When did the governing body start ruling

by hijack 9 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  hijack

  I have started my own research as to what day the GB took power and here is what I found

  http://www.nucleus.com/~faxdir/jwrumble.html

  And then this site http://gwest59.tripod.com/ChristIsLord/id46.html says that the GB did the following adjustment

  quote

  The last page of the February 1, 1976, Watchtower, was devoted to a notification entitled "Governing Body Adjustments." The article advised that the Governing Body had, as of January 1, 1976, formed six supervisory committees: Service Committee, Writing Committee, Publishing Committee, Teaching Committee, Personnel Committee, and Chairman's Committee. This was, of course, big news in the world of JWs. Prior to this time virtually all important policy- and procedure-making decisions depended ultimately upon the approval of one man--the Society's president, Nathan H. Knorr. The February 1 article did not elaborate, but it soon became clear within Brooklyn Bethel that these committees were now operating with a measure of authority that previously had been possessed only by Knorr. The president of the Society no longer wielded absolute, total control.

  end quote

  so it seems that Jan 1/ 1976 is when the GB had full control (read further in the above link)

  To answer my own earlier question" on what day did the GB start to rule"

  It seems they took power gradually like any dictator would.

  The more I read on the internet about the WTS the more I realize how diabilical they are. The WTS is now more fragmented than ever before but the GB still has full control.

  Did you know that the district of Brooklyn New york looses 10 million dollars a year to property tax because the WTS headquartes are tax exempt. There are some 3000 bethelites living in a compound there all connected by a tunnel system(the tunnels are owned by the WTS). The bethelites have to use the tunnels when traveling between buildings of the compound or they'll get stabbed. There was a recent stabbing there because a bethelite did not use the tunnel and he was found bleeding outside and a WTS ambulance loaded him up. Yes the WTS has it's own ambulance service. In fact they are a self contained unit that feeds off the estates of deceased widows and the gullable publishers (watchtower pushers at your door) who give any excess money they have into the contribution boxes at the kingdom hall.
• 

  stillajwexelder

  The most loyal dub you could imagine predicted that this will not be for long. All the rumor is that the WTS willl not be in Brooklyn beyond 2010 - they will all move to Walkill/Patterson
• 

  Boxed elder bugs

  I was at Bethel when they brought in the New Governing body arrangment, it seeemed it was at the time when they were also changing the elder arrangement rotating from one congregation overseer and a committee of three non rotational to the rotating elder arrangement. Knorr made comments at the time and they expressed doubts about the new arrangement. He died shortly after I think of a brain tumor. His facial expressions, voice and body language expressed an extreme dislike for the new arrangement. It was like a political coup against him, the other sprung this on him and he didn't like it.
• 

  moggy lover

  Hi, Hijack. Your date is confirmed by Ray Franz in his book "Crisis of Conscience" There is an illustration on pg 91 of his book showing a diagram of how the GB is supposed to work with the date firmly insribed as Jan 1 '76.

  Interestingly, Ray covers a great deal of material in his book on how the GB actually came to be [Pgs 50-94]. It certainly was not the intention of what was then called the "Corporation" [ie a monarchial/dictatorial system laughingly called "theocratic" and run by one man, the WTS President] to have such an arrangement. This corporation ran the WTS during the reigns of Russell, Rutherford and Knorr. The flunkies who were in this "corporation" did exactly what the President said [or they were out on their arses]

  In the mid 60s Knorr, exerting his kingly authority, assigned Ray Franz and others to write a sort of "Bible Dictionary" covering various topics. This eventually became the "Aid" book. While reaserching material from various other Bible Dictionaries available in the extensive WT Library, Franz became convinced that the practice hitherto exercised by the WTS, where one man, the "cong servant" ran the local congs, was wrong. Franz felt that there was convincing evidence, instead, for a "body of elders" to do this. He submitted his proposals for this "new truth" to his uncle, then Vice-President of the "corporation, Fred Franz. Fred agreed to this change and so, in ' 71 this was introduced into every one of the WTS congregations. It was also introduced into every Branch Office.

