We need a national story about Ray Franz's life

by moshe 17 Replies latest jw friends

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  moshe

  Like everyone else here, I am praying for Ray to pull through this medical crisis, but I realize the odds are not good.

  I know it's not something people want to think about, their obituary, but I contacted a religion journalist and told her about Ray Franz, his life at Bethel and his books. I hope she passes the information on to the rest of the writers on their religion blog. Ray deserves more than a one paragraph death notice in the national newspapers. If you know of any professional writers who aren't aware of Ray's condition, then please ask them to look into doing a story. It wouldn't surprise me, if 50% of the active JW's today have never heard of Ray or his books.

  I was thinking back over 20 years ago about my two visits with Ray at his home and the fine dinner Cynthia cooked for me. There is a lot to be said for taking the high road, which is not what the WT leaders wanted Ray to do. They wanted him to keep quiet and fade him into obscurity, but he refused to be their doormat.
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  blondie

  Maybe Barbara Anderson could do that, she is a good writer and has contact with people in the media field.
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  onemore

  Also, what about contacting the same reporters that wrote the 1982 Time's article? here is a link to the online version of that interview....

  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,922767,00.html
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  Designer Stubble

  Sounds like an excellent idea. Ray has left a great legacy, one which too few persons are aware of. A positive life story article on him is the very least he deserves and if at the same time it would get a number of doubting witnesses to read his books - even better. Great initiative!
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  WTWizard

  I would like to see him live past 100, preferably 110 or 115 in good health. Ideally, he would be able to write yet another book about the religion that has ruined so many lives, this time to worldly people that are thinking of studying to become witlesses.

  Short of that, I think we need to know the whole truth. Crisis of Conscience tells the truth about his mission as a witless, and how he sacrificed so much to get where he was in the 1970s. From there, he did all he could to bring the religion in compliance with the Bible, for which he was disfellowshipped unjustly. I believe that the book Crisis of Conscience does a good job in describing how well the Governing Body really get along (not very), and that they do all they can to maintain status quo. Hopefully, something will be put in to get people that are interested in joining the witlesses, or curious about the witlesses' beliefs, to pick up that book instead of whatever the witlesses leave at the door.
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  cofty

  Perhaps hundreds of us could also write a brief obituary for the letters page of their local or regional newspaper?
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  Bangalore

  What about a press release?

  Bangalore
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  moshe

  Great ideas, everyone!
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  laverite

  I agree with Blondie!

  A story written by Barbara Anderson about Ray Franz's life would deserve national and international publication and distribution. I'd love to see it in Time or another venue such as that. But even without such a venue, the Freeminds.org website would be a great home for such a piece.

  Barbara Anderson is a gifted writer, a keen intellect and skilled researcher. It should really be someone of her caliber who writes an authoritative article about such a great man.

  Does anyone know Barbara Anderson -- someone who could suggest this to her?
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  marcopolo

  dear friends. you that you are more near tried to do a lot for doing it knows what he has written Ray. many anchor JWs don't know these books. I am Italian and thanks to him I have opened the eyes on the WT. and I hope that also others do the same. I and he are written 15 days ago there programmed (health allowing) to come in Europe and to meet he Sorry:(