Unrest in the Governing Body

by JWFreak 75 Replies latest jw friends

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  Mad Sweeney

  Anecdotes from a thousand websites, blogs, and post,s as well as audio/video testimonies, not to mention the published quotes from the literature bear this out.

  The published quotes in the literature, as you explained in the same post, are individual writers attempting to brown-nose and not a reflection of what is really going on. As for the anecdotes you refer to, there are many anecdotes that imply that the GB members, especially GB 2.0, merely go through the motions of their Committee headship and Wednesday morning meetings and that's about it. The old, dying, GB 1.0 members saw who their replacements were going to be and made sure they didn't have power over the corporation. Now, the corporation runs itself and in shielding the GB from legal liability as officers in the corporation, the corporation has also protected itself from the interference of the GB. The changes at the top that have happened over the last dozen years are significant, IMO.

  I haven't seen the "anecdotes from a thousand websites" that bear out the idea that the GB rules over all with an iron fist. In fact, it is difficult to find anything about the GB AT ALL on the web, at least anything that isn't a quarter of a century old, and today's corporation and religion are two (actually dozens) of separate legal entities.

  I don't think the current Watchtower Society has to do a single thing the GB says unless they want to. When obeying the GB doesn't benefit the corporation any longer, my money is on the corporation to win.
• 

  steve2

  "Blanding out" (my phrase) occurs in my organizations, religious and nonreligious, after the core policies/beliefs/doctrines have been formalized over a period of time. Thus, once an identifiable cluster of policies exist and are promoted, there is less need for attracting the 'Rutherfords', 'Knorrs' and 'Franz's'. Indeed, the organization discovers that keeping everything the same (where possible) is less disruptive on the larger body of adherents.

  Of course, the other side of the coin is a lot more stagnation and apathy among the rank and file.

  Blanding out has occurred in a few other small-scale religions that I know of; e.g., 7th-Day Adventists, Mormons and Christadelphians - but there are most likely other examples even from more Christ-centred- evangelical groups. Unlike some posters here, I do not believe that what is happening at the upper ranks of the Watchtower Society is either unique or portentous. It sounds very human-like from a sociological perspective.
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  Quendi

  Forgive me for joining the conversation so late in the day, but I only now found the link to this thread. Thank you, JWF, for creating this thread and thanks to the rest of you for your remarks.

  I think that despite the existence of the Internet which has opened a window on the Governing Body's personalities and operations, there is still much that is unknown about these men. I have never met any of them, and have no desire to, especiallhy Gerrit Loesch, for whom I have no respect at all. His talk at a European district convention a few years ago wherein he condemned those seeking higher education as being mentally ill permanently turned me against him. It is frightening to see a man like that in a position of power anywhere, let alone in control of a religion that itself is unsound.

  Governing Body 2.0 (love that moniker!) reminds me a great deal of the leadership that existed in the old Soviet Union. Their operations were carried out in a secretive manner. They were accountable to no one. They fostered a personality cult that shielded them from the consequences of their decisions and actions. In this respect, they are only following the model created by Governing Body 1.0 which operated in much the same manner.

  Some have said that this new group doesn't have men of the caliber of Fred Franz among them to do deep Bible study. I think it has to be remembered that Fred Franz was never recognized as a real Bible scholar. Neither was he respected as a true student of Biblical hermeneutics and exegesis. Looking back over the wild speculations, inconsistent teachings, and incomplete explanations he proffered in his books shows that he had only a surface knowledge of biblical languages and history. He reveled in his role as oracle and prophet, a role created for him by J.F. Rutherford and enhanced by N.H. Knorr during his long tenure at Bethel.

  The men who aided the WTS in its Bible translation work and doctrinal development were neither Governing Body members nor anointed (with the exception of Ray Franz) and this raises a question that I'm sure WTS leaders don't want to answer. If the information being created isn't from anointed Witnesses, how can the Governing Body make the claim that it speaks for the 'faithful slave' class since that class isn't producing the required "spiritual food"? It's clear to me they don't want rank-and-file Witnesses to learn about how the organization truly functions because many would see that the entire setup is a fraud and a cheat and would leave. But I also think that many Witnesses like it that way. Passing the buck to the Governing Body relieves them of the responsibility to seek the truth for themselves.

  Quendi
• 

  AllTimeJeff

  Just some thoughts I have from my experience with GB 2.0

  First off, the GB has always been Elder Body Ground Zero. Read CoC and any elder will instantly recognize that this group is the same as most elder bodies; With loud and quiet members of varying political savviness.

  Also, just a general rule of thumb that I learned for myself: It's not the elder/GB who is the loudest you have to worry about. At least you know what they think It's the one who keeps to himself that is nice to everyone, quieter in his ways, that is the really dangerous one. Thus, Morris and Loesch are not the ones you have to worry about. They don't know any better then to be loud. Having said that Morris being in charge of the Service Dept is sort of like a demented Jaracz running around.

  It seems to be the general consensus that Splane has become the most influential. I don't know if it's true, but you have to assume that the most politically astute would take that role. Splane would fit that bill.

  Loesch is not taken seriously I think, which is why he speaks out more. He will always hate american football, and it will never be banned.

  Lett is trouble. That rubber face is a facade.

  Herd is along for the ride. If I am not mistaken, he was a big fan of Jack Barr. He was along for the ride too.

  Pierce just wants to do "elder/GB" stuff. I don't think he cares as much about making policy or new prophecies as he is enforcing them.

  Geoff Jackson uses humor to mask an agenda in my opinion. With him, we will know about whatever he is up to when it happens. He and Mark Noumair were in the same congregation in Patterson, where Mark served as PO c. 2005. They were/are tight.

  There will be more GB members at some point. You can be assurred that additions to GB 2.1 will be expert @$$ kissers.
• 

  godrulz

  Who is likely to be the next president?

  Quendi: Well written, thought out post.

  I have never been a JW. What % of JWs can name all the presidents (including most middle names) of WT past/present? How many would know that Russell and Rutherford had bad, failed marriages, and that Rutherford (who set much of modern JW belief/practice) was an alcoholic and poor Bible exegete?
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  Nickolas

  godrulz, how many threads are you going to hijack? don't you get that nobody want's to read your spam?

  And when you still read it, you encourage more. I have stopped reading this poster's contributions. Period. When I see this poster's name appear in posts made by others, I stop reading those posts, too, although I will continue to read whatever else the poster will have to say, unless it consistently approaches the quality of the stuff posted by individuals like godrulz, then I will pointedly ignore them, too. If you want people like this to go away, just ignore them.
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  VM44

  "It seems to be the general consensus that Splane has become the most influential."

  That is my impression.

  That is the reason I have started a few threads requesting information about him.

  There is still not much known about his history, his personality and how he interacts with people.
• 

  jeckle

  I like quendi's comment
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  godrulz

  If I was getting involved in a new religion like controversial JWs, I would want to know something about its history and leaders. Hiding behind anonymity leads to know accountability and ability to verify integrity/credibility.

  Nick: I am not everyone's cup of tea. If you read all my posts, you would find something of value. I don't think you post much of value, but I will still read them out of courtesy and for interaction.
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  EntirelyPossible

  I agree, godrulz. Knowing what a whacko nutjob you are IS of value.