Joss Goodall Writes to the Elders about His Concerns and Questions Which They Ignore

Statement by Brother Joss Goodall

To My Brother and Sisters,

I am writing to you to bring to your attention some very serious concerns that have been troubling me since August of last year when I listened to a morning worship video by Kenneth Flodin entitled "Jesus’s Yoke is Kindly” wherein he makes this statement.

"The Governing body could be likened to the voice of Jesus, the head of the congregation, so when we willingly submit to the faithful slave we are ultimately submitting to Jesus’ authority and direction."

After picking my jaw off the floor, I tried to reason out why such a statement could be made and indeed sanctioned by the governing body. Well, if I fast forward to the AGM videos posted last month and Jeffery Winders presentation entitled "How does the light get brighter?"

Around 6 min and 15 secs we hear this summary:

" So this is what we know from the scriptures and from our own experience as well, how the light gets brighter in modern times.It comes about by means of the Holy spirit through His channel the faithful and discrete slave, He reveals it gradually and at a time that it is needed..."So Jehovah reveals understanding to us through Holy spirit using hischannel the faithful and discreet slave.

What was remarkable about this, is that at no time during his talk did Jeffery Winder use Jesus’ name. WHY?

The answer seems to be found in 2 Cor 5:20 NWT reads "Therefore, we are ambassadors substituting for Christ as though God were making an appeal through us. As substitutes for Christ, we beg: " Become reconciled to God"

Kenneth Flodin's talk harmonizes with the NWT translation of 2 Cor 5:20 as indeed does Jeffery Winders talk. The problem is that “Substitute” does not appear in the Kingdom Interlinear either in meaning or word. In fact, it does not appear in any other translation or interlinear that I have managed to locate.

This is but just one instance of several where the NWT appears to have fallen victim to a preconceived bias.

I will be happy to provide other examples of this bias supporting JW doctrine rather than a faithful work of translation. Not that NWT is the only version that has stumbled into this mess.

In early September of last year, my attention was drawn to an online release by the United Nations Department of Public information providing details of the Watchtower Bible and Tract society of New York relating to its10 year affiliation as an NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation). I include a copy of it with this statement along with the URL address.

As far as I am aware, from the KS book for Elders, anyone joining a political organisation automatically disassociates from JW. No Judicial committee needs even to be formed. This was the first I had ever heard of this even though I was serving as an elder here in Chepstow at that time and, of course, later. As far as I am aware, there are four current members of the Governing body who were on the GB during the period of this membership. There is of course a lot more documentation other than this UN release from both Watchtower and the originating source.

Has any action been taken against those involved?

However, the matter gets worse as fundamental doctrines are examined in the light of Scripture:

• Other Sheep John l 0:1-16. Joseph Rutherford promoted this doctrine in the mid 1930s as being a class of sheep that would appear some 20 centuries after Jesus spoke about other followers who would come under his care. However, the Apostle Paul identifies these ones in his letter to the Ephesians Chapter 2, note specifically in verses 14-18,19. Two peoples, Jews and Gentiles.


• 1914 which is based on an antitypical fulfilment of Daniel Chapter 4. The problem is that this year and its generation was running out by 20 10. David Splane made a valiant effort to stretch the time to two overlapping generations without any scriptural support. Then in 2014, he finally announced in another talk that there could be no antitypical fulfillment of scriptures unless specifically stated in the Bible, so Daniel Chapter 4 was fulfilled in Nebuchadnezzar alone as chap 4; 17-28 itself clearly shows. So, by now 1843, 1874, 1914, 1925, 1975 and today –109 years following those predictions, all have failed. Why? (Matt 24:36 Acts 1:7) It doesn't belong to man to know.


• As 1914 is an interpretation of men and therefore not supported in God’s Word how can 1919 be anything other than the assertion of men? Jeffrey Winder on the one hand acknowledges that the Governing body is neither inspired nor infallible while at the same time claims that they are God's channel appointed by holy spirit.
  
  I am struggling to see how these two positions align with each other.


• In 1 Cor 3: l 6 & 17 Paul states that the Temple of God is the Christian congregation. With that in mind, please note what he goes on to further say as recorded in 2 Thessalonians 2 in connection with the presence of our Lord. In verse three, he says that concerning Jesus’ presence "the apostasy must come first, and the man of lawlessness gets revealed. " Paul goes on to inform that this man "sits down in the Temple of God showing himself to be a god". The watchtower makes a good case that shows this man's identity to be the clergy class of Christendom. However, in verse 7 he goes on to state that "the mystery of this lawlessness" was already present in the 1st century before the appearance of a clergy class of Christendom. Please read all of chapter 2.

There are many other questions that can be asked. The apostle Peter states at 2 Peter 1:20 that God’s word interprets itself and not through any private interpretation. On that we can rely. Paul states at 1 Cor 4:6 "Do not go beyond the things that are written.”

I would welcome any help or correction in my understanding.

Joss Goodall

Dated 2nd February 2024

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