Poor little dubbies. They’re so optimistic. If ONLY the current GB would just die off, everything will get better, they think. This is the “Waiting for old Saul to die” syndrome that they’ve plucked from the Bible to try to explain why so many things are screwed up. “When Saul dies, Jehovah will turn the mantle over to the modern-day David and then he will bless us.”

Well, there’s a problem with this way of thinking. In the Bible, there was only ONE Saul. In the Watchtower religion, there has been a whole DYNASTY of Sauls. With the single exception of Chuck Russell, all Watchtower monarchs have been “Sauls.” ALL of them.

When Rutherford wrested the grip of power from Russell’s hand-picked successors in 1917, I’m sure those old Bible students had hoped that if and when Rutherford died, things would get better. They didn’t. During the next 25 years of absolute rule, Rutherford purged the ranks of Russell’s followers, took over control of all congregations, created a religious hierarchy identical to the Church he hated the most (RCC), invented a new name for his pet religion, divided salvation into two “classes,” banned vaccinations, cooked scripture to justify his living like a King in his own private castle, traveled first-class to Europe every year, and purposefully made his pet religion hated around the world.

Rutherford promoted himself as the world’s leading expert on the Bible. Many dubs, including the elite in Brooklyn just hoped he would die. “If only King Saul would die, things will be better.” Then he died. Only four people attended the funeral of the “world’s leading Bible expert.” His hand-picked successor Nathan Homer Knorr did not even bother to attend. Neither did his chief “scriptural chef,” Frederick William Franz.

“Things will get better now that Knorr is in charge,” dubbies thought. Well, Knorr was groomed in the Rutherford boot camp, and he was every bit as ruthless as his mentor. He had personal body guards, just like “Saul” his mentor. He was abrupt and heartless just like his mentor. Knorr was responsible for turning the WTS into a well-oiled, cold-blooded Corporate business machine. He created a missionary school, gave us the “New World Society”, banned blood transfusions, banned organ transplants, banned consensual marital sex, DF raped victims for not screaming, created the Mexico/Malawi hypocrisy. He was called “Papa” by Bethelites and everyone around him feared him.

But most importantly, he sent everyone into serious comas wherever he gave a talk from the platform. Some of those people are STILL in comas and may never recover.

“If only Saul would die, things will get better,” people thought. Then Knorr died.

Knorr was succeeded by FW Franz and everyone loved Franz. Surely things will get better. Many people don’t realize that it was Franz who created all major JW doctrine from about the 1930’s. Franz’s absolute cynicism allowed his non-existent conscience to dream up the bullshit about the “return of the Princes” to Beth Sarim so Rutherford could have a “Bible-based” excuse to live like a Sheik. His wacky and off-the-wall interpretations of the Bible proved time-after-time to be a major embarrassment for the WTS. He gave us 1975 and didn’t give a shit about how many people’s futures he destroyed because they were gullible enough to believe what he wrote was from Jehovah. He was the guy, who when asked by his nephew, Raymond Franz to identify members of the Faithful and Discreet Slave CLASS™ could only come up with one name: his own.

“If only Saul would die, things will get better,” people thought. Then Franz died.

By this time the mantle of Saul was entrenched in the hands of the Governing Body. Milton Henschel was not able to hold the absolute control of his predecessors.

As little as four years ago, my own sister who was serving in Bethel with her husband told me that she and her peers were waiting for the GB to die off, and THEN things would surely get better.

Today, the head “Saul” is Ted Jaracz, who is know as “The Boss.” What LOVING nicknames these men have! “The Judge,” “Papa”, and “The Boss.” Jaracz appears to be in good health and I’ve been told that the GB pretty much goes along with everything he wants. What’s going to happen when THIS Saul and the other old GB members finally die off? Well, the four new boys in the GB were all hand-picked by “The Boss” for their loyalty and even ruthlessness in carrying out his orders. That being the case, we have “little Sauls” in training to continue the pattern started over 80 years ago.

Poor little dubbies: waiting for “Saul” to die off, when those “Sauls” breed clones of themselves faster than rabbits.

If “Jehovah” was ever going to get rid of the Watchtower “Sauls,” he would have done it two generations ago. He didn’t and they’re still with us. They will always be with us.

Farkel

Good points. The problems affecting the Society go way beyond the ability of any current or potential leader.

I believe that their only hope (and a slim one at that) is for control to be siezed by a single visionary, who would totally reform the organization. However, under the current system of governing by committee, control is held by company men who are so stupid that they actually believe their own nonsense. Their system does not groom persons with the right leadership qualities, and they are insulated from outside takeover.

By the way, on the subject of the Biblical Saul's death, did you realize that Saul actually died three times? Consider:

1 Samuel 31:4 - “Therefore, Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.” This is a pretty straight forward, definitive statement of how Saul died.

In 2 Samuel 21:12, we find another definitive statement regarding Saul’s death: “David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-Gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Gilboa.”

So,we now find that Saul did not commit suicide after all, but rather, was killed by the Philistines.

But, we’re not done, yet. In 1 Chronicles, chapter 10, another person takes credit for Saul’s death, and we have to assume that this one isn’t lying. Verses 13 and 14: “So Saul died for his unfaithfulness... Therefore, the Lord slew him, and turned the kingdom over to David, the son of Jesse.”

So, Saul committed suicide, was killed in war, and was executed by God. I guess the Bible writers wanted him dead so badly that they couldn't stop at one.

Hey Fark, do you think there will be another gleaning after a majority of the old guys become judges in heaven? If things are to "get better", there may be the need to label quite a few brothers and sisters as apostates. Naturally this would occur in the name of "new light". But Wait! Its a win-win situation....they get new light and Simon's number of active users hits an all time high.

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

LOL! Running man, that was awesome.

Farkel, this is found rampant in JW families along with some other syndromes...

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Eppstein-Barr Virus Syndrome

Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Hmmm....I wonder if there's a tie in? There's also:

Armeggeddon will destroy the wicked Syndrome

If I can just get 15 minutes in service my Study conductor won't bother me Syndrome

I'm just *taking a break* a break from the Theocratic Ministry school....not quitting Syndrome.

Perhaps they are all undiagnosed delusional schizophrenics?!?!

Lisa

Another serving of "Farkel-ized" meat in due season. Thank you!

RunningMan stated, "I believe that their only hope (and a slim one at that) is for control to be siezed by a single visionary, who would totally reform the organization."

The WTs has a word for such "visionary leaders" - they're called APOSTATES and they get DISFELLOWSHIPPED. The "Sauls" - who, as Valis accurately stated, are ruling the WTS from heaven - (that's a joke, folks) - have arranged things so that they can only decay and crumble, like the moldering souls of their deceased leadership.

I would like to know how anyone hoping for the "death of Saul" -because they know the leadership is erroneous and corrupt - can rationalize staying with the organization.

More of the same is the cure?? The org has been run by visionary reformers since its inception. How much more crap do you want???

they’re still with us. They will always be with us.

Farkel

Farkle, had to laugh my butt off on this one!You sounded so sad.
It IS sad,.... but probably true.