Nathan H. Knorr was a big baby

by under_believer 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  under_believer

  Reading Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz today I came across an account of how Knorr acted when Franz, alone among Governing Body members, suggested that the monarchial system of absolute power vested in Knorr and his predecessors was unscriptural, and since they had removed that arrangement from the congregations (replacing it with a Body of Elders arrangement) they should do the same thing at the Headquarters:

  In each case of my doing so, however, the president took the remarks very personally, speaking at great length, his voice tense and forceful, saying that 'evidently some were not satisfied with the way he was handling his job.' He would go into great detail as to the work he was performing and then would say 'now apparently some don't want me to handle things anymore' and that perhaps he should 'bring it all down here and turn it over to Ray Franz and let him handle it.'

  Yes folks, this was the way the Society's president from 1942 to 1976 acted. Like a big baby.
• 

  Leolaia

  Hmmm....shades of Joe Rutherflawed in 1917 and 1939?
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  sir82

  'evidently some were not satisfied with the way he was handling his job.'

  Hmm, sounds rather like the study articles from the 7-15-06 Watchtower that have generated several threads already...if you substitute "he" and "his" with "Jehovah's earthly organization" and "its".
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  greendawn

  Indeed the monarchical system of Knorr was not scriptural and the same applies to the GB arrangemenent that included 10-20 members over its existence of about 30 years.
  
  As hard as they try to find Biblical backing for it there is none, the early church did not look up to one leader or a GB for guidance and meat in due time.
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  Balsam

  I've heard his behavior was just arrogant and self-centered from those who had to work around him. I remember reading that in COC. Arrogant for sure.
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  Undecided

  I talked to him once at the Ministry School in NY and he seemed arrogant to me.

  Ken P.
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  smellsgood

  ah, the NHK infantile tizzy. instead of a toddler bopping you over the head with his rattle and bumbling away with a binky in his mouth when he's challenged to a teethe off, It's middle aged or older religious power broker crossing their arms, souring their face and throwing themselves to the floor "no, me am best bibler, donut kweschun me, my am leadier!"
• 

  Gregor

  "no, me am best bibler, donut kweschun me, my am leadier!" LOL! I liked the quote in COC when Knorr said,(paraphrasing), "Gee, I hope we're right about 1914, we bet the farm on it". Good thing he was long dead by 1995. He would have been real pissed at ol' Fred. Imagine a conversation about this if they were alive in the early 90's. The scene opens in Knorrs office. He has summoned Fred Franz, who is setting in front of his desk. NHK: What the fuck, Fred? We're running out of time here! People BORN in 1914 are almost 80 years old! Let alone those that were 12. They're over 90, fer Chrissake! We've already stretched this thing to the breaking point. Now what? FF: Yes, Yes. I know Nathan. But, I've got an idea. You know the original Greek word for "generation" is.. NHK: Don't start that original Greek shit with me, you dumbass!...we're in a bind here and I need some answers! FF: Well, what I'm saying is, we could start running some articles in the 'tower about being faithful to the GB and, oh yeah!, some district convention talks and...well... kind of soften the fuckers up for a couple of years and then, wham! We tell them they have read too much into what was said before and that here's the straight dope. Then we put THEM on the defensive. Remind them about "no one knows the day and hour"... and "thief in the night" and all that good shit... NHK: Are you serious? They'd run us out of town on a rail! FF: Now wait a minute, Nate. We've been through this before. You can't kill these bastards with a stick! They'll buy whatever we tell them. The ones that don't, well, they either eat it and smile or we boot 'em! It'll be fine I tell ya' NHK: Well, we don't have much choice do we, mister "1975"? FF: Nate, come on, you said you wouldn't bring that up again. NHK: Ok, you little fruit. Put something together and and we'll run it by the jerk jolly boys and see where it goes.
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  Matty

  LOL - thanks Gregor that was uttely priceless!
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  Mary

  He would go into great detail as to the work he was performing and then would say 'now apparently some don't want me to handle things anymore' and that perhaps he should 'bring it all down here and turn it over to Ray Franz and let him handle it.'

  Too frigging bad this hadn't have happened.......perhaps the Organization would not be the pathetic cult that it is today if Ray had been in charge.