by greendawn 59 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Gayle,
I (and I'm sure others as well) would love to see you recap some of your Bethel experiences -- no matter how trivial you think they are. It's a slice of your life we'd like to look at.
"My Life at Bethel, Part 1" would be a good start.
Forgive me if you've already done this.
Fats
I also agree w/ Lady Lee and Blondie.
As for 30 years a Watchtower Slave by Schnell, is not a good read to me. I found it harsh and angry and to me it would only support the JW theory that people that leave are bitter and thus spin a tale. However, Ray Franz was more of a fact finder and he told it in written form. Any book that is non-fiction is written really from the perspective of the story teller, so you cannot condemn him for telling it from his perspective. He lived it, he is entitled to tell it.
Onthewayout stated something I never thought about before, Ray Franz had/has the same info the WTBTS figure heads have. But they choose to ignore what they find. He could not. He went against everything he had ever known in his life. Imagine how frightening that must have been for him the day it all came together and his knowledge over took his heart and he decided to act. As we know there will always be critics out there regardless of what is done or not done. He should be commended on his courage for leaving, everything is gravy.
I did not read CoC until after I was gone for several years. I found it interesting, but to me my path was laid out and I did not need justification. Like I said, as for Schnell, I was rather disgusted after reading the book, not with the info in it, but the harsh bitter tones contained in much of the book. Do I think it is worth the read, yes, because each person should form their own opinion. However, I do not recommend the book to people I know that are wishing to investigate more about the religion. I always direct them to CoC.
I have never met Ray Franz.
Reading his book was painful at best. If he had been hateful and bitter, it would have eased my pain.
From his book, I gather he is loving and gentle. I respect him immensely. I feel a debt to him for what his book did to help me to see the organization for what it is.......and also for expressing his anguish at not being able to implement within the organization the person "GOD" truely wants us all to be.
If it meant anything at all coming from me........I commend him greatly for what he did for himself, his wife, and all others he has been able to touch.
purps
With regards to the irrational fear the organization inspires, I've been lurking on here for two years+ and just obtained CoC a few weeks ago. To me it was the symbolic last step in my deprogramming. As it has been mentioned here, I knew before I read it that I would be unable to go back after examining it. As an ex-bethelite, I knew some of the persons it refers to. Borrowing a Witness expression, I found it had the ring of truth. I'm not in total agreement with Franz on theology and religion in general for that matter but I consider the work a trustworthy recounting of events.
It was the end of September, 1984, when I sent a letter to Ray. His book still hadn't hit the shelves at Waldenbooks where I regularly pestered the sales clerks. We'd talked by phone for the better part of an hour between Houston, Tx, where I lived, and his home in Gadsden, Al.
I'd left the JW's some 6 years prior and was still licking my wounds. He was only the second ex-jw I'd talked to during that time -- and what a comfort he was.
I had spotted a front page spread in our Houston Post about the Witnesses, their baptism that weekend somewhere, among other things. However, I noted with extreme interest the sub-head, "Issue of ex-communication stirs controversy."
There, in that July 21 issue of the Houston Post, Richard Vara reported his interview with the subject of disfellowshipping, Franz, and mentioned his new "Crisis of Conscience" book.
I may have the first copy that Houston Waldenbooks sold.
Fats
I have an old copy, abridged, I think of "30 Years a Watchtower Slave" by William J. Schnell. Not in such great condition. It is a tiny paperback. It is the size of a harlequin romance. No comparison to the Franz books, though he does have some insight into the running of the WT. He was not part of the GB.
Franz is dear to my heart. He did the right thing for the right reasons with dignity and grace. He had access to great resources and gave us all the benefit of it. He is obviously a decent and good man. I think he was deluded for some time. And I think he did the right thing ultimately. The WT org. plays things as they are being very high minded in not responding. They can't. They must be silent as there is nothing they could say to help their own case. The JWs who say it is the same information----obviously never read the books.
In reference to my prior item, the following 3 scans are from that Houston Post which Ray wanted me to send him. I realize the photos of those two prominent JW's aren't very clear but does anyone recognize them, know whether they are still alive, still with the borg?
Ditto to all the positive comments about Ray. It meant a great deal to me to read an honest, fact-based analysis of WT history and inner workings of the GB not colored by anger and bitterness. If his works were otherwise I probably would not have continued reading them. As it is I have read both his books twice. I'm with tsof...there is special place in my heart for Ray.
Skeptic1914
I'm glad for people like Ray Franz. When I read his first book, I was surrounded by the feeling that this man knew he was in something that wasn't right and tried everything I could picture myself trying if I were in that same situation. First he tried to just believe that it would be straightened out if he maintained faith. Then he realized that maybe you had to sacrifice right at times for the greater good. Eventually though, he was no longer able to live the lie and be a part of something that was so obviously dysfunctional and misleading.
I can only hope that I'll react similar if I'm ever in that same position again.
Gayle,
While at Bethel in the early 70's, Ray gave the best morning talks,
I agree. None of the other GB members even came close. His Monday night lectures put new life into me. I just wanted to know God, Christ and the Bible like never before. That's when I began to take Bible study seriously and to make notes in the margins. If Ray hadn't been opposed, and if the GB had any appreciation for his Bible-oriented thinking, the organization of JWs would be a very different organization today. I'm convinced all Bethelites and others in teaching positions would be diligent students and effective at sharing gems from the Bible. Love, kindness, and sincere interest in the well-being of others would be the distinguising characteristics of the entire organization worldwide.
The GB really did themselves and all JWs a great disservice due to their pharisaical jealousy of Ray. As a consequence of their fascist actions, JWs today are on the decline and known only as door-to-door pests and killers who let their own children die by refusing to allow them to have a blood transfusion. There is no resemblance between early Christianity and what has deteriorated into the current JW business operation.
Frank
http://formerjw.homestead.com
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