by lawrence 31 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
To hell with the God-given Book Study ARRANGEMENT, screw the spiritual table of food, and end the "brotherly fellowship". The WTS lawyers dictated, "end the home book studies, minimize our liability." And so the ARRANGEMENT ended with an imprimatur by the WTS lawyers, a BOE letter, and a KM article. Screw the spiritual food, minimize the liability.
So much for The Faithless and Undiscreet Masters.
Maybe its because they even know that they are running out of bullshit to offer up the followers,
the JW engine may be running out of steam.
Hopefully the Borg will spit and sputter it's self out and then the end will come.
you quoted "end the home book studies, minimize our liability."
where did you quote that from?
I thought this same thing.
The additional benefit is the perceived elevation of urgency.
The book study has been held at people's homes for at least 50 years (probably even more than that), why would all of a sudden the liability be unacceptable to continue doing so?
The excuse that "high gas prices" lead to the dropping of the book study seemed somewhat superficial.
Whatever the real reason is one can be sure that it has to do with benefiting The Watchtower more than the individual JW.
so much debate as to why this happened. Gas prices being the culprit are as offensive as rediculous a reason I have ever heard.
To lord it over JW's for years about all those in Africa and 3rd world countries crossing jungles and traversing crocodile infested rivers to get to the book study, and then, when gas hits $4 /gallon in the US its now too "expensive" to drive to the book study????
That fabrication is a slap in the face of all JW's the world over that do more than cross the street to go to a KH !
There is no money to be saved by moving the Book Studies - so what are the quantifiable benefits to the org?
I believe this decision is a dually based on elders and litigation. However if I have to pick just one - ELDER BURN-OUT
That doesn't make any sense at all.
The WTS lawyers dictated, "end the home book studies, minimize our liability."
So, how does the fact that the recent BOE letter, explaining that Saturday meetings for service will continue to be held in private homes, fit in with your idea? Wouldn't there still be "liability issues" there?
Lawyers call a lot of shots there, but I simply don't see how they did so in this case.
So, how does the fact that the recent BOE letter, explaining that Saturday meetings for service will continue to be held in private homes, fit in with your idea? Wouldn't there still be "liability issues" there?
There are still liability issues there, to a degree. Book study night often included socialization after the meeting, which in turn provides opportunities for pedophiles to have "alone time" with children, often when the child's parents are distracted talking to other adults. Field service meetings are quick sessions with little to no opportunity for a child molester to prey on the innocent.
That being said, I have a problem believing that legal liability for child abuse was the primary motivator in doing away with the arrangement. It might not have been a consideration at all. There are ample opportunities for child molestation to occur at the KH. I'm not privy to all the details of the various lawsuits against the WTBTS, but unless there has been a recent rash of suits specifically involving congregation book studies, I'm inclined to believe that legal liability was not a big factor in bringing about the change.
I think the Legal Department has pull, but if it was going to flex it's position, Gene Smalley would have been told to limp his lame self out the door long ago.
No this is just rearranging chairs on a sinking ship.
I agree lack of Elders is a reason, but also to limit chatter.
Also to take in consideration is that Ted is probably losing some ground. The once ever so grateful appointees are craving their own influence.
I was told by my mother that it is because of the econonomy and the brothers having to work more to make ends meet. So much for Jehovah providing. The economy is bad but it has been bad before...worse even in the depression. Also, it hasn't been bad for that long, so why now. There has to be more to this story than what they are willing to tell.
