According to Jehovah's Witnesses today, in the year 1914, Jesus Christ became invisibly present and began ruling as king in the heavens, ending the "appointed times of the nations" in Luke 21:24. Shortly there after, in the year 1918, Jesus Christ looked down from heaven, rejected all of Christendom and appointed the "faithful and discreet slave" as his only representative on the entire earth. Originally it was taught in the Watchtower publications, that Charles Taze Russell was the "faithful and discreet slave." Later this interpretation was changed to apply to all the remaining 144,000 anointed or born again Jehovah's Witnesses who are still alive on earth, with the Governing Body in Brooklyn, New York, USA as their chief spokesman.

Russell's Tombstone

An Embarrassing Reminder of Unstable Theology

Today, various Bible Student Organizations who broke off from the Watchtower Society, shortly after Russell's death in 1916, make the claim not to regard his writings as inspired or infallible, however they do still regard his writings (1916 and before only) as coming from God's only "Faithful and Discreet Slave" on earth, appointed by Jesus Christ, which in essence is the same.

This man, Charles Taze Russell, not only believed "the 'faithful and wise servant' is one man", most likely himself, as later Watchtower articles suggest, but was convinced the pyramids in Egypt had some hidden meaning in accordance with the bible. When he died a tombstone of a pyramid was put at his grave. He also supported an elaborate, detailed, gnat straining, "divine plan of the ages" with dates and figures of Armageddon and the end times. While this plan and many other of his teachings change on a moments notice coming from the "slave class" of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, the International Bible Students preserve Russell's teaching as frozen in time, both of which miss the true meaning of the Christ, love of our fellow man, not the sacrifice of orthodox theology.

Certainly this man had some fine thoughts on biblical research, however, they are completely overshawdowed by legalistic, orthodox interpretive teachings that are in many ways "off the wall", being no different from the other religious movements and outspoken leaders of the 19th century with their unusual and unstable interpretations of the bible , such as Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy and Ellen White, which no doubt, voids out the validity of their writings. All of these individuals had some fine teachings, but their legalistic, manmade enlightenment, on various rules, regulations, future prophesies and predictions were off the deep end, being detrimental and destructive to worshipping God and living a balanced and constructive life. It is far better, not to have the so called orthodox, exact true meaning on each and every doctrine and instead living a balanced life, putting justice, empathy and forgiveness for others in the forefront.

"The Watch Tower" (3/1/1922) P. 74
"Fulfilled prophecy - or physical facts - and the circumstantial evidence are conclusive proof that Russell filled the office of that "Faithful and Wise Servant."

"The Watch Tower" (2/15/1927) P. 56
"That Faithful and Wise Servant" does not apply to one individual and not to Brother Russell. Russell never made that claim himself."
 
 

... Maybe they need to re-check the records? Or make up their minds! Ok, according to the information found in the above WatchTower records, Russell IS and ISN'T the "Discreet Slave" or is it the body? Today, it's interpreted to be the remaining 144,000 alive on earth, with the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses as their spokesman.

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