Patiently waiting for Truth

Old Israel have had longer history than 1st Congregation and WTJWorg together. All in all, it is notable to see how their God left to Israel people, how they would like to handle inside problems. About politics, about economy, about religious doctrines. God showed patient and wait to see, according to Bible. And when they failed to make changes, He made them to make changes. From some inside moves or from outside forces (other nations). 
Well, if JW's members stay inactive, despite facts how they see wrongs of own leaders, someone else will do the job.

Irregardless of any story proposed ... Arauna,  let's say hypothetically that half the Governing Body was caught embezzling donated funds for their own use .... who on this Earth has the ability to hold them to account?
If it was common knowledge, and the proof was self evident, splashed all over the news media of the world ... we would NEVER hear about it from the platform, in the Watchtower .... not a word.
AND ... there is, to the best of what I know, there is NO ONE to call them to account.
We have the example of the Old Testament accounts of Jehovah's patience being VERY LONG as regards graft and corruption ... until it reaches a tipping point ... and I suspect that is so because he waits to see how WE will handle our own affairs.
So, Arauna, please tell me if, as a hypothetical example, such malfeasance and corruption by the Governing Body, is ever discovered  ... who among us can do anything about it?
 

I also suspect you disclaimed answering the question, is because you in fact do know the answer ....
..... as we all do.
They are completely unaccountable.
Please correct me if I am wrong.

@Arauna says there is no hierarchy in the CCJW. 
@TrueTomHarley says NO ONE can disfellowship the Governing Body.
Can you see the contradiction here. 
@Arauna  says the GB are the 'slave'  BUT :-
From 1927 until 2012, this faithful and discreet slave was interpreted as all anointed Jehovah’s Witnesses. (see Jehovah’s Witnesses – Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, p.626) 
BUT :-
Since July 15 2013, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been told – and now believe – that the “Faithful & Discreet slave” is their governing body only. Confirmation of this fact is found in  The Watchtower July 15 2013 page 21, paragraph 10:
This relates to Matthew 24 v 48 - 49  48  “But if ever that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying,’b 49  and he starts to beat his fellow slaves ... 
The reason that the (GB) evil slave says that " My Master is delaying " is because the ( GB ) evil slave have been concerned about the exact time of Armageddon. They have been predicting the 'time of the end' over and over again. They are now embarrassed about their false prediction and have had to admit to NOT being inspired of Holy spirit. This of course makes them more worried about their position and escalates the beating of their Fellow Slaves. 
BUT @TrueTomHarley  Still says that no one can disfellowship the GB. 
This shows that the GB have exalted themselves above the rest of the Slave Anointed ones and shows proof of the hierarchy in the CCJW. 
 

Let me explain what I mean in a better way:
In this 'world' there is an inescapable hierarchy which God does not like at all. In this world, a person who can kick a ball well, sing well or write a silly repetition of notes with unintelligible words, can make millions of dollars because of an invention called TV.  A person with true talent can find his scientific inventions stolen by others of which Tesla is a good example. This world is an unfair and unjust place.
God hates this narcicism and bias. Also the worship of position/status and of individuals. This wicked system which gives the corrupt more power - yes it is the satanic world in which we now live which has a hierarchy and sometimes a class system with extreme 'legal' inequalities. The rich are favoured :- even in the USA, the so-called example of a constitutional republic or representative democracy to the world.
Under Jehovah,  humans and angel's are absolutely equal under the same moral standards and exact same moral law and Jehovah's judgment on all humans is unbias with no favoritism........  whatever talent you have - it does not give you leeway. If you disobey you will have the penalty of your tresspass.
All men are therefore equal under God. His law is exercised equally for all......... it is true equality. Jehovahs principles are applied / enforced consistently and equally, no matter if you are male, female, black, white, talented, or untalented, great crowd or anointed.  Do not be misled, what you sow, you reap. Disobedience to God can never being favour.
Many countries have equality for black peoples........ but these people do not have justice. Why ? Because the law is not equally enforced. (Human laws can even favour a certain class or be applied in draconian fashion - i.e.the new LGBTQ laws. If you forget a pronoun you can now lose your job or receive a prison sentence in some countries.)
I feel and believe I am totally ''equal" to others under the law of jehovah. What humans do is mostly unfair and unjust - that is a no-brainer. Even in the congregation sometimes you will find injustice due to imperfection - even if we know Jehovahs principles better than most people.
Under the ransom sacrifice we receive mercy due to our imperfection. If we do not accept the ransom it does not work for us. If we accept it, we can then become approved before jehovah. So individual choice to put ourselves under this arrangement and obedience to its principles can give us a chance for everlasting life.
 
