said about Rutherford’s message of 1919 was true about millions living now will never die.Again check it yourself.
I would be interested in your comments
Skyrainbow, do you know the difference between “dissent” and “disloyalty”? If you do, please explain.
Frank 2
Here’s my point, Skyrainbow (what a pretty name!):
“We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism
These were the words of Ed Murrow, journalist and impeacher of Senator Joseph McCarthy, the latter who led America into one of history’s longest and most effective witch hunts against suspected ‘Communists.’
Interesting as it is to see you, a loyal one, reading this site, you need to remember that many who come here are not ‘disloyal’ ones, but merely dissenters. They make argument which comes from being prepared NOT to accept any policy or doctrine without question.
Need I remind you that “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Many do not agree that a clutch of imperfect men awarding themselves the most powerful religious position on Earth should be accepted without question.
Tell me, will your high-quality absolute loyalty move you to stand on a bridge in white robes if ordered to? Would it cause you to drink cool-aid in a complex in Guyana? When you become a much-valued elder, will you turn a blind eye to a personal friend who is accused of child molestation, believing that deep down inside he’s probably a nice man?
Some say this is a “perfect organisation run by imperfect men.” Is that what you believe? I’m sure you’ve picked the contradiction by now – imperfect men cannot run a perfect organisation. If the organisation is perfect then the human mistakes would be God’s. Does this make sense? When men run ahead of God and attempts to build a prophecy “house” and we see that God is not its builder, what then?
One final thing: Do you think this is a good standard of loyalty:
‘”One district overseer, picking up a green book, explained the new policy of conformity to an assembly of Elders this way: “If the Society told me that this book is black instead of green, I would say, ‘Y’know I could have sworn it was green, but if the Society says it’s black then it’s black!’”?
Psalm 127:1
Psalm 146:3,4
Crisis of Conscience by Ray Franz
“For it would have been better for them not to have accurately known the path of righteousness than after knowing it accurately to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.” 2 Peter 2:21
Skyrainbow, the fact remains…you’re still coming back.