The Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus Christ returned, invisibly, in 1914. Along with this, they also teach that shortly after this He began to seek out the “faithful and discreet slave” referred to at Matthew 24:45-47. This Faithful and Discreet Slave would be the only group on Earth dispensing proper spiritual food to people at the proper time (a.k.a. “The Truth”). According to them, Jesus began His spiritual inspection in 1918 in earnest to find whom He should entrust with His “spiritual belongings.” He saw that the men in the Watchtower Society were the only ones doing so, and after they successfully passed a season of testing, Jesus blessed the Watchtower Society by choosing them to be the faithful and discreet slave in 1919, giving them responsibility as the Faithful and Discreet Slave spoken of in Matthew (The Watchtower, March 1, 2004, pp.16-18 para.15-19; Draw Close to Jehovah, 2002, pp. 312-313 para.9; Jehovah's Witnesses -- Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, 1993, pp.218-219).

HOW WERE THEY TESTED?

[NOTE: Jehovah's Witnesses were known as “Bible Students” prior to 1931] The Watchtower Society explains that the tests they “passed” included testing from within their ranks as well as testing from the outside. The testing from within centered around the loyalty of the membership: Who would remain with them after Russell's original predictions of 1914 failed? And not long afterward, who would remain with them after Russell died and Joseph Rutherford took his place? As for the testing from the outside, it centered around the public view of the Bible Students: Rutherford had published a book that contained scathing remarks against the clergy of Christendom; these remarks caused a violent public reaction against the Bible Students and resulted in the arrest of Rutherford and several other top officials of the Watchtower Society. Once they were released from prison, how many in the membership would remain loyal to the Watchtower Society? (Jehovah's Witnesses – Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, 1993, Chapters 6-7).

The Watchtower Society claims that, after passing this “season of testing” Jesus Christ recognized their work as the faithful and discreet and thus entrusted them with enlarged responsibilities (The Watchtower, March 1, 2004, p.12 para.18; Worship the Only True God, 2002, pp. 130-131, para.7-8).

OBEDIENCE

Because Jehovah's Witness members are taught that their leadership in the Watchtower Society is the "faithful and discreet slave" of Jesus Christ, they are also taught to be obedient to them. They are told to “cooperate fully with the faithful and discreet slave” (The Watchtower, November 15, 2009, p.14, para.3); they are instructed to “obey the direction provided by the faithful and discreet slave” (The Watchtower, October 15, 2009, p.16 para.16); they are admonished to “submit to the arrangement that Jesus made for the faithful and discreet slave class to provide spiritual food at the proper time” (The Watchtower, March 15, 2008, p.5, para.11); and that “By submitting to the slave class, God's people also show their subjection to the Master, Jesus Christ” (The Watchtower, October 1, 2002, p.19, para.7) In essence, the Jehovah's Witness membership is expected to give their complete obedience to the “faithful and discreet slave.”

The entire foundation regarding their selection as the faithful and discreet slave hinges on the belief that only they were chosen after successfully enduring a period of testing through persecution as well as divisions within their ranks.

The biggest problem with this line of reasoning is that, in reality, they weren't the only ones to have endured such a “season of testing” for their beliefs. It is historical fact that the Protestant Reformers in the 1500's were severely tested for their beliefs, even to the point of being burned alive at the stake for their beliefs. When the Latter Day Saints (Mormon) movement began in the 1800's, they also endured harsh persecution, including the murder and rape of many members. And persecution against believers in Christ continues today, as any Christian group currently living in a Muslim country or communist country can claim further testings and trials. All of these who have been tested throughout time have endured dissension in the ranks and persecution from outsiders, and many have endured testing from within as well. The Jehovah's Witnesses are not unique in this regard. As a result, this severely weakens the claim as being the only ones designated as the Faithful and Discreet Slave, as based solely on these claims.

WATCHTOWER SOCIETY'S PROOF?

The Watchtower Society claims that the Bible upholds their position on this matter. By way of support, the Watchtower Society teaches that the scripture at Matthew 24:45-47 points to them as being this designated “faithful and discreet slave.” This passage of Scripture states:

(45) Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food as the proper time? (46) Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. (47) Truly I say to YOU, He will appoint him over all his belongings.

It is their idea that, since this passage of Scripture is a part of the chapter in which Christ speaks on the signs of His presence, this choosing of the faithful slave would occur shortly after His presence in 1914. Remembering that the Watchtower Society considers their denomination as the only true Christians, it is their claim that Paul's reference of the Christian Congregation as being “members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:9, 1 Timothy 3:15), and that the faithful slave would come from that “household” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2) refers only to them. Thus, they perceive themselves as the chosen “faithful and discreet slave” mentioned in the book of Matthew (Insight On the Scriptures, 1988, Vol. 1, pp. 805-806).

FAITHFUL AND DISCREET?