All men are therefore equal under God. The angels and anointed may get different 'assignments' than us because of having heavenly bodies........but they are subject to the same laws. If we obey their instructions,  we are not obeying an angel or the slave....... we are obeying jehovah.
Yes, the congregation is not yet perfect and inconsistencies occur......but our cooperation indicates a willingness to obey.  Self-sacrifice was the example set by Jesus....... so sometimes we have to self-sacrifice our pride, ego ...... no matter how talented or brilliant we may think we are. 
In this world the egotistical, unscrupulous, grossly immoral and brazen humans flourish. Soon Jehovah's just and kind rule will be here. 
 

Because I believe in Christ’s words and his thousand year reign beginning in the first century, I believe the “144,000” are not awaiting a resurrection, but reign with Christ now .
John 5:24 -  Truly, truly I say to you that the one who hears my word and who believes the one who sent me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
Mark 8:35 - "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.”
“Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”   Rev 20:4
After the thousand years have ended, the remaining anointed are tested; (Rev 16:13,14;20:7-9) with some receiving life, others not.  (Foolish and wise virgins)  Rev 12:4; Mat 25:1,2
“The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.” Rev 20:5
(Does the Wt teach that there is another resurrection AFTER a literal thousand years have passed in the Kingdom?  Isn’t the whole idea of the “thousand years” teaching, is to have everyone resurrected, reach perfection and then tested by Satan? )
So, why are the remnant of anointed in the last days, considered dead? 
“And you, although you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all formerly lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the mind, and we were children of wrath by nature, as also the rest of them were.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 5 and we being dead in trespasses, he made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), 6 and raised us together and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus  Eph 2:1-6
As long as one follows men, who act upon their will of the flesh and mind, by leading one into false teachings (absolutely not sourced with Christ), we cannot receive eternal life.
Because of this, just as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned.    For if by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through the one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.  Rom 5:12,17
“Truly, truly I say to you that the one who hears my word and who believes the one who sent me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.  John 5:24”
 
Jesus told his disciples,
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matt 19:28
The twelve tribes of Israel are the members of the 144,000/Temple of God.  Rev 7:4; 21:12  There will be no judging of Christs’s kings after Armageddon, since this completed Bride will be united with Jesus by then.  Rev 3:12; 21:2  This judging has occurred to each individual anointed one over the 2,000 year period since Jesus sat on his thrown next to God.  Ps 110:1,2
 
 
 

Or one could suggest that you Tom are taking the cowardly way out. You are trying to convince yourself that it is God's organisation, as it makes life easier for you. You then just obey your GB and follow without question. How simple, not to think for yourself.  Content to just be a follower of men.  Even though you know how rotten the CCJW is. But perhaps God will judge you on that, because you have intelligence enough and knowledge enough  to know better, but you prefer to hide behind the rule of men.  So it could be you that is shooting yourself in the foot.  After all if the disciples hadn't have broken away from the Jewish way of life, they would not have found truth from Christ. Hence many have left the CCJW and are looking for truth through Christ. Time will tell who is right. 

