The odd thing to me is how people read sincerity back into who he was before
he sold books (his honesty was compromised over the other leaders not conceding
to Jonsson's research about 587/6 BC, etc., so he left.) Maybe it's been so
long since I read his books I'm forgetting a few things about him, but not about
the leadership generally. I admit it's been years since I read his books, so
maybe someone could help me with that:
He was a member of the writing/research staff (Capo) for about 5-6 yrs. ('65-
'71) then a Governing Body member (Don) for 8-9 yrs. ('71-'80). They never had
a 14-15 year sincere period, or even a one year sincere period.
http://glenster1.webs.com/gtjbrooklyn1acont.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtYjdEwa8GA
Whatever Ray believed about Jesus, JWs leaders have always mischaracterized
what mainstream stances were in comparison--they believe in three gods, that
Jesus was his own father, Tertullian was an Arian (in so many words), and so
forth regarding many individual verses. I always thought it was weird that Ray
didn't cover that in his exposes. I figured he may not have wanted to alienate
his marketing group, which would probably include many JWS/ex-JWs.
My research tells me the JWs leaders have not only always been guys who lied
about a dozen or so rules to seem elitist and sell literature--at least since
WWI they haven't cared if people got beat up or murdered over it, and at least
since the 1960's they haven't cared if adults and their little kids died at
hospitals over it (like Harry Lime in "The Third Man"), which was the case
during Ray's 14-15 or so years at the top. There are organized crime leaders
who would consider that low.
http://glenster1.webs.com/gtjbrooklynindex.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBNlL23sUGI
My GTA/Mafia-related research tells me that the leaders of an organized crime
group may have discussions during the day about what lies to tell, but at the
end of the day they have to all agree on what lies to tell to get away with it.
If one refuses to play along, the other leaders, understandably, get nervous.
https://sites.google.com/site/glenstersite/
The other leaders saw Ray wasn't going to play ball about the prediction
racket (586/7 BC, etc.) so they had to play J. Edgar Hoover to get rid of him.
Ray wasn't a guy who could lie so a kid could die at a hospital but would get
indignant over a relatively clerical concern (586/7 BC) and leave--they had to
go to inordinate lengths have him dragged out leaving fingernail grooves in the
linoleum.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COINTELPRO
He still didn't want to be seen as betraying commitment to the leadership--he
kept paying tributes to the Don at the collection box of a Kingdom Hall for
about a year and a half (May '80-Dec. '81), seemingly hoping it was a dark cloud
that would blow over and they'd reconsider. So the leaders had to make up rules
to get him out of there so he wouldn't be seen as having their as approval in
spreading bad words about the Don and Bosses (be a grass) to the punks at the
lower end of the scale.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergrass_%28informer%29
Finally, he made lemonade out of lemons and did what he knew how to do best
about it--sell literature (a much better lifestyle than being punished for
helping with murders and infanticide).
However sincere he was about his religious beliefs from then on, the way
followers read that back into his previous period reminds me a little of Holly's
initial idealism about Lime in "The Third Man."
A comparison to the fans of Albert Speer may seem too extreme, so I'll make
the disclaimer that I'm just seeing similarities to certain things. He was
Hitler's architect who was captured after WWII but wasn't executed like other
higher-ups because he said he had no idea Hitler (of "Mein Kampf," '30's laws to
ruin the live of Jews, the Holocaust) was going to use his buildings for the
Holocaust. After he was released from prison, it was controversial--some be-
lieved him, some didn't, but he sold a lot of books. Fans read his apparent
current sincerity back through the whole thing, as though he was someone who
would have reformed Hitler at any chance he had to do it, while many found that
hard to believe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Speer#Legacy_and_controversy
I vaguely remember Franz writing that he was ashamed of his previous efforts,
and I can find that easier to believe. I hope I don't butt heads with anyone
in giving play to these thoughts--again, I might not be remembering some things
others may remember.