The GB, Evil incarnate, or just trapped like the rest?

by daystar 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  daystar

  If you believe that the WBTS is a high control group, cult, or whatever, do you also believe that the design, the isolationist doctrines and subtle mind control is all on purpose? Or did it just sort of evolve that way?

  In other words, do you think Russell, Rutherford and the Governing Body purposefully look(ed) for, or make(made) up, biblical evidence to support controlling doctrines? Or was it all unconscious?

  In other, other words, are they evil incarnate, or just stupid and trapped in an out-of-control beast of a religion just like the rest?

  Opinions? Evidence?
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  mrsjones5

  In my opinion I pick evil incarnate and just plain stupid
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  TopHat

  I think they, the GB meant well and now they are trapped and don't know the way out. Some might really believe they are right in all things Godly though.
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  kid-A

  Russell, Rutherford, Knorr and Franz were all instrumental in shaping the actual theology and lifestyle construction of the witnesses. Of the 4, I would say Russell was likely the most benign, a complete kook, but still relatively benign compared to the other 3 stooges. People started DYING under the policies of Rutherford and Knorr in terms of the ban on organ transplants, vaccines and finally blood. Franz was instrumental in the financial ruin of many dubs in the 75 fiasco.

  But todays GB? Just a bunch of "company" men, towing the party line. There really hasnt been anything new on the theological front for decades now and the policies have been

  stagnant since Franz, with the exception of allowing certain "blood fractions"....Todays GB, just overseeing the WTS running on automatic pilot.
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  Cygnus

  Russell's Scottish heritage brought him up with a fire-and-brimstone deity, and couldn't believe in a god that would burn souls. His belief in God was restored when he heard of groups that could biblically prove the soul was mortal. He set out to 'put the hose on hell' and got a bit carried away with himself and his writings but was nothing like Judge Rutherford. It was the Judge's writings and books where he purposefully applied satanic wickedness to Prohibition, Big Business, Government, the Clergy, and so forth. Franz was more occupied with the 'stream of time' and loved applying bible prophecy to all sorts of human events, and he HATED human rule, especially the League Of and United Nations. Knorr was a fantastic businessman who grew the Watchtower publishing agency into a vast empire, tricking his way into obtaining investments and property shrewdly and intelligently. As Dan Akroyd, they all truely felt they were on a mission from God. After all, there's nothing more exhilirating than pointing out the shortcomings of others.

  Go here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/95869/1.ashx for Terry's brilliant fictional writeup to understand the personalities of Joe and Chuck.
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  luna2

  I think most start out sincere and believing that they are special and appointed by God and all that rot, and when/if they ever have doubts that it isn't the truth and they aren't appointed by God, they find themselves trapped.

  What do you do when you are getting older and have NOTHING. If you leave, you lose everything; you have no Social Security, no pension, no health care, no friends, possibly no family, and no place to go. You wouldn't even have enough money to leave New York...unless you were gifted with a small pension by the Society. Not a huge incentive for these guys to be honest and leave the collective.
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  daystar

  What do you do when you are getting older and have NOTHING. If you leave, you lose everything; you have no Social Security, no pension, no health care, no friends, possibly no family, and no place to go. You wouldn't even have enough money to leave New York...unless you were gifted with a small pension by the Society. Not a huge incentive for these guys to be honest and leave the collective.

  So, you think some of these people no longer believe much of what they themselves promote as biblical doctrine? At that point, do you also think they just try to guide things in as positive a way as possible?

  I can imagine a GB member who is in this position, who is trying to maintain his position, hiding his disbelief, in order to at least do some good with the power he has.

  I frequently suspect that this may be the case with many religious leaders, not just with Jehovah's Witnesses' leaders.
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  JosephMalik

  In other, other words, are they evil incarnate, or just stupid and trapped in an out-of-control beast of a religion just like the rest? Daystar, You know it does not really matter. Lu 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. Such men have had plenty of opportunity to change their ways but refuse. There is no point in making up excuses for them. Joseph
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  Ticker

  All power mongers that changed the face of the religion with each new successor.

  Ticker
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  stillajwexelder

  JARACZ -EVIL INCARNATE -- The rest ------ TRAPPED