Jehovah’s Witnesses: What exactly is wrong with the Wiki article about your governing body?

Firstly, if you are going to "quote" someone, it'd help to Actually quote them, and to provide a basis for your claim.

The claim "Often times, Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that since Wikipedia can be “edited by anyone” that its’ description of the governing body is full of apostate lies." is stated whilst offering NO proof/basis for the claim.

I am a Christian, one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I've NEVER seen someone on Y!A claim that Wiki's "that its’ description of the governing body is full of apostate lies". You claim it's Often claimed, well in that case please provide even 5 instances of this claim.

As for Wikipedia.org. I love that site. That said, it isn't error proof, and I've personally seen instances where information that was incorrect was logged in, about a variety of subjects.

Recently a secular source noted that a student hoodwinked a many members of the AP by placing a false quote in someone's bio right after they died. Sadly, instead of researching it for themselves, some in the Press took this quote as Truly being said by the deceased and ran it in the stories about his death.

In September 2007, a symposium on Wikipedia usage was given at a Con I attended. The speaker, a woman in high standing *will try to find her name again* with Wiki even said it, NEVER use Wiki as THE source for info. It's great for supplimenting, but it of course is subject to misinformation and error.

As for your clip from Wiki, I found several errors, including the humorous part about "There is a widespread perception among Witnesses that the anointed class somehow transmits their thinking, scriptural research, and conclusions to Brooklyn, and gains the attention of the Governing Body". I have been around Witnesses for more than 20 years, and known MANY who partook, including my Father, and NEVER, I repeat, NEVER heard such a thing before.

So thanks for proving the "supposed" claim by Witnesses about Wiki being unreliable/having errors about Witnesses.

EdiT

One of the other posters wrote "Your Wikipedia quote speaks in third person like the person that wrote it is not a witness. Therefore any JW will see this only as another apostate trying to discredit them". He/She was partially right. Whether it was written "by a Witness" or not, it is painfully obvious that the claims/"quotes" of the asker aren't true. It really matters little to me whether they supposedly came from a Witness, a Baptist, an Atheist, or a Goose:D

EDiT again

I find myself in good company, on a personal note. My answer appeared *according to Y!A's clocks* 2 seconds after my Commrade PV, ain't timing everything:D

I have to agree with Animal's points.

In the 30+ years of being one of Jehovah's Witnesses, those statements have never even been consider by any in private or public conversation.

And I have been in congregations with anointed members for most of those years and they never spoke of any efforts on their part to "correct" or 'update" the Governing Body.

Wikipedia does allow editing, and then there are re-edits and corrections. At what point in time you find a comment (before or after an edit) will be the issue.

So, check the site today and it will not have the above... but rather this:

The organization is headed by the Governing Body – an all-male group that varies in size, but since 2007 has comprised nine members,[81] all of whom profess to be of the "anointed" class with a hope of heavenly life – based in the Watch Tower Society's Brooklyn, New York headquarters.[82][83] There is no election for membership, with new members selected by the existing body.[84] The Governing Body is described as the "spokesman" for God's "Faithful and Discreet Slave class" (the approximately 10,000 remaining "anointed" Jehovah's Witnesses),[85] and is said to provide "spiritual food" for Witnesses worldwide on behalf of the "Faithful and Discreet Slave". In practice it seeks neither advice nor approval from any "anointed" Witnesses other than high-ranking members at Brooklyn Bethel when formulating policy and doctrines or when producing material for publications and conventions.

First let me make clear that I am not a friend of the JW's. I do not hate them, like they like to cram down our apostate throat's but like I said, I am not a friend either. However, your question and quote are very week and is busting out with information that a non-witnesses wrote. I can see it and I am sure they can see it as well. Your truth and that quotes truth is not their truth. It is your truth and that is all. Your Wikipedia quote speaks in third person like the person that wrote it is not a witness. Therefore any JW will see this only as another apostate trying to discredit them. To them you have made no impact on their stand and faith and only reinforces that us apostates hate them so much. There have been some people who have come on here with information that they can not discredit but even then they call it a lie.