  Now came the tension. Almost everyone of the flunkies in the "corporation" as well as many in Bethel HQ generally became aware of a glaring anomaly. The whole WTS structure had been converted to a "Body" arrangement EXCEPT THE BETHEL HQ. That was still a one-man show. Much of the book tells of the struggle between these two forces and how after 5 years of dispute it was finally settled in favour of a collective arrangement. In Jan '76, almost 5 YEARS after the original installation, the GB was born. Interestingly, also, Franz tells of a certain "price" the flunkies had to pay to get free of Knorr's authority. He finally relented, and gave up his "monarchical" position, but he exacted a price. In order to introduce any new teaching, or to reform an older one, a simple majority rule was not enough. Knorr insisted that the GB agree to a two-thirds rule, where that many members would now be necessary for any change. Franz shows how this became a frustrating millstone round the collective neck of the GB. Imagine getting that many members to agree to anything, especially if it appears to threaten their position!!

  Cheers

  Moggy
• 

  hijack

  hi moggy

  Where can you get ray franz book?? I've just got to get one.

  So fred is rays uncle . I heard that fred d'fed his nephew from the GB. Got any details as to why and when that hapened

  Also who elected ray to the GB? (who approved of it)

  I'm sure glad ray wrote a book on the WTS.
• 

  moggy lover

  Hi Hijack

  The book COC was first published in 1984 and has had several reprints since then. I believe the latest updated edition came out in 2004 with information current till then. The book is extreemly popular and should be available in most bookshops if you are in the USA. In Australia it is distributed by the Koorongs Book chain who are currently selling the latest edition. If you have trouble finding a copy in your country you could contact the publishers who are:

  Commentary Press, PO Box 43532, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 30336

  You may reach them at www.commentarypress.com [Sorry, dont know how to get those lines underneath for you to click them - you will need to punch the letters in] The book has evidently been translated into 11 languages

  On page 27, Franz mentions that he was invited to join a then embryonic GB which had no function beyond consultancy, but does not provide any details. As to who actually recommended him he does not say.

  He does, however give a detailed account of his eventual expulsion from the WTS by a local cong in Gadsden, Alabama. In 1979, it appears that three JWs from the Spanish Translation Section at Bethel HQ [Rene Vasquez, Cristobal Sanchez, and Nestor Quilan] were talking privately at the home of friends in the NY area. One of the guests reported to his local cong that the three had made statements attacking current policy and that evidently Ray Franz was sympathetic to their cause The local cong elders then went to Bethel HQ with this information and in tactics more in keeping with the RC Inquisition, all three were expelled from Bethel and the WTS.

  Franz was brought before the GB and told to explain himself. He did and evidently it was accepted that the "charge" against him was false. But the GB kept him under surveillance from that time . Eventually, on May 22 1980, he resigned from the GB and left Bethel.

  He then moved down to Gadsden and was given work by a Peter Gregerson a good friend from way back. However, Gregreson disassociared himself from the WTS, and by implication Franz was considered mixing in company with an Apostate. Franz naturally explained that he had to "associate" with Gregerson, because the man was Franz's boss. The GB did not accept this explanation and ordered the local cong in Gadsden to expel Ray immediately. This occured on Dec 31 1981

  Franz identifies the writers of the "Aid" book as: Lyman Swingle, Edward Dunlap, Reinhard Lengtat, John Wischuk, and himself.

  It is a tremendous book and well worth the experience

  Cheers
• 

  KW13

  Raymond franz speaks of this in his book "crisis of a conscience". I'd read it if you can get a copy!
• 

  Terry

  If you step back and look objectively at events the picture becomes clearer.

  The 1975 fiasco put Fred Franz's credibility ON THE LINE as the prophet-in-chief.

  Freddy was Nathan Knorr's right hand man; a sort of Prime Minister, if you will.

  Nathan Knorr's credibility was on the line as well.

  Armageddon, Armageddon---oh, where are you Armageddon???

  There ain't none! Zip...Zilch...and a whopping Nada.

  How, oh how can this egg-on-your-face situation be made to go away??