Many years ago I worked for the Post Office in a big sorting office, doing late and night shifts. The money just rolled in. However it ruined my marriage at that time, ( which unfortunately was too late to save ). When i told everyone there that I was leaving to find a better job, they all laughed at me and said there are no better jobs. They seemed to almost worship the Post office and the money they were earning and could not see outside of that 'box'. 
It seems that you also are inside a 'box'. The W/t and the CCJW are not essential for serving God. What / who is essential is Jesus Christ. However, if God so chooses, He may still use a selection of people from those organisations. At this time (Covid-19) many people are 'working from home'. And since the invention of the internet, communication earthwide is so much easier. It is not necessary to have the Anointed all in one place. With God's guidance and Holy Spirit all things are possible. Have more faith. 
I agree, many will be stumbled. But many have already been stumbled by the GB and the CCJW. The GB have made up rules and have exalted themselves to a position whereby many JWs say 'the GB cannot be disfellowshipped. 
Many congregants have been stumbled by the GB's rules, and hidden directions, concerning Child Sexual Abuse. Many more have been stumbled by the GB's false prophecies and constantly looking for signs. Many have been stumbled by the harsh rules and dishonest Elders in congregations.  Many have indeed lost faith, but only if they had put their faith in MEN. Many people have left the CCJW because they know in their hearts that the GB and the CCJW / W/t are not serving God properly. 
Yahweh, Almighty God, notices these ones that have left the CCJW or want to leave for the right reasons, and HE keeps them in mind. HE will only act when HE is ready of course. Then HE will guide honest hearted peoples to here :-
Zechariah 8 v 23
“This is what Yahweh of armies says, ‘In those days ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold, yes, they will take firm hold of the robe of a Jew, saying: “We want to go with you, for we have heard that God is with you people.”’”
Remember Cornelius in Acts 10 v 30 and 31 :-
Then Cornelius said: “Four days ago counting from this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour; just then a man in bright clothing stood in front of me 31  and said: ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been favorably heard, and your gifts of mercy have been remembered before God.
You asked me "So how will you be able to pick an anointed that will help you spiritually?
@Kosonen  I won't pick an Anointed, Almighty God through Jesus Christ, will guide me to them. 
 

@4Jah2meYes, I agree generally with what you wrote in that new topic. 

I think in twelve months time this virus will just be another part of history. 
Why are some of you people still looking for a sign ? Like a member of your GB smiled and said 
It's gonna get worse ! 
When a person gets older they expect to be in lesser heath and ability. so it is with this old system of things, as it gets older it will get worse. It is run by the devil and he knows his time is short, so we must expect him to make things worse.
BUT, that does not mean that Armageddon is 'so close' now. In fact isn't it a bit selfish to want it now ? 
Shouldn't you be wanting thousands more people serving Yahweh before the 'end comes' ? 
Some of you seem like those on the Titanic, you are 'in the lifeboat' so it's time to push off. 
Maybe after this virus is gone, things may move forward spiritually, so don't be in too much hurry for Armageddon. 

I think in twelve months time this virus will just be another part of history. 
Why are some of you people still looking for a sign ? Like a member of your GB smiled and said 
It's gonna get worse ! 
When a person gets older they expect to be in lesser heath and ability. so it is with this old system of things, as it gets older it will get worse. It is run by the devil and he knows his time is short, so we must expect him to make things worse.
BUT, that does not mean that Armageddon is 'so close' now. In fact isn't it a bit selfish to want it now ? 
Shouldn't you be wanting thousands more people serving Yahweh before the 'end comes' ? 
Some of you seem like those on the Titanic, you are 'in the lifeboat' so it's time to push off. 
Maybe after this virus is gone, things may move forward spiritually, so don't be in too much hurry for Armageddon. 

To combat coronavirus I believe I need a Helicopter, to get above it all..
I really want a Helicopter.
... been wanting one since I was in High School, when I discovered the Bensen Gyrocopter, in the back of a Popular Mechanics magazine.!
I suspect neither will Gordon Brown get his wants.

I offer Gordon Brown a suggestion to avoid contact with people that eat a lot of bats.

Could be worse .... could be a Zombie Apocalypse ...

This could well lead to what Revelation 13 foretells.
2  Now the wild beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like those of a bear, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And the dragon gave to the beast its power and its throne and great authority. 3  I saw that one of its heads seemed to have been fatally wounded, but its mortal wound had been healed, and all the earth followed the wild beast with admiration.
Yes, people will be so relieved and happy with the authorities when the authorities will help during this pandemic. And propably stop the spreading of this virus. 
People will adore the beast, because of that. 
 

Not true: "who is the F&DS ?" Is the question in the bible for all to read at Matt 24:45....... This means every individual reading this scripture must identify them for themself who this slave is........ This slave would be there during the perousia...... so not hard to figure out. 

YOU are an enemy of ALL JWs.....  I hope everyone here can understand  that, especially those who encourage you.
You are mad/angry because as a woman you are not allowed to 'rule' now. So you became a Jezebel. 
 
I have seen and heard horror stories of  tyranny in Africa - you bandy these words around like candy. You have no idea what true tyranny is.... you offer over-the -top expressions which indicate extreme emotional duress. It is I who feel sorry for you because of your loss of spiritual clarity.
I will definitely know if I am oppressed. .......but I do not feel oppressed .... because I have no fleshly desires or ambitions within the JW organization or the world. I am just happy and content to serve Jehovah

I don't know of any scripture that says Acts 2:17,18 had its end when Jerusalem was destroyed.  
Mark 9:11,12; Rev 11:1-4; Zech 4:11-14
Prophets were still to come after the destruction of Jerusalem.  

