RF and GG (page 2)

Room 215

The interesting thing about Galileo is that he remained a devout Catholic despite his discoveries and subsequent treatment by the church. He was content to state the facts and let it lie there, convinced that the truth would one day prevail and in some way become reconciled with faith. His lilegitimate daughter, Maria Celeste, was a nun and maintained a fascinating -- and very moving -- correspondence with her father through it all, eventually sharing a grave with her father in the Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence. I highly recommend the book "Galileo's Daughter" to any interested in the man and his travails.

fadinfast

Farkel, Regarding a title, all you need to put it under is: Another Farkel Gem/ Unearthed treasure. For those who Love your writings thats all that is needed, others will look out of interest/curiosity. Fascinating work please, honour us with more. FF

whereami

Well said Farkel, bravo.

Scott77

	The Watchtower Printing Corporation has produced millions and millions of pages of print ridiculing the Catholic Church and its history for its old and new erroneous beliefs, and used that ridicule to contrast themselves and their "pure worship" with that of the Catholic Church.
	Farkel

As a Catholic, this is one of the issue that continues to bother me to this day. I recall many of the WTS teachings that demeaned that of the Church's. What amaze me is the way their publications are trickly esigned in such a way, that a reader is finally able to be persuaded to believe all their craps at the expense one's rational, and critical thinking abilities. In the end,one is eventually indoctrinated too much and is not able to fight back without reprisal. Sometimes, its too late, the whole family is in.

Scott77

How about the tittle: 'The Watchtower and The Roman Catholic Church,An Interesting Contrasts' ???????????

Scott77

Mad Sweeney

I recall the Church of God, the one Garner Ted Armstrong founded . I recall them admitting they were wrong in print and apologizing to any they had led astray from the Bible.

Just for clarification, the Worldwide Church of God was founded by Herbert Armstrong. He passed away (1980s maybe?) and not too long thereafter the board/body/whatever who ran the church after his death had a collective crisis of conscience, repudiated the false Armstrong doctrines, apologized in print and in a documentary film (it was on youtube - maybe still is), and changed the church into a normal mainstream Christian religion. Today they are called Grace Communion International and have just over half the number of members the WWCG had at their peak, which was around the time Armstrong died.

Garner Ted Armstrong (Herbert's son) was disfellowshipped from the WWCG in the late 1970s and tried his hand at establishing churches of his own with varying degrees of success for the rest of his life. He passed in the early 2000s.

There are numerous splinter groups of the WWCG. Some are just as wacky and cultlike as the WWCG was under Herbert Armstrong. Others are less so.

Band on the Run

The Roman Catholic Church was unfairly picked for scorn. When I went door to door, most mainstream Protestant knew their Bible. Catholics were clueless. With Vatican II, some of that has changed.

Truth has little to do with big issue of authority. Someone remarked that the main difference between Catholics and Protestants was not doctrinal but one of power. Who has the power to interpret scripture? They are so Catholic, their viewpoint, and fail to realize it.

I haven't been active since the days of Knorr and Franz, men much older than I was. May I ask what types comprise the Governing Body? How are people selected? Is it only male? Are they members of the remnant? Is there some investiture ceremony? How does one go from Bethel trash collector to calculator of Bible prophecies? Are they college-educated? Born-ins or out? Do they govern by consensus or majority?

My family was active since Russell's days. My father was a bodyguard to Knorr and Rutherford. They were cults of personality. I majored in political science and this authority issue is fascinating. What is their explanation for the necessity of the WTBTS? God's Word isn't good enough? It strikes me as a numskull (sp) idea to let some other people read your Bible.

I can't see an antiWitness movement taking place in this country because of our religious liberties. An anti-cult campaign would reach the same target.

Admittedly, I've posed many questions. Is there a site to find out the info quickly? I suppose I could read their explanation. Bethel was so secretive, though. I wonder if that is not the allure for some people. Witnesses are almost orgasmic when they hear my pedigree before I tell them I'm calling the police unless they tell me which one of my fellow tenants buzzed them in. My family saw itself as more distinguished or a better quality than the ordinary Witness.

Bigger question: Why am I still addicted to finding out the inner workings after all these years. Living well is the best revenge.

Mad Sweeney

May I ask what types comprise the Governing Body? How are people selected? Is it only male? Are they members of the remnant? Is there some investiture ceremony? How does one go from Bethel trash collector to calculator of Bible prophecies? Are they college-educated? Born-ins or out? Do they govern by consensus or majority?

Most of the information you seek is in the book Crisis of Conscience by the late Raymond Franz. He was a Governing Body member who was forced out in 1980 because he would not compromise his conscience for the sake of conformity to the WT over the Bible.

But in summary, they are all male, they are all long-time butt-kissers of the current GB members, they are all supposed to be partakers of the wine and bread, they are chosen by the current GB members, they are unlikely to be college-educated or to have ever worked a full-time secular job, they govern by a 2/3 majority vote.

Violia

Mad ,

Thank you for the clarification on the WWCG. I did respect them for what they did. That took some courage. Thanks again for getting it accurate.

Farkel

fadinfast,

: Farkel, Regarding a title, all you need to put it under is: Another Farkel Gem/ Unearthed treasure. For those who Love your writings thats all that is needed, others will look out of interest/curiosity. Fascinating work please, honour us with more

Thank you, but the plain truth is there were less than 500 views on this piece. That's a far cry from 52,000 views on one of my other topics. Other posters can get ten times that number by asking people about their cats grooming habits. A topic on "farts" will also get the same responses that blow my drivel right out of the water with current viewers and participants on this site. Times change. And dinosaurs fade off. At least the ones who know their glory days are over do.

I don't care to "promote" my stuff so much any more and if I did, my stuff is not worth promoting because it would only be important to me, and it should not be about me. Good stuff doesn't need its author to keep promoting it. If it is worth promoting, others will do it. If it isn't, no one will do it.

And that is it about that.

Farkel

RF and GG

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