Can the Watchtower Society rightfully claim to have been “faithful and discreet,” and dispensing “proper food at the proper time?” Let the facts speak for themselves:

PYRAMIDOLOGY? As mentioned in the 1914 article, at one time the Watchtower Society adhered to the false teaching of pyramidology, promoting that the Great Pyramid of Giza held prophetic significance. This was so strongly believed that the 1913 edition of their first book in the "Studies in the Scriptures" series, titled "The Divine Plan of the Ages, included the subtitle "As Shown in the Great Pyramid," complete with a drawing of the pyramid on the cover. The book featured a chart showing parallels between prophecy and pyramids. Pyramidology was taught until 1928, when the Watchtower Society decided that it was a demonic teaching. How “faithful and discreet” could they have been to indoctrinate the membership with a demonic doctrine through the time period that Jesus Christ supposedly inspected and chose them to be His “faithful and discreet slave?” How proper was this “spiritual food?”

IMAGES OF A PAGAN GOD? The Studies in the Scriptures series had more problems than just pyramidology: In some yearly-editions of the volumes, each book (Volumes 1-7) featured an image connected to the Egyptian sun god, Ra, on their covers: A circle (the sun) in the center flanked by two elongated wings. These images were used as late as 1918 – the same year in which Jesus Christ was supposedly making an inspection for the faithful and discreet slave. How “faithful and discreet” could they have been to be employing the images of a pagan god during this “inspection”? How proper was this “spiritual food?”

SPIRITISTIC SUPPORT? For nearly three decades the Watchtower Society knowingly used Bible versions written by known spiritists to support passages in their New World Translation Bible (See details here). Please note that the Watchtower Society heavily condemns spiritism as an unclean, satanic practice (Keep Yourselves in God's Love, 2008, p.187, para. 10-11). How “faithful and discreet” can they be to use the writings of known spiritists in support of their own writings? How proper was this “spiritual food?”

FORBIDDING VACCINATIONS? For a time, the Watchtower Society taught that the use of vaccinations was "the most barbarous practice" and a "devilish practice." (Golden Age, October 12, 1921, p.17) They also taught that "the practice of vaccination is a crime, an outrage and a delusion." (Golden Age, May 1, 1929, p.502) One can't help but wonder how many readers of the Golden Age magazine and their children died premature deaths due to this indoctrination against vaccines. How “faithful and discreet” could the Watchtower Society be for publishing such deadly ideas? How proper was this “spiritual food?”

GOD LIVED IN THE PLEIADES? There was a time when the Watchtower Society taught that God actually lived in the Pleiades, a star cluster (Reconciliation, 1928, p.14), on a star named Alcyone (Studies in the Scriptures --- Thy Kingdom Come, Volume 3, p.327). This teaching was tied to their belief in the Great Pyramid during that time, which they later decided was demonic. It wasn't until around 1953 when they finally dropped this teaching regarding the Pleiades. (The Watchtower, November 15, 1953, p.703). How “faithful and discreet” could the Watchtower Society be for teaching such a claimed demonically based doctrine? How proper was this “spiritual food?”

POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT? The Watchtower Society claims that their denomination is politically neutral (Awake!, September 2006, p.3) and that “A Christian who lets himself be polarized along political lines is no longer politically neutral” (The Watchtower, February 15, 1993, p.6). They have also stated that they do not advocate involvement in the United Nations or other peace organizations (The Watchtower, September 1, 1987, p.28, para.15). And, the Watchtower Society has denounced all other denominations who look to political alliances for security instead of looking to God (The Watchtower, June 1, 1991, p.16-17, para.8). HOWEVER... Various branches of the Watchtower Society have continued to associate themselves with particular political organizations over the years in spite of these teachings (Keep in mind, all of the branch offices are beholden to the headquarters and thus do not operate independently). As of this writing, for several years they have been attending the yearly meetings involved with the Organization For Security and Co-operation in Europe (“OSCE”), a politico-military organization. As recently as 2011 they attended the OSCE's Human Dimension Implementation meeting held in Warsaw, Poland during the week of Sept. 26 – Oct. 7. This isn't the only thing they've been involved with: Since October of 2004, and all the way up until at least September of 2011, the Watchtower Society has also appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) to serve as an ally to free imprisoned Jehovah's Witnesses in Korea. (Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, 2012, p.37) In 2003, the Watchtower Society was listed in the booklet for the United Nations Development Program/Inter-Agency Procurement Services Organization (UNDP/IAPSO) as one of its customers on page 30. It is also notable that for ten years the Watchtower Society became closely associated as a Non-Governmental Organization with the United Nations and enjoyed many benefits from this association until they were publicly outed for it (The book “Jehovah's Witnesses and the United Nations” written by Tami Dickerson presents all the details and evidence regarding this scandal). These are just a scant few of many political activities the Watchtower Society has involved itself in. How “faithful and discreet” can the Watchtower Society be if they are actively seeking out, and associating with, the same political elements they continually denounce to the Jehovah's Witness membership?

And this isn't the end of it: There was a time when the Watchtower Society even heavily promoted 1975 as the year in which Armageddon was to begin (Our Kingdom Ministry, May 1974, p.3; Awake! October 8, 1966, pp. 19-20; The Watchtower, October 15, 1966, pp.628-629; Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God, 1966, pp.29-30), and when this prediction failed they proceeded to blame the membership for reading too much into the information (Awake! June 22, 1995, p.9). On top of all that, they continually “tweak” their teachings through time, claiming that their mistaken understanding of God's purposes becomes clearer over time (more on this here).

Can they truly be regarded as the “faithful and discreet slave” providing “proper food at the proper time” if they are continually breeding so much error throughout their length of existence?