But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.  1 Cor 12:24b-26
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.  Eph 4:11-16
 
Many others are also understanding what you see concerning the anointed in the organization. 
I am so grateful you are speaking up about it.
 

I've just been reading the January 2020 Study Watchtower. (Hard copy mag', not online) In particular Study No 5.
Now my previous comment I wrote 3 hours ago on another topic, before I'd even seen this Study article. And what is this Study article about ?
It's about the Anointed and WE WILL GO WITH YOU PEOPLE. 
The 10 men and the Jew. It shows that the 'Jew' are the anointed and the ten men are people that want to serve God properly, with an earthly hope..
However in para' 2 it says 'However they do not view the anointed as their leaders, realising that Jesus fills the role of Leader'   Keep that in mind.
In para 7, we find this hint once again basically telling Anointed ones not to meet together  and not to have Bible discussions together. Saying the congregation would not be united if anointed ones 'did those things'.  It also makes a very harsh statement, that the anointed 'would be working against the holy spirit' if they were to do those things. 
However in para' 8 it tells us about the bible, saying ".but it does not tell us that we can make any human our leader" Remember this too. 
Para' 10 says " we will never follow others, even those who are anointed or well known or those that have served Jehovah for a long time.  Remember all this.
Because you should also remember that the GB have said "Jehovah and Jesus trust us (GB) so you should trust us" 
Para' 12 once again uses the idea of some of the 'anointed' being mentally ill, 
BUT para 15 is the big one. Quote " Not all who have the hope of living in heaven are part of 'the faithful and discreet slave'  
It uses the excuse that 'Just as in the first century, Jehovah and Jesus today are using a few brothers to feed, or teach, many. Only a few anointed Christians in the first century were used to write the Christian Greek Scriptures ". 
What it completely fails to mention is that there were relatively few anointed disciples in the position of being with Christ at the time and therefore having the knowledge to write those things.
It also fails to note that Paul was more of an 'outsider', not one of the twelve, but Paul was used to write the letters to the congregations. 
Para 15 goes on to say that " Today only a few anointed Christians have the responsibility to give God's people 'food at the proper time' ".
That paragraph 15 is so tiny and slyly slipped in there. It's right at the end of the article deliberately to play on the minds of congregants. It has no scriptural backing at all. 
So the Study article starts off by saying exactly as I have said about the 10 men clinging to the robe of a Jew. It recognises the JEW as being the Anointed.
It recognises the earthly class as Saying "We want to go with you, for we have heard that God is with you people"
BUT then it ends the article by saying that only those 8 men are the F&DS. 
Hypocrisy of the highest order. No scripture in the whole Bible says those 8 men are the F&DS. And no scripture says who the F&DS are. The Governing Body of CCJW have given themselves that title and are still pushing this full tilt on the congregation. 
The scripture in Acts 2, from verse 14 where Peter implies that they are living in the last days, states that, from v 17,
‘“And in the last days,” God says, “I will pour out some of my spirit on every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams,l 18  and even on my male slaves and on my female slaves I will pour out some of my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
This scripture mentions women as well as men prophesying. It mentions young and old seeing visions and dreaming dreams. BUT it doesn't mention just 8 men that 'study together' (which they don't want other anointed doing)  being the only ones to prophesy. 
I am grateful to the provider of the magazines i have. It's nice to be able to read it in print. 
 

We are so important that God sent his closest dearest only begotten Son Jesus to earth to be born here as an infant and to grow here and to become adult here and to patiently teach here for 3 and half years and to die for us in a most painful and difficult way to prove to us humans how much he loves us. In what other way could God more convincingly demonstrate his love for us than through letting his dearest son suffer so immensely for our sake? That is how we should understand the main purpose of Jesus' sufferings. Because God is love, that is his main quality. Have we not learnt that?
You see, there is this cognitive dissonance in the Watchtower, in one article they rightly teach that God is love and explain what it means and then in other articles they backpedal from that by teaching that for example Jesus' sufferings were not an expression of how much God loves us, but to prove Satan that he was a liar. And that God was after all right. No, No No the New Testament teaches that God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten son. 
 