  There was clearly confusion, embarassment and finger-pointing going on at the top.

  Here is how I see it.

  1.If the anointed bigshots at the top really thought Armageddon was minutes away from happening they certainly would NOT commence a bible dictionary project! This would be the same old busines as usual.

  2. Raymond Franz must have seen an opportunity to make his move (now having been finally convinced of his Uncle's non-prophet status.)

  3. "Changes" would become necessary no matter what--so--why not a complete shakeup? The usual flummery about setting things right and new light would have to be invoked.

  4.Ray Franz "seized the day" and the Aid to Bible Understanding (now banished forever) became the focus and impetus of the house-cleaning everybody would be eager to see happen. (i.e. toppling Knorr and de-fanging Freddy).

  5.The floodgates opened up. Gossip, innuendo, accusations; the whole nine yards as tensions exploded chiefly over one thing and one thing only. It was the cancer that has always eaten away at the core of the Watchtower Society:

  PHONEY ARMAGEDDON PROPHECIES
• 

  hijack

  This is something I got from http://www.bible-researcher.com/new-world.html quote "In his book Crisis of Conscience Raymond Franz, a former member of the Governing Body of the Jehovah's Witnesses, describes some interesting conversations that he had with the principal translator of the version, who happened to be his uncle. He recounts that between 1965 and 1971, while engaged in preparing a Bible dictionary (published in 1971 under the title Aid to Bible Understanding), he sought guidance on a number of questions from Frederick Franz, who "was acknowledged as the organization's principal Bible scholar." We reproduce below several paragraphs from Crisis of Conscience (pages 21-24) for the light they shed upon the New World Translation and one of its translators, and also for the wise observations of the author concerning the interpretation of the Bible." end quote Oh..... so I understand now, this bible dictionary IS the "aid to bible understanding. Now Ray Franz was D'fed on Dec 31 1981 so the aid to bible understanding book was used from 1971 to 1981 a total of ten years. Just think of that!! the jdubs used the aid to bible understanding book in the door to door work apparently under angelic direction that was written by Ray Franz who was about to become apostate( That is a harsh term for Ray, he really got fed up with the whole show I think ) Terry you say that the aid to bible understanding book is banished forever. What replaced it. Was it indeed yanked by the WTS.? Has the WTS recommended that jdubs not use the aid to bible understanding in the door to door work? Another thing bugs me. Did the WTS announce publicly at the kingdom halls the d"ing of Ray Franz or was it all hush hush??.
• 

  blondie

  
  Actually, the WTS teaches that the GB has been in existence since 33 CE and the establishment of the Christian congregation, made up of the apostles and "older men."

  They have no explanation of who the GB was between 100 CE when the Apostle John is reported to have died, the last of the 12, until 1879 when Russell established. I don't think the Bible Students talked about who the GB was then, focusing instead on who the FDS was. While in print Russell never said pointedly that he was the FDS, he did not prevent others from name him as such.

  After his death in 1916, Rutherford promoted him as the FDS, until he separated the great crowd from the 144,000 and designated the remnant of the 144,000 on earth as the FDS. In reality, Rutherford was totally in control after 1918. There was a board of directors but they were in submission to Rutherford.

  ***

  w54 9/1 p. 533 Recognizing the Theocratic Organization for Life ***

  Being adapted to modern conditions and requirements and being obliged to render to Caesar Caesar’s things, the visible theocratic organization today has a legally established service agency, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, incorporated in 1884 under the laws of the state of Pennsylvania, United States of America. (Matt. 22:21) It is with this legal corporation that the governing body of the "faithful and discreet slave" class is closely associated for administrative, legal and publishing purposes, to see that "this good news of the kingdom" is preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.

  The current GB arrangement is as you have described since 1971 when the President (Knorr) and VP (Fred Franz) found their power on the Board of Directors undercut.

  In 2000 the WTS corporations were separated legally from the members of the GB.

  A GB that is an invention from the beginning of the WTS; a phrase that does not occur in the Bible; like Kingdom Hall.

  Blondie