Interesting post, thanks!
What role (witting or unwitting) did HAYDEN C. COVINGTON play in the Watchtower DF policy flip-flop?
by Terry 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
joe134cd
I'm not so sure about blaming Knor on the stance against higher education. I remember reading a statement made by C Russell that went to the effect of "there is no need to pursue higher education because the system was so near it's end. Time would be better spent advertising the kingdom". For the life of me I can't find the article. But the stance on higher education was well in place before Rutherford or Covington arrived on the scene. BTW as a side point this is the 1st time I've heard of this guy (Covington).
-
joe134cd
I'm not so sure about blaming Knor on the stance against higher education. I remember reading a statement made by C Russell that went to the effect of "there is no need to pursue higher education because the system was so near it's end. Time would be better spent advertising the kingdom". For the life of me I can't find the article. But the stance on higher education was well in place before Rutherford or Covington arrived on the scene. BTW as a side point this is the 1st time I've heard of this guy (Covington).
-
Old Goat
Such an interesting topic. There was a prior disfellowshipping arrangement. It was seldom used because it was, if anything, even worse then the post 1953 procedure. The original method of addressing “deportment” issues was a public trial before the congregation. When I was a new Witness, some congregations were still doing this. The small