Jeff - I believe you're correct. All the local parishes belong to a diocese. Several of the dioceses have had serious financial issues stemming from paying the child abuse settlements. A few have even filed bankruptcy (Spokane, San Diego,and Oregon just to name a few from a goggle search). BUT, however the Catholic church has it set up, its done in a way to protect the Vatican. In my opinion, I could see the WT reorganizing in a way similar to how the RCC is set up. Not being Catholic, I get the sense that the Vatican still exercises a large amount of control over the church (unlike say the Baptists that are decentralized). In many ways, I see the WT as a want-to-be RCC (pope=GB, all the layers of hierarchy, DFing - an extreme version of excommunication, confession, etc) so they really should copy their set-up if they want to protect themselves from liability.
What a New C.O. Arrangement Might Do
by metatron 15 Replies latest jw friends
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wha happened?
Right, because deep pockets attract litigation. The deep pocket could be a corporation, or an insurance policy, etc etc. Who's going to go after a circuit or a district who's bank accounts total very little? This of course ignores the obvious like maybe dealing with the pedophile issue.
The WT has attorneys working very hard to protect their client and the main thing they know is that without the possibility of a significant settlement, the bet one could hope for is petitioning some college students and a sweetheart lawyer for help. -
metatron
Ooops! All animals are equal but some are more equal than others
metatron
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Kosonen
I think the most biblical-logical would be to put the congregations in the hands of willing anointed brothers individually. And that they give their personal spiritual food to their congregation so that they can train to be kings and priests for the future. Anointed sisters could also do much good, according to Pauls exhortations.
Then the question: Who is faithful and discreet slave? will get it's real meaning. And as Jesus Christ is the head the congregation, the Governing Body would not be neaded.
Wouldn't that be sound?
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Gopher
put the congregations in the hands of willing anointed brothers individually
But...wouldn't that lead to more younger JW's "faking" being anointed in order to gain positions of responsibility??
Oh wait...they all fake their anointing. Never mind, carry on.
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willyloman
I'm probably wrong, but when I first heard about this my thought was that they were going to appoint Bethel elders to go and serve in congos all over the country to mask the "downsizing" efforts. That way, they could get rid of a whole bunch of people without making it look like they were "fired." However, as I ponder this I don't think the math adds up.