Jws and public service

[Sam Anya]

Please can a jw occupy a public office when it comes by express appointment.? 

[Melinda Mills]

Do you mean civil service or political office?

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

There are MANY examples of Faithful Servants of God doing so in the past ... Joseph in Egypt was probably the most prominent example.

And there is no record of any soldier in Jesus time quitting after he learned the Truth, Cornelius being the prime example .... and,

There were many prominent Jews in the Sanhedrin who became Christians, and kept their appointed positions.

But, politics back then sometimes worked a bit differently ... assassination was considered a legitimate way to achieve political power.

[Melinda Mills]

In addition to the ones mentioned by Bro Rook, here are some others.

 These were (expressly) appointed by the monarchs in their times. (They did not run for office.)

MORDECAI AND QUEEN ESTHER

Loyal as Servant to the King. In the account, Mordecai, although a Jewish exile, was a servant of the king. He heard that Queen Vashti had been deposed by King Ahasuerus of Persia and that all the beautiful young virgins throughout the empire were being brought together so that from among them a replacement might be found for the queenly office. Mordecai’s cousin Esther, a girl “pretty in form and beautiful in appearance,” was introduced into the candidacy for queenship, but her Jewish background was not revealed. (Es 2:7, 8) She was selected as queen. Mordecai continued in his duties, “sitting in the king’s gate,” when information was brought to him that two of the court officials, Bigthan and Teresh, were plotting to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. He warned the king through Esther, and his act of loyalty was recorded in “the book of the affairs of the days.”—Es 2:21-23.

(Do some research and learn how Jehovah used Mordecai and Esther to preserve the Jews at a time when they were threatened with genocide.)

NEHEMIAH

Nehemiah was cupbearer to Persian King Artaxerxes (Longimanus) and, later, governor of the Jews, rebuilder of Jerusalem’s wall, and writer of the Bible book bearing his name.—Ne 1:1, 2, 11; 2:1; 5:14, 16. (Insight Book)

*** it-2 p. 1109 Tirshatha ***

(Tir·shaʹtha).

The Persian title for the governor of a jurisdictional district. In the five times it is used, it is preceded by the Hebrew definite article ha, making it in English “the Tirshatha.”

The officials mentioned in the Bible by the title “Tirshatha” ruled over Judah, one of the Persian provinces. Zerubbabel was evidently the Tirshatha mentioned in Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65, 70. Later when Nehemiah became governor he was the Tirshatha and is referred to as such at Nehemiah 8:9 and 10:1.

 DANIEL AND THREE HEBREW COMPANIONS/OFFICIALS

(Daniel 1:3-7) ³ Then the king ordered Ashʹpe·naz his chief court official to bring some of the Israelites, including those of royal and noble descent. ⁴ They were to be youths without any defect, of good appearance, endowed with wisdom, knowledge, and discernment, and capable of serving in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the writing and the language of the Chal·deʹans. ⁵ Furthermore, the king assigned to them a daily ration from the king’s delicacies and from the wine he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service. ⁶ Now among them were some from the tribe of Judah: Daniel, Han·a·niʹah, Mishʹa·el, and Az·a·riʹah. ⁷ And the principal court official assigned names to them; he gave to Daniel the name Bel·te·shazʹzar, to Han·a·niʹah the name Shaʹdrach, to Mishʹa·el the name Meʹshach, and to Az·a·riʹah the name A·bedʹne·go.

 

(Daniel 2:48) The king then elevated Daniel and gave him many fine gifts, and he made him the ruler over all the province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel  - third  highest official in the Kingdom

 (Daniel 5:29) Then Bel·shazʹzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and placed a gold necklace around his neck; and they heralded concerning him that he was to become the third ruler in the kingdom.

*** it-1 p. 576 Daniel ***

Daniel continued in court service until the fall of Babylon. At Daniel chapter 1, verse 19, it is stated that his three companions also “continued to stand before the king” (of Babylon). Whether they lived to hold this position until Babylon’s fall is not stated, but Daniel did; and after this he was in the Persian court until at least the third year of Cyrus.—Da 10:1.

 

[Sam Anya]

 

 

 

Thank you so much sis. Melinda for your painstaken research on this issue, your findings have been very helpful. ??????

[Sam Anya]

@James Thomas Rook Jr. @James Thomas Rook Jr. 

thank you very much Bro Rook. I'm impressed by your contribution on this issue which involved me and am confused on what to do. I believe with all this finding I can make a sound decision. 

???????

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

I never advise people what to do on "theocratic matters"  ... I only give them information.

As a younger man, full of righteous zeal, my "theocratic" policy advice ruined several people's lives, and it cannot be corrected.

As today's WT study pointed out for the first time, in the last few paragraphs .... there is infinite variety to motives.

[Sam Anya]

I fully agree with you. 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

One thing to consider when giving "theocratic policy advice" ... it has to make common sense ... in ALL cultures.

It has to be a DIRECT transfer of information from the Bible, without adulterating it with culturally induced prejudices. Many people feel things to the very marrow of their bones like a ravenous hunger .. that are not scriptural.

The reason we have "new light" is because of sloppy, incompetent thinking in the past.  Years from now those with a conscience will be lamenting the damage they created with what they taught TODAY.

Hopefully lamenting ...

... as they bear, as I do, PERSONAL MORAL RESPONSIBILITY for screwing up peoples lives. I ruined several peoples' lives with bad advice, with the ABSOLUTE best of intentions ... but their lives were still ruined ... and I could not fix it.

This also happens on an institutional level as official policy decisions that are not REALLY scripturally based ... ruins hundreds of thousands of lives, by leaders ALSO presumably with the very best of intentions.

The responsibility to have and use a trained conscience is not that of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Soclety. 

It is ours alone.

In the February 2017 Watchtower, they were eventually and FINALLY forced by outside sources (ARC) to admit in print that they were neither inspired of God, or infallible.

That means you have to check EVERYTHING they say ... just as in the early church, the Bereans did, and compare it with what is reasonable, and makes common sense.

Fortunately for us at the bottom, justice from Jehovah is  tempered with mercy for blind pawns.   (John 9:41)

 

 

[Melinda Mills]

Agree a person cannot train his conscience by taking decisions wholesale from others.