Zone overseer visit in middle Europe Lösch GB member talk

by inbetween 15 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  inbetween

  Thousands of witnesses carried by car or mostly busses joined the great worship of the GB, oh sorry Jehovah.

  Here is a short summary of the talk given by Lösch: (my thoughts in brackets)

  1) The beginning was mostly about closing branches, Kingdom halls etc, but all a proof of Gods spirit of course.

  then some experiences, you find in a yearbook type as well,

  2) obey the slave, even if you dont fully understand, he compared it with a child trusting their parents (quit condescending, sheeple are like dumb children, Mama org will think for them)

  3) shocking: while he talked a lot about the world wide unity, he compared this feature of JW with Hitler, qouting "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer".(=one people, one empire, one leader)

  (this really upset even some of the brothers, I dont know what rid him to say something like that. Its a big no-no here. If the media hears it, it might easily result in a bad press. On the other hand, the media in general does not care much about this event anyway)

  4) interesting: He mentioned, that besides preaching, good, charitable works towards neighbours are equally important.

  (Is this a new stance towards charitable works ? Before, the org always looked down upon other religions for their charity, while not going door to door, now its even considered equal and Christian ?)

  All in all, he is a boring speaker, and said nothing special, sure the high expectations of the brothers were disappointed. I could tell, not because the witnesses complained afterwards (except the Hitler qoute), but nobody really was enthusiastic afterwards. On the way home and in the next meeting was just business as usual.
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  wobble

  Could you not get the "Hitler" quote to the press ??

  The charity thing I see as something they will push, they need to be able to prove they at least do something for the wider community, or they are in danger of losing all that tax money they get back, at least here in the U.K they are in danger, there is a move to investigate the many charities to see exactly what they do.

  Of course this will not involve the WT in using any of its money, just charitable work done by the ordinary JW at his or her expense, so the WT can keep their charitable status, and trouser the Tax rebates..
• 

  teel

  When I visited the local branch, the "brother" who showed us around showed us a big panel with the country, with green LEDs showing current KHs, and red LEDs showing KHs being built. He told us that there are KHs being open all the time - and as long as Jehovah guides us, there will never be any KH closed. I hope that sentence has stuck with him, and remembers it as he has to take out a few of the green LEDs from the map.
• 

  freetosee

  lol.. hope he is the one who has to change the bolbs!

  3) shocking: while he talked a lot about the world wide unity, he compared this feature of JW with Hitler, qouting "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer".(=one people, one empire, one leader)

  I would like to hear the exact quote in context. Because that is a sensitive subject, especially here in Germany. Even more so coming from a German.
  Where was his talk held? I believe its Germany, since he gave it in German, right?
  Depending on what he really said, it can cause bad press. On the other hand, the wt can use it as another opportunity to emphasise how jws got persecuted by the nazis.
  Is it possible to get a recording?
  
  fts
• 

  inbetween

  To my knowlegde , he gave the talk in Germany and in Austria.

  I will try to get a recording. What I remember, in the context, of course, he did not praise the Nazis, but he kind of used this example, not directly what we should imitate, but like its a unity the Nazis desired, but we as wintesses actually have. something like that.

  IMHO it was quit stupid to use such a comparison especially in German speaking areas, were it is indeed a sensitive subject.

  However, to be fair, the rest in his talk was of course, how unbias witnesses are towards other nationalities or other ethnic groups.
• 

  slimboyfat

  My wife was at this special talk in Vienna last week. She says Lösch talked about all the branches that are closing especially in Europe and Latin America. He trotted out the old line that this frees up more brothers to concentrate on preaching in the field. My mother in law tried to talk to Lösch during the break but could not get a hold of him (she knew him well in the 1970s when he was a travelling overseer and she and my father in law were special pioneers) but she did speak to his wife who she also knew. Lösch's wife told my mother in law that her major job in bethel is answering correspondance which I thought was interesting. Is that the assignment GB member's wives usually get? If so they probably get to read an awful lot of disgruntled messages.
• 

  DagothUr

  Maybe he intends to break the GB and to take all the European branches for himself. This would certainly suit his style. I'm kidding, but let's not forget that this is the shock member of the GB, the inquisitor, the witch-hunter.
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  Room 215

  A direct reference to Hitler, in German, in a German-speaking country? So much for the "discreet" component of "Faithful and Discreet!" Is he nuts?
• 

  Broken Promises

  Is he nuts?

  Either that, or seriously out of touch with reality.
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  slimboyfat

  Strangely my wife never mentioned the Nazi reference. No doubt my wife's grandmother has the whole thing on tape so I could listen to find it I suppose.

  There are still some very old Witnesses in Austria who are comfortable with talking about "corpse like obedience" (Kadavergehorsam) to the organisation.