The Governing Body Channels ...

Greetings:

Someone asked a question recently about how the GB acquires new light. I cannot recall the title of the thread but did find this information in my file that a fellow poster put up a while back:

Just for reference, this is from the Jan 1st 2007 Watchtower - "The First Resurrection Now Under Way ?"

CoCo

Wait a minute - "it seems that resurrected ones...may be involved in the communicating of divine truths"?

So, you've got GB members receiving messages from the spirit realm, and "it seems" to be their best guess that it's really a message from "Booze" Rutherford or Freddy Franz?

Does it seem like a message from a deceased GB member, or is it really such a message? They didn't ask for an ID?

Lovely - do they rap on the table top during their Wednesday afternoon meetings? Does the table then levitate?

I read that article before, but missed the implications.

Rutherford said that Russell was directing and influencing the work from heaven... so that's a similar teaching.

Of course, Rutherford later changed his mind and insulted anyone who held that "foolish" belief.

I would love to know how the GB is contacted by these former brethren... hidden messages in their Alpha-Bits?

Thank you, Sir and Fadeout, for your replies.

It seems is just one of many wiggle-room terms. You mean nothing's in stone anymore?

And, yes, the leaders make the doctrine but blame the laity for their over-enthusiastic "publishing" of a message gone wrong.

Since when do the rank-and-file script doctrine and ascertain policy?

Gratefully,

CoCo

"It seems" is so irritating.  Just those words alone should show the R&F that the GB doesn't even know what it's doing.  If I were receiving direction from a dead elder, I'd know it, by God.

It is almost impossible to make a JW think, isn't it?

StAnn

It is almost impossible to make a JW think, isn't it?

StAnn

You got it! 

Thanks for your response.

CoCo

Great read Coco. I often wondered when studying this how it happened. It had to be a whisper. Even at Gilead, all the GB insisted that their revelations come from studying the bible under the influence... (of holy spirit) and not because of a special communication. I find it interesting that the Revelation book frames it as a one sided transaction, as if they go down to Bethel every Wednesday and ruffle the drapes in the GB board room.....

In our Gilead class, we (half) jokingly wondered if it was Russell who was one of the "elders" used to communicate to the GB, considering that none of his original teachings have been retained. One of my class joked that is nickname might be "1914", since that was the only thing that's still around.....

"Someone asked a question recently about how the GB acquires new light."

Why, they come and read all the interesting post on this discussion board of course!

I can see how this could lend itself in the future to there being no need to have the anointed on earth to dispense "food at the proper time." Everything will be coming down from heaven via the faithful and discrete slave who are now also the 24 elders. That could go on forever and very likely will.

This is a pretty weird statement since Jesus said he'd send the holy spirit to 'teach you these things.'  Of course, this was 2 years ago…wonder if there's been new light since then.

The Watchtower has long favored channeling its alleged truths from the dead.

Though Pastor Russell has passed beyond the veil, he is still managing every feature of the Harvest work. `THE WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY is the greatest corporation in the word, because from the time of its organization until now the Lord has used it as His channel though which to make known the Glad Tidings'" (Finished Mystery, p. 144).

Hence our dear Pastor, now in glory, is without doubt, manifesting a keen interest in the harvest work, and is permitted by the Lord to exercise some strong influence thereupon. (Watch Tower 1917, November 1 p. 6161, WTS reprints)

For many years they claimed that angels would flit down from the Pleiades and give them the word, though not in an audible fashion, but something like automatic writing.

But it seems certain that when Jesus came to his temple and began his work of judgment he would direct his holy angels to take the necessary action to cause the separation of the disapproved from approved ones, and would use his angels to bear messages to them to direct the approved ones as to what to do. (Watchtower, Sept. 1, 1930 p. 203) 

The Watchtower is not the instrument of any man or set of any of men, nor is it published according to the whims of men. No man's opinion is expressed in the Watchtower. (Watchtower, Nov. 1 1931 p. 327)

"It was in the spring of 1918 that the Lord Jesus, as the representative of Jehovah, appeared at the temple, and from that time forward the glory of Jehovah has been here. 'And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.' (Ezek. 43:6) When Ezekiel heard the Lord speaking to him the man stood by him. 'The man' was the heavenly messengers or angels of the Lord now used by the Lord in behalf of the remnant. These angels are invisible to human eyes and are there to carry out the orders of the Lord. no doubt they first hear the instructions which the Lord issues to his remnant and then these invisible messengers pass such instructions on the remnant. The facts show that the angels of the Lord with Him at His temple have been thus rendering service unto the remnant since 1919." (Vindication, Vol. III, p. 250, 1931)

These angels are invisible to human eyes and are there to carry out the orders of the Lord. No doubt they first hear the instruction which the Lord issues to his remnant and then these invisible messengers pass such instruction on to the remnant. The facts show that the angels of the Lord with him at his temple have been thus rendering service unto the remnant since 1919. Vindication, Rutherford, 1932, Vol. 3, p. 250.

"This is proof that the interpretation of prophecy does not proceed from man, but that the Lord Jesus, the chief one in Jehovah's organization, sends the necessary information to his people by and through his holy angels." (Preparation; 1933; p. 28)

Certain duties and kingdom interests have been committed by the Lord to his angels, which include the transmission of information to God's anointed people on the earth for their aid and comfort. Even though we cannot understand how the angels transmit this information, we know that they do it; and the Scriptures and the facts show that it is done. (Preparation; 1933; p. 36-37)

Enlightenment proceeds from Jehovah by and through Christ Jesus and is given to the faithful anointed on earth at the temple, and brings great peace and consolation to them. Again Zechariah talked with the angel of the Lord, which shows that the remnant are instructed by the angels of the Lord. the remnant do not hear audible sounds, because such is not necessary. Jehovah has provided his own good way to convey thoughts to the minds of his anointed ones. (Preparation; 1933; p. 64)

Those of the remnant, being honest and true, must say, We do not know; and the Lord enlightens them, sending his angels for that very purpose. (Preparation; 1933; p. 67)

"God uses angels to teach His people now on earth." The Golden Age 1933 Nov. 8 p.69

"No man can properly interpret prophecy, and the Lord sends his angels to transmit correct information to his people." Watchtower 1936 Feb. 15 p.52

Jehovah has made the necessary arrangements within his organization to instruct his people, and all recognize that for some years The Watchtower has been the means of communicating information to God's people. That does not mean that those who prepare the manuscript for The Watchtower are inspired, but rather it means that the Lord through his angels sees to it that the information is given to his people in due time, and he brings to pass the events in fulfillment of his prophecy and then invites those devoted to him to see the same. Riches, Rutherford, 1936, p. 316.

For many years the Watchtower has made boastful claims such as this.

"The Watchtower is a magazine without equal in the earth, and is conceded this rank by all that have been faithful readers thereof during its more than sixty years of publications.... This is not giving any credit to the magazines publishers, but is due to the great author of the Bible with its truths and prophecies, and who now interprets its prophecies. He it is that makes possible the material that is published in the columns of this magazine and who give promise that it shall continue to publish the advancing truths as long as it continues to exist for the service of the interests of his Theocratic Government. (Watchtower, April 15, 1943, p. 127)

Current light is back to channeling messages from the dead.

It is fitting, then, that one of the 24 elders representing anointed ones already in heaven, should stir John's thinking...(Revelation 7:13, 14a) Yes, that elder could locate the answer and give it to John. This suggests that resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today.
(Revelation - Its Grand climax At Hand! 1989 p. 125)

Channeling is a spiritistic practice, so the Watchtower lacks any moral authority to condemn spiritism.

Look at how many WRONG things have been put in the steaming piles of litterature over the years.

These "angels" then are taking God's words down to Crooklyn.  So obviously jehoobie has gone simple since the bible was penned.  Even he cant make up his mind what it means.

HB

So, the 1935 identification of the Great Crowd proves they are "spirit-directed"?

What interests me is that the quote is recent, from 2007.  I would think they should distance themselves from this concept.  Most of the people identified at the historic convention where the great multitude were asked to stand up by Rutherford, ARE DEAD!  

This means they were NOT part of the Great Crowd, because they did not pass through the Great Tribulation.

Either God, one of the 24 heavenly elders, or JF Rutherford made a mistake on timing.  I wonder which one?

Dear Friends:

I find this additional information bearing on doctrinal faux pas to be fascinating and your personal commentary a boon to my endeavors toward critical thinking.

Many thanks! 

CoCo

Anything I can do to help, CC.

This deserves another gander, IMHO.

CC

Interesting. What if they begin to compare a two-class anointed on earth as well? "It therefore seems evident, and how appropriate, for just as in heaven, there is a "ruling BODY" of 24 elders, so on earth here today, the GB represent those 24 elders that make up the "faithful and discreet slave" class today here on earth.

Automatic writing? Holy shit!

"Does it seem like a message from a deceased GB member, or is it really such a message?"

EVIDENTLY it is... ;)

Thank you dear CoCo for posting this,

It was this very paragraph that made me decide I just HAD to walk out of the K.H and never return, the sad thing is that I wasted a year at least.

I never paid hardly any attention during WT studies, and only speed read an article, if I read it at all, so this did not hit me until it was used in a comment on the "Day's Text" in early 2008 (?). (That was strange too, I didn't normally look at a Day's Text either, but I did that blessed day)

I then went back and saw the times they had come out with similar looney stuff, in the Rev. climax book for instance. and although this went against their other pronouncements about "Bible study" only etc. being their guide, I could see they actually gave credence to this tosh.

Straight away I realised that talking to the dead was forbidden in scripture, but here they were proudly claiming to do so !

I then got to thinking about how they elevate themselves above Jesus, and it actually made me fearful to be associated with such blasphemers.

Of course from that point on the whole house of cards that is their teaching and theology fell apart, as it does when you look at it with an open mind.

Thanks again for posting, it may wake up others reading this.

Wobble

Try telling a non-JW that JWs receive some of their information and "new light" from their dead previous leaders & see what reaction you get!

Mind you , juding  by the numerous flip flops - there does seem to be an awful lot of static on the line....

I think the Governing Body meets at their secret Bethel board room, closes the door, and hold hands seance-style trying to channel Johannes Greber's spirit for advice: