Re-reading "Crisis of Conscience" again....

by ziddina 30 Replies latest watchtower scandals

  • ziddina
    ziddina

    The 'revelations' hit me even harder, the second time around....

    I purchased two copies, the version copyrighted 1983 and the version copyrighted 2004. I kept the old version [1983] and just donated the 2004 copy to my local library - with a quick warning that 'cult' members may be inclined to steal the exposé. I decided to read it again to try to visualize how a "worldly" person who is unacquainted with the JWs would view the book...

    In reading the book again, I am more forcefully struck by the blatant contradictions between the 'official' stance of the Watchtower Society and their 'behind-the-scenes' behavior...

    Chapters 3 & 4 - "Governing Body" and "Internal Upheaval and Restructure" - contain some eye-popping material... The earlier portion of Chapter 3 touches on the intrusive regulation of sexual practices between husband and wife [I'll bet any worldly person reading that would find that chilling, to say the least...], and then goes into the power struggles between Russell's followers and Rutherford's ousting of said followers during his successful bid for control.

    Very revealing... I was also struck by the fact that the WTBTS was a religion with a SINGLE MAN leading it, until the very END of Nathan Knorr's period of leadership, DESPITE the claims of the Watchtower magazine that "God's Organization" was being run by a "Governing Body" of spiritual "caretakers" for several years PRIOR to the actual existence of said "Governing Body"!!!

    As Ray Franz states, page 65 of 1983 version: "[Quote from 12/15/71 Watchtower...]: "Thus, too, even though there were no apostles of christ on hand in the nineteenth century, God's holy spirit must have been operative toward the formation of the governing body for his anoited remnant ... The facts speak for themselves. There came on the scene a body of anointed Christians who accepted and undertook the responsibilities of governing the affairs of Jehovah's dedicated, baptized, anointed people... Facts speak louder than words. The governing body is there. Thankfully Jehovah's Christian witnesses know and assert that this is no one-man religious organization, but that it has a governing body of spirit-anointed Christians..." [end quote from 12/15/71 Watchtower...]

    But, Ray Franz goes on to point out [pages 65 - 66...]: "Unfortunately the picture presented simply was not true. The facts, already presented from the Watch Tower Society's own approved publications and from statements of Directors, clearly show there was no governing body in any factual sense in the nineteenth century during Russell's presidency, none in the twentieth century during Rutherford's presidency, and there had been none in the sense described in this same Watchtower article during Knorr's presidency. It was an impressive-sounding picture presented but it was illusory, fictional. The fact is that a monarchical arrangement prevailed from the very inception of the organization... That the first president was benign, the next stern and autocratic, and the third very business-like, in no way alters the fact that each of the three presidents exercised monarchical authority..."

    And the establishment of said "Governing Body" was strongly resisted by both Nathan Knorr and Fred Franz, even AFTER President Knorr introduced a motion that the "Governing Body take over responsibility of looking after the work...and assume the responsibilities set out in the Charter of the Pennsylvania corporation..." [page 72...]

    His comments regarding the young men serving at Bethel are most telling, too... [pages 69 - 70...] "At that time anyone applying for service at headquarters ("Bethel Service") had to agree to stay a minimum of four years... When at the meal tables, I often asked the person next to me, "How long have you been here?" In the ten years I had by now spent at headquarters I had never heard one of these young men respond by saying in round figures, "About a year" or "about two years". Invariably the answer was, "One and seven", "two and five", "three and one", and so forth, always giving the year or years and the exact number of months. I could not help but think of the way men serving a prison sentence often follow a similar practice of marking off time."

    Fascinating...

    Zid rainbow dragon

  • ShirleyW
    ShirleyW

    Yeah, i already finished CoC for the 2nd time, now I'm reading Christian Freedom again you always get pick up on certain passages more during a second read, and these two books have a lot to say! Makes my blood boil even more that my mother tried to force this crap down my throat !!

  • ziddina
    ziddina

    Ah, ShirleyW, but it sounds like you didn't really "swallow" it hook, line and sinker... Zid

  • Soldier77
    Soldier77

    I picked up reading CofC again a couple nights ago, I had to put it down for a few weeks to digest what I had read. Now I'm back reading it and just finished the chapter on Intimidation (can't remember complete title) and just wow... I hope to finish it up this weekend. I also picked up "Thus Saith the Jehovah's Witnesses" from Freeminds and I have to say that is just icing on the cake. Contradictions all over the WBTS pubs.

  • ziddina
    ziddina

    "Intimidation"... Let me see, I've got the book right here... Tho this is the 1983 copyright version...

    Ah, Chapter 8, "Justification and Intimidation", starting on page 164...

    Ha ha ha ha ha!!! That's a good chapter!! All about setting false dates while claiming to be "Jehovah's mouthpiece"!!

    Good one, Soldier!!

  • Soldier77
    Soldier77

    Ahh that's it. Thanks Zid, sitting at the office racking my brain to remember Justification. lol.

    I'm back into the book again and I tell you, each page is an eye opener.

  • ShirleyW
    ShirleyW

    You're right Zid, didn't fall for any of it, even as a kid !

  • dgp
    dgp

    For all it's worth, here's the opinion of a worldly person who was never a witness and read both "Crisis of Conscience" and "In Search of Christian Freedom".

    I was surprised to learn to what extent the WT is BAD. That is just the word for it. BAD. I felt at loss for words, and all I could think of was "BAD". I felt, however, that I had just been shown the tip of the iceberg. I just couldn't see the witnesses under the same light again.

    I was also surprised to see that the WT's tricks are so similar to those used by the Communists and all repressive bodies in general. I learned a lot about other churches, as well. I also felt like I had been blindfolded my entire life.

    And then I realized that not many people would have had the balls Ray Franz did have. Sorry if anyone takes offense; I trust you guys will see that it's absolutely not meant to be an offense, but high praise.

  • dawnrdh72
    dawnrdh72

    I'm new to this site. Have been on the Freeminds site quite a lot lately. I was DF in 98 and am finally exploring other faiths. I have been considering purchasing both books. After reading all of your posts, I am definitely ordering both!

  • alice.in.wonderland
    alice.in.wonderland

    "Crisis of Conscience is a book about the struggle between loyalty to God and loyalty to one's religion."

    For startes what deity is this refering to? Does he say? Can we narrow it down to one out of five?

    1. Zeus
    2. Buddha
    3. Yahweh
    4. The triple goddess of the Wiccans.
    5. Satan

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