To them, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it is in fact a duck. For them to see anything else it must quack like a duck and your quote does not quack. I know that is a somewhat silly analogy but it hits close to home. You must find information that is outside the influence of your faith to make a point with them. Getting into Bible quote wars with them and ideologies is a waste of time because they spend their lifetimes preparing for those very battles.

It is only through the sincerity and strength of your faith and the love you have for your God that one or maybe two might see the light and make the leap to a new faith and the right truth. Like I said, a quote writen by an aspostate is not their truth.

Let's break down and clarify what the apostate trolls have added to that Wikipedia article.

Apostate Remark: "This renders the vast majority of anointed Witnesses powerless to contribute to the development or change of doctrines."

TRUTH: That statement assumes that all of the anointed ones still on the earth WANT to contribute to the development or change of doctrines. It's a false assumption to begin with, as most of the anointed on earth fulfill whatever roles or assignments they have in place in their congregations and make no desire to try and "change doctrine". They too faithfully adhere to the overall direction given through God's spirit-anointed earthly channel. Some of the anointed are female, and in harmony with scriptural precedent, females are not given the responsibility of contributing to the teaching within the congregation(s).

Apostate Remark: "There is a widespread perception among Witnesses that the anointed class somehow transmits their thinking, scriptural research, and conclusions to Brooklyn, and gains the attention of the Governing Body."

TRUTH: There is absolutely NO such perception among Jehovah's Witnesses of such a thing. It's a baseless claim to make.

Apostate Remark: "Some Witnesses also mistakenly believe that periodic surveys are taken, by which the Governing Body discover the views of the anointed worldwide."

TRUTH: I've never heard of ANY Witness believing such nonsense. Let alone "some" thinking that way.

You started off by saying... "Often times, Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that since Wikipedia can be “edited by anyone” that its’ description of the governing body is full of apostate lies."

Often times?

Where is your proof of this statement?

As I've been here for quite a while now & never seen even ONE instance of this... I have to ask you

Btw Rustic - I notice that everytime you make statements like this (saying that Jehovah's Witnesses have stated things) ... & you're asked for proof of these claims... you NEVER offer any proof.

Your last excuse was that we keep our accounts closed. This is a very poor excuse because all of the questions & answers are publicly made.

If you cannot produce proof, then we only have to assume that you have no proof ... yet again

Whoever wrote that was either misinformed or intentionally misleading. I know from experience that the Governing Body IS attentive to the input of other anointed ones, and even to those of the "great crowd" of other sheep, including information that becomes part of our publications.

The original Christian Governing Body in Jerusalem did not solicit information from EVERY individual anointed Christian before making the decisions recorded in the book of Acts, nor is that necessary today. But the Governing Body is attentive to a wide range of information that comes to it from anointed and other spiritually competent Witnesses worldwide.

See also "The Faithful Steward and Its Governing Body" in The Watchtower, June 15, 2009

Thank you. I have asked quite a few questions along these lines, without receiving meaninfful answers. (Probably my last account which got deleted, thank you)

I know that the anointed members in the congregation I was in were not lead takers in any way. (One of them later went insane and carved a woman up on the south coast whilst living in a caravan) Also what about the fact that some of them are woman and are not permitted to teach? Is that not a contradiction?

You are freaky obsessed. At least with Timmy! we know because he was given the cold shoulder by a girl who was or became a Witness so he is taking his love revenge on 7 million people. We can explain his behavior of obession even though it is abnormal since it was 16 years ago and he has had a relationship since (I think).

It wasn't written by the Witlessness group, so why would they like it?

What a great question. Too bad that Line Dancer is more interested in your cat than answering this great question!

I would like to know real answers.

I find this article very informative and I would like to know if something is not truthful about it