Watchtower’s Governing Body claims as its primary role to represent and act for all the "anointed" worshipers of Jehovah God on earth. Under Watchtower's theology these "anointed" are a sub-group within the larger community of Jehovah's Witnesses. Yet Watchtower’s Governing Body says it neither keeps a list of these "anointed" nor does it maintain a global network of them.[1-2]
The question of “Why not?” is suggested in preceding articles in view of Watchtower’s otherwise massive initiatives to form all sorts of global networks.[1-3] This article asks the same question from a different perspective.
It turns out that Watchtower’s Governing Body has, for years, kept detailed records of precisely who among Jehovah’s Witnesses is a “partaker”.[4-5] Here is what those records look like historically:
The S-21 form
The form above has been used by the Watchtower organization dating back many decades. Every one of Jehovah’s Witnesses has at one time or another had this form completed with all the information indicated above, including whether they are of the “anointed” or “other sheep”. This form is not completed by the individual Witness. It is completed and maintained by local representatives appointed by Watchtower and known as elders.
Having this information already collected and so readily available, and given the supposed representation of “anointed ones,” it staggers the imagination that Watchtower’s Governing Body can think it appropriate not to have a global network of these individuals.
Watchtower collects all sorts of information, and it has lots and lots of forms accordingly. Given this penchant, the ready availability of information that is already collected, and its alleged representation of “anointed ones” it is evident that this omission is by design.
Why not?
Watchtower’s Governing Body does not maintain a global network of anointed ones because Watchtower's Governing Body does not want a global network of those whom it claims to represent.
In one breath Watchtower says it represents a group of living and breathing humans known as “anointed ones,” yet in a second breath Watchtower asserts “It is a theocratic organization, ruled from the divine Top down, and not from the rank and file up.”[6]
Undoubtedly it is much easier to represent to folks what your clients believe and wants others to think and do if you never have to actually form a consensus based on a network of those very clients.
Watchtower’s admission that it does not maintain a global network of “anointed ones” is an admission that its status as a representative is a ruse. If Watchtower formed such a global network it would decentralize control now firmly in the hands of Watchtower’s Governing Body. Watchtower’s Governing Body does not want such a global network because it prefers to maintain its centralized power.
Marvin Shilmer
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References:
1. Governing Body Represents Who?.
2. Watchtower’s Governing Body .
3. We Do Not Know... .
4. A partaker represents a person professing to be among the “anointed ones” Watchtower’s Governing Body is said to represent.
5. Each members of Watchtower’s Governing Body is a “partaker” assessed by Watchtower as among the “anointed ones”. “THE Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses consists of dedicated men who are anointed servants of God.”—(The Watchtower, May 15, 2008, p. 29)
6. The Watchtower, Dec. 15, 1971, p. 754.
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