1 John 4:9  By this the love of God was revealed in our case, that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world so that we might gain life through him. 10  The love is in this respect, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins.
John 3:16  “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life
Romans 8:31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who will be against us? 32 Since he did not even spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, will he not also, along with him, kindly give us all other things?
This is God's word, this is what we should think about, this is how we should believe.  
We should forget about the supposed issue of Universal Sovereignty and instead focus on comprehending fully what it means that God is love. 1 John 4:8, 16

@TrueTomHarley If they love God and want to grow in their love to God then all those scriptures I copied from the NWT would be like music to their ears.

Yes, of course. What is it with people?
You have to craft your letter. It may be that they get hundreds of these per day. Does he really think they are patiently going to plow through a letter from straight out of the blue that is plainly telling them how to do better what they think they already are doing pretty well?
His very self-assumed air of being their corrector virtually guarantees that they will hang with him through three paragraphs at most. People are so full of themselves today.

We living all under hierarchy system. We don't know nothing else, from our born. And we all have "problems", or we facing with issue of "equality" through all life, more or less. In all life fields. Including JWorg "spirituality" that can't escape from same problems.
General picture in JW World is how people who are in some "special" service inside Organization, are in such service because they are "deeply spiritual". That means, "spirituality" is proved by manifestations in material matters. Some working and living in Betel, some spending many hours in preaching, some are elders etc. Ordinary JW feels as some blessing or privilege to be in society with such people. Why we personally feels to be "privileged" if we are invited to help in Betel, to have lunch with them? Or to have them as guests in our home, to have conversation with some of such persons? If we are "equal", how people in such religious group can avoid to consider "friendship" with this specific individuals as "privilege"? Or in any other social group, on our work place etc?
As @James Thomas Rook Jr. well said we are not "equal", because we all are different and have different characteristic and are different in our "spirituality". Because of age, because of experience, because of our wishes etc.
Are we all "equal" before God? I want believe we are. But religious system, even "the best" one in WTJWorg :))), proves members are not equal before men, and by that also not before god who has "representatives" in JWorg priesthood class. Don't forget how "priesthood class" aka elders (many in special services of all kind too) are (have to be) the most "spiritual" individuals, not only in the Organization, but also in whole World. We all know that is not real to expect.   
This is very good thought. We have to be powerful and unique individuals who contributing to welfare for yourself and   all other people in place we are living, and by that to whole World. Thanks @4Jah2me  

Matthew 24 v 4 through 8.
 In answer Jesus said to them: “Look out that nobody misleads you,e 5  for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.f 6  You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for these things must take place, but the end is not yet.g7  “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,h and there will be food shortagesi and earthquakes in one place after another.j 8  All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress.
Luke 21 v 9 through 11.
 Furthermore, when you hear of wars and disturbances,* do not be terrified. For these things must take place first, but the end will not occur immediately.”j10  Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation,k and kingdom against kingdom.l 11  There will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another food shortages and pestilences;m and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.
I think @JW Insider  said that the so called signs were actually just the opposite. They are things not to get excited about, because it gives false hope. 
And as I've said before Jesus warned against those looking for 'signs'. Looking for physical signs is showing a physical viewpoint not a spiritual viewpoint. 
Surely there are many things to happen between now and the Judgement. 
 

Matthew 24 v 4 through 8.
 In answer Jesus said to them: “Look out that nobody misleads you,e 5  for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.f 6  You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for these things must take place, but the end is not yet.g7  “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,h and there will be food shortagesi and earthquakes in one place after another.j 8  All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress.
Luke 21 v 9 through 11.
 Furthermore, when you hear of wars and disturbances,* do not be terrified. For these things must take place first, but the end will not occur immediately.”j10  Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation,k and kingdom against kingdom.l 11  There will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another food shortages and pestilences;m and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.
I think @JW Insider  said that the so called signs were actually just the opposite. They are things not to get excited about, because it gives false hope. 
And as I've said before Jesus warned against those looking for 'signs'. Looking for physical signs is showing a physical viewpoint not a spiritual viewpoint. 
Surely there are many things to happen between now and the Judgement. 
 

I agree with most of what 4J says as a matter of philosophy, but consider his view of what "facts" he stated being relevant to be distorted.
One pilot will consider his aircraft's fuel supplies half full ... another will consider it half empty.
What is important is not digging holes in a corn field.