Reading " Crisis of Consience", What did you Learn, How did it affect you?

by flipper 26 Replies latest jw friends

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  flipper

  Hello all. Thought this would be good to discuss for the newbies and others just getting out of the witnesses, so they can have their thinking and appetites whetted of things they never knew coming out from under the witness organizations spell. I know for myself, after reading this book, it totally clarified what the reasons were for all the control in the organization. And I was informed of things I never had a clue that were going on behind the Bethel scenes.

  So, for all you newbies out there or others who have not read this book, this is from us who have read it, and these are some things we learned and how this knowledge affected us. I will let others speak first here so as to have a full complete coverage. I will interject some thoughts I read and learned along the way I thought were important, if others don't cover it. Peace out to all, welcome all your thoughts please!! Let's help these newbies escaping!! Peace out, Mr. Flipper, thanks!
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  Burger Time

  I am enjoying "In Search Of Christian Freedom" more then COC. One thing I never realised was just how little prayer and bible study actually go on in the GB. I just always assumed no matter how wrong they might be that it was done almost in a "high priest" type fashion. Almost everything else I expected. ISOCF goes beyong the pale though to show just how circular and goofy the biblical reasoning is behind most of the theology. Really amazing stuff.
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  NewYork44M

  I appreciated the facts revealed in CoC.I have a great deal of respect for Ray and what he went through.

  However, I found it a little disturbing the attitude Franz displayed while he was being jerked around by the society. I kept asking myself why he didn't get a lawyer and tell the society to FU. It almost seemed that if Ray was treated a little better he might be part of a congregation somewhere in GA as a very humble elder or ms.
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  seek2find

  I thought parts of it was a little bit to over documented with all those copies of letters and such. Sometimes it seemed like he must have been planing a departure years ahead of time. Still though, much of what was said is difficult to refute.And I respect him for not stooping to the level of some and just saying anything without caring about whether it was true or who it would hurt. seek2find
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  Bobbi

  I want to scream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  
  Bobbi
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  OnTheWayOut

  I found CoC a real eye-opener. There were so many things I did not know. It is the
  first book by a former Governing Body member, so every JW or former JW should
  absolutely read it. The biggest thing for me was the functioning of the GB and
  the disagreements on the GB.

  I typed early on in my fade that I felt Ray Franz was a bit naive about his surprise
  that they would treat him so poorly after leaving. He saw the 1975 cover-up and
  knew so much that could expose the WTS. They had to demonize him, and he
  should have expected it. But he bounced back nicely in his attitude.

  I was surprised that he didn't write as a bitter former member. Much of my
  JWD posting is from a bitter former JW. Well, that's just me.
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  ZazuWitts

  I rhink the 'item' that impacted me most - was the fact the the GB members VOTE on proposed changes - it takes a 2/3 majority to finalize so-called changes or "new light = this fact proved to me that they certainly ARE NOT spirit-directed!' They are no different than any corporation that holds 'board meetings to determine policy and decide changes of operation.
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  flipper

  Good thoughts fellow posters on the book. Like On the Way Out, I was quite surprised by many things I read in the book. Having been raised a jdub , it was extremely eye opening.Some things I found:

  I learned that their views on things are controlled very much by what is happening in the personal lives of members of the governing body. For instance for years they had a view that missionary brothers should remain single to give full attention to their ministry . Ray Franz had to live in a house as a missionary in his 20's with a house full of single missionary sisters. Talk about the" blueballs syndrome" of living as a single brother surrounded by a house full of sisters, unmarried with no release of human desires in sight!! But miracle of miracles! New light came in the mid 1950's when the watchtowers' then president Nathan Knorr had the desire to get married, new light occured and once he got married, magically suddenly it was alright for other missionary brothers to get married too. Relief for poor Ray.

  I also learned that they were intrusive beyond belief or comprehension into their members personal lives. I had never been clear on the societies view of oral or anal sex, I always got different opinions from different elders, I guess it depended who was gettin' it or who wasn't!! That being said Ray Franz said that from 1972 to 1977 very strict unmoving views of sexual practices within the marriage were forced on members of the organization to the point that if it was found out someone was having oral or anal sex in their marriage , they could be disfellowshipped!! Boy, that opened Pandora's Box! It caused hundreds of , if not thousands of married couples to rat on each others bedroom practices, thus the society was deluged with letters from elders on how to handle these situations. So many people were unjustly disfellowshipped for things that should be kept private. Many divorces ensued and families were broken up. And over what, basically oral or no oral!! Hella stupid! Then just as mysteriously in 1977 the society changed their view again, "new light", and said it's a personal decision just don't talk about it with others in the kingdom hall. But the damage was done. Ray Franz said he and other elders felt awful about counsel that had been given affecting peoples lives, and then what do you tell them when the powers of the governing body change the view again? Woops were sorry? It's not enough.

  These are just a couple points that stood out in my mind that I learned. How did it affect me? It made me realize that that organization is no more run by " holy spirit " than my gasoline powered automobile for sure. And it firmed up in my mind all the things they teach are just their own opinions and interpretations, not truth. They no more have a handle on what real truth is than anybody else. Sealed that in my mind. So, kick in some more thoughts here ya'll, look forward to hearing from you, what else did you learn, how did it affect you? Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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  jaguarbass

  I read it back in the 80's when it first came out. It validated my feelings. I had additional human support that the organization was not right.
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  Bonnie_Clyde

  Having been part of the organization through part of the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's, Ray clarified a lot of the questions Clyde and I had. Prior to 1975, Clyde made the statement that he felt there was dissension at Bethel--because the WT was constantly going back and forth on the 1975 date--first it was definite and then they would downplay it. We found out later that our instincts were right.

  Another question I had was when the WT announced that the brothers in Mexico were now free to preach from door to door with the Bible and sing Kingdom songs, etc. I wondered why we weren't encouraged to write letters of protest to the Mexican government for suppressing religious freedom. I found out that the government hadn't put a ban on our religious freedom at all--the issue was owning property.

  Bonnie