Crisis of Conscience page 23

by Butterflyleia85 24 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Invetigator74

  "A month or so, ago, I asked Barbara Anderson, by way of email, a question about the Bethel libraries, in particular, the one(s) to which the writers had access. I had hoped, based on her experience and perspective, she would jump in on one of our threads where the library topic had been raised.Well, she emailed me an answer about those libraries which I thought to be very interesting. I asked her permission to share it all of with you, which she granted. " Len Miller April 24th 2008

  "To the best of my knowledge, every Watch Tower Society publication could be found in the Writing Department's library. In addition, there were hundreds of books not published by the Society.There were Bible commentaries galore, and shelves upon shelves of old and new books on religion, Bible history, and archeology. There were also books about current events."

  Barbara Anderson
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  Terry

  Take a step back and look at the evolution of the Watchtower organization.

  It is built on a foundation of one charismatic leader who was influenced by Adventist end-times charts, timetables, predictions and crackpot Pyramidology "proofs".

  That is the FOUNDATION BEDROCK of everything else that was placed on top of it.

  Crackpot religion has always been around. It is, was and always shall be a REACTIONARY movement.

  Disaffected misfits split from a main group and begin a New Society.

  Hippies, Flower Children, New Age communes all sprang from a reactionary impulse during the Viet Nam war.

  Protestantism was a reactionary impulse bursting into history because of disaffection with the Catholic church policies.

  Christianity itself split from Judaism when the Romans destroyed the physical center of worship in Jerusalem and the presiding Priests fled for their safety.

  Having said all the above I now say this:

  Legitimacy has never been a necessary thing for Jehovah's Witnesses because they have INVENTED a workaround: authority AS mouthpiece.

  Maria Russell provided this maguffin.

  THE FAITHFUL and DISCREET SLAVE nonsense.

  Scholarship has always been a ruse.

  As long as they pretend to be serious scholars they can decorate their fantasy with Elvis impersonator style authenticity.

  They remain, however, nay-sayers, misfits, crackpots, Authoritarian dictators squeezing their flocks into submission by rituals of phony power.

  There never has been a Witness intelligencia, scholar or impetus for investigative realism. It would destroy the illusion.

  Terry
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  Butterflyleia85

  It is built on a foundation of one charismatic leader who was influenced by Adventist end-times charts, timetables, predictions and crackpot Pyramidology "proofs".

  See and I remember these books brought into the hall and me and my best friend opened one of the books and she said look see what JWs use to believe. It had a Pyramid with weird symbols all over them. I never gave it a second thought... I just laughed and said that's crazy so happy we didn't live back then because we have brighter light now. It just incouraged me that we are closer to the end.

  I just was unaware of all the behind the scenes and connected the dots... I basicly left it up to the "Faith and Discreet Slave" (aka imperfect humans) to do all my research for me and connecting the dots for me, looking into ONLY the Watchtower Library for information & staying away from other sources to "protect" my way of thinking. But is this smart (blind leading the blind and especially on that gives history of false promises)? Yes I believe their intentions are good but sadly there are signs of man leading man to his injury.

  I think about what a good friend told me that he also mentions in his book "Truth or Consquences":

  "I used to feel much like Dorothy, as she searched for the Wizard of Oz . I thought that the Wizard held all the answers for me to find my way home. I thought that a handful of men, called the Governing Body, was that Wizard who would help me reach my destiny. The flashing lights that came from behind the curtain mesmerized me. I was fearful of speaking back to the authoritative voice that seemed to come from God. How disappointed Dorothy must have felt when the curtain was pulled back to expose a little old man with his hands on a control panel. This may well express my disappointment when I realized that the Governing Body was no better than the Wizard of Oz. "

  "To the best of my knowledge, every Watch Tower Society publication could be found in the Writing Department's library. In addition, there were hundreds of books not published by the Society.There were Bible commentaries galore, and shelves upon shelves of old and new books on religion, Bible history, and archeology. There were also books about current events."

  Barbara Anderson thank you for your comment!
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  Cadellin

  Butterfly--I made the comment I did (a few days ago) because of all the layoffs at the Brooklyn Bethel, which were primarily ones in their mid thirties to late forties, who had been there for 20 years or so (or less). Why would they be let go? Generally, that's the most productive time in worker's life. Yet Bethel is still bringing in young ones. What's the biggest diff? Health care costs. There's a reason why, when you turn 40, your health insurance premium jumps (a lot, in many cases). You're at the point where you start needing more health care and more serious kinds of care. Bethel self-insures, which means when a 50 year old needs a cancer operation, Bethel pays out of its own pocket. They don't like to do that.

  Admittedly, I have no hard evidence; this is just an observation. But I do know firsthand of a family member (that is, of my family)who was given his walking papers after serious health issues arose, and another one who was diagnosed with a life threatening illness immediately after being let go (after being there 20+ years). He was given some financial help by the Society (but not enough to handle the magnitude of the treatment he needed) and then "strongly encouraged" to go on Medicaid.
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  Slayerbard

  there is a brother in my old congregation that when they THOUGHT he has a cronic fatigue..they kicked him out. He is fine now. but yeah they do this, any sign of illness or issues out ya go! It's sad cause your pretty much destitute. unless you have a well off family or are in a rich congregation you really have no real skills to do anything.