Kick_Faceinator

You may be right,
“And the number of the people of Israel will be like the grains of sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ it will be said to them, ‘The sons of the living God.” Hosea 1:10

Yes, of course. There are very few numbers in Revelation that are taken literally. Even the number 144,000 is made up of a non-literal number of tribes (12) each made up of a non-literal number of persons from each one of them (12,000).
The rationale for taking this one literally is that it is compared with an uncountable number of gentiles who come out of the great tribulation. We don't teach that these are literal gentiles either.

In general, that statement is true. Except when this particular mystery doctrine was being explained by Russell. For example, in Volume VI of Studies in the Scriptures, page 239, Russell showed that the 144,000 were "Joint-sacrificers" with Jesus Christ.

As I mentioned above, these 144,000 joint-sacrificers are correctly referred to as "gods," per Russell:

[also, Volume VI of Studies in the Scriptures, p.239]

This is correct. Russell never took the place of Christ before his Church. Christ was the Head of the Body, and Russell would never consider himself the "Head" of the Body of Christ. This doesn't mean that Russell would ever have admitted that any other person could be God's "mouthpiece." Russell only said this about himself, and no one else. Also Russell printed letters that addressed himself as "the faithful and wise servant." He printed no letters that identified anyone else as that "faithful and wise servant." He did this while teaching that this "servant" could only be ONE INDIVIDUAL, and not a class of individuals.

Just for sake of discussion  
Is there a possibility that, the number, 144000 should not be taken literally? Revelation is full of symbolism and almost nothing is literal. Even the term 1000 year (Kingdom) should not be literally counted as one thousand years of 365 days each.
WTJWorg has formally given up the length of Creative Day that lasted 7,000 years. But, it is still the idea that literal 1000 years of the Kingdom is PART of the literal 7000 Years (of 7th Creative Day). That is why it was a rumor around 1975, because then the period of 6000 years from the creation of man ended. According to such a WTJWorg chronology, the final part of the 7th day, with the 1000 years of the Kingdom of God, was expected to begin in that period. 
By overthrowing the idea of a fixed duration of Creative Day, the interpretation built on the rejected idea was called into question. But nothing new. The same can be seen in other interpretations.

He wouldn't be the first barking dog in the neighborhood, and most definitely, not the last.

1.)   About 350 years ago, Sir Isaac Newton knew that there were two classes ... those of the "heavenly hope", and those of the "great crowd".
2.) Jehovah's Witnesses figured it out about 86 years ago.
 
 

Approved? No "transparency" than? As people today would say. You know, today is modern to be "transparent"   
But, let us go to old wording and same meaning: "Be honest in all things" Heb 13:18 ... and let people know what are you speaking and thinking and doing.  Let it be known for all to see, without limit.
 

I can't be a villain then as I don't particularly want the downfall of the JW Org, even though it's not Almighty God's organisation at this moment in time.  

Where is the scripture that makes no allowance for it?
NOW you don't have a problem with it?  Even though apparently there is no scripture that makes allowance for it?
 

Maybe Sir Isaac Newton was anointed.

Is that blasphemy ?  And if Russell was being guided by God through Christ, Russell would never have done it. I think this is another proof that Russell did not have God's guidance. 

Oh dear, when are the men in white coats coming to get you. 
If, and it's a big IF, anyone could feel Jesus' presence, it would only be the True Anointed, because Jesus said when two or more of them gather together, he would be there amongst them. That is why your GB doesn't want the Anointed to gather together. 

Just for a laugh, people should know that Russell did also claim to be "The Christ." He claimed that all 144,001 members of Christ's body were "The Christ."

No comment  

Whenever someone posts covers like this, particularly when accompanied by remarks on how the WT is scaring children, I refer to a certain Newsweek cover a few years back. Over stark background, it listed 4 or 5 horrendous calamities that had visited over the past week, then dropped down to its subheading, “What the #*@! Is next?”
Total despair on the cover of a national newsweekly. But had they no reassuring words for the children? Ah—yes, they said: “What the #*@! Is next?” The generation that has failed its young in so many things now even fails them in reassuring rhetoric. “What the #*@! Is next?” is the best they can offer.
To this day, that post is a favorite.
https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2019/01/what-the-is-next.html
It even made it into the archival section of TrueTom vs the Apostates! 
After I wrote all I was ready to write, the book still wasn’t long enough. So I threw in posts written over the years that anticipated various brouhahas now coming to a head.

Perhaps Anna and other JW members believe how apostasy in form of "man of lawlessness" already came in 1st Christian congregation and then continued with big appearance of Roman State Religion aka false Christianity that exist until today. In such logic (WTJWorg teaching i guess) it looked as good conclusion for Russell and his heirs (Rutherford and JW's with him later) how "presence" of Jesus came somehow in the same time with "presence" of Russell. "First Jesus' presence" in 1874 with "end" in 1914 (WTS established in 1879). Later they moved this date, and the year 1914 came to be start point for "invisible presence", again.
In such WTJWorg "scenario" it is not possible, or needed to happen again, for any new occurrence with some extra "man of lawlessness" in "only true religion" aka WTJWorg. But such eschatology, eschatological understanding, removes the caution of believers, who may be manipulated by their religious leaders. As it seems to me, the "man of lawlessness" has existed constantly, throughout the period since the 1st Congregation was established till today.
"The Strong Cable of Chronology", Watch Tower, July 15, 1922, page 217, "The chronology of present truth is, to begin with, a string of dates... Thus far it is a chain, and no stronger than its weakest link. There exist, however, well established relationships among the dates of present-truth chronology. These internal connections of the dates impart a much greater strength than can be found in other [secular, archeological] chronologies. Some of them are of so remarkable a character as clearly to indicate that this chronology is not of man, but of God. Being of divine origin and divinely corroborated, present-truth chronology stands in a class by itself, absolutely and unqualifiedly correct.
he Watchtower, March 1, 1922, page 73, "The indisputable facts, therefore, show that the 'time of the end' began in 1799; that the Lord's second presence began in 1874."

Thank you for the reply Anna.
And you’re right, Russell didn’t impersonate the expected messiah.
Unfortunately, the poor guy fell into the same trap many other men have fallen victim of in proclaiming Christ’s presence began before the “man of lawlessness” has been revealed.
“However, brothers, concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you  2 not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here. 3 Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

I've been feeling weird of late w/regard to prayers. I'm praying, like Jesus told me, to the Father. I ask him and talk to him on the basis of Jesus and his office as high priest and king, however if prayer is respectful speech to God, then what is respectful speech to Jesus? Am I not supposed to talk to him? All authority is given him in heaven and on earth by Jehovah, so recently I've been feeling that I'm treating Jesus like a simple messenger and go-between, which he certainly IS as a mediator, but not at all simple. But am I not allowed to talk to him? Is he not my Lord and Savior? I talk to the brothers. I listen to them. They give advice (mostly biblical) but it seems I never talk to Jesus, but always past him or through him. Of course Christendom flips this around and never talks to Jehovah, or confuses Jesus w/Jehovah or the trinity.
Anyway...I'm just thinking aloud.
https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20150101/should-we-pray-to-jesus/
It just feels wrong to not talk to your Lord and Savior.

It’s not just the Bible students, the witnesses keep repeating the same exact message.

What exactly does this last item mean ?  It's not really good English.  But the JW org has been proven to be immoral. CSA and adultery are ripe and ongoing in the JW Org. 

Both these statements were made by Anna. the second one was one that i previously quoted.
My point being that if as Anna says " It is a difficult doctrine for me (her) to accept, then it would appear she HAS put more faith in men than in God.
 

YOUR GB CALL THEMSELVES THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE. 
Your GB have stated that "GOD AND CHRIST TRUST US THEREFORE ALL JWs SHOULD TRUST US"
ON BOTH COUNTS YOUR GB HAVE NO PROOF OF WHAT THEY SAY.
Now tell me who's fault it is that congregants have put their trust in MEN. 
YOUR GB DEMAND IT. 
 

Thank you for the reply Anna.
And you’re right, Russell didn’t impersonate the expected messiah.
Unfortunately, the poor guy fell into the same trap many other men have fallen victim of in proclaiming Christ’s presence began before the “man of lawlessness” has been revealed.
“However, brothers, concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you  2 not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here. 3 Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

It’s not just the Bible students, the witnesses keep repeating the same exact message.