What Makes Jehovah's Witnesses Unique?

[The Librarian]

Found on Facebook.

[Kosonen]

WT organization has indeed what in practical terms is a clergy class. The Govering Body requires absolute submission to its beliefs, similar or even more strict than other clergies. And the WT organization has a very strict hierarcy to enforce Governing Body control including elders, circuit overseers, branch commitees etc. 

If that is not a clergy, what is then a clergy?

But the Bible says about the anointed: 

"As you come to him [Jesus], a living stone rejected by men but chosen, precious to God,  you yourselves as living stones are being built up into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, in order to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4,5).......9 But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that you should declare abroad the excellencies”of the One who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10  For you were once not a people, but now you are God’s people once you had not been shown mercy, but now you have received mercy."

[Kosonen]

And has anybody wondered why the apostles did not act as today's Governing Body? The only time the apostles gathered to decide on doctrine was when they decided about circumcision. And then it was not only the apostles, but also the elders in Jerusalem. But later they did not stay as a group, but wrote letters individually to congregations as we know that. Not a single part of the Greek Christian Scriptures is written by any collective Governing Body type of group.

Jesus was and is the Governing Body and he can directly direct his anointed.  

 “I still have many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them now. 13  However, when that one comes, the spirit of the truth, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak of his own initiative, but what he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things to come. 14  That one will glorify me, because he will receive from what is mine and will declare it to you.15  All the things that the Father has are mine. That is why I said he receives from what is mine and declares it to you.16  In a little while you will see me no longer, and again, in a little while you will see me.”

 "All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.” -Luke 10:22

Every one who really believes directly in Jesus without filters such as the Governing Body can be taught by Jesus through the spirit of the truth. And what Jesus does, is that he opens the meaning of the Scriptures through the spirit. 

After his resurrection Jesus helped his disciples to understand the Scriptures and that he continues to do still today. 

"Then he opened up their minds fully to grasp the meaning of the Scriptures," Luke 24:45

Matthew 25:14 "For it is just like a man about to travel abroad who summoned his slaves and entrusted his belongings to them. 15  He gave five talents to one, two to another, and one to still another, to each according to his own ability, and he went abroad."

I don't see here any filter between Jesus and his individual slaves, the individual anointed.

"But I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ,..." -1Corinthians 11:3

"Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. In turn, whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will clearly show myself to him.” -John 14:21

"The true light that gives light to every sort of man was about to come into the world. 10  He was in the world, and the world came into existence through him, but the world did not know him. 11  He came to his own home, but his own people did not accept him. 12  However, to all who did receive him, he gave authority to become God’s children, because they were exercising faith in his name. 13  And they were born, not from blood or from a fleshly will or from man’s will, but from God.

So, this explains why not all Jehovah's witnesses are anointed. Not all have faith to bypass Governing Body and believe Jesus directly. I hope you are not offended, but is not that what the Scriptures in fact say?

 

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

In fact many of you have admitted that JW Org is not unique, by saying that all religions have problems such as Child Sexual Abuse and immorality etc. So most of you admit that JW Org is just like all other religions. 

JW Org also DOES have a clergy class, the Elders. Those Elders run the meetings, give Public talks and do the Watchtower study. They are the leaders in Field Service. They also act as policemen in the congregations. They listen to the confessions of the congregants.

Those Elders also claim Clergy Penitent Privilege. How could they do so if they were not clergy ?

There are collection boxes at every Kingdom Hall and they do ask for donations at assemblies. 

Not so united when it comes to CSA problems. Some countries hand over files, USA refuses to hand over files.

There seems to be plenty of politics mentioned on here . 

Fully integrated ?  Um, I suppose that means they will sit in the same KH or assembly together.

I suppose the question should be

What makes JWs think they are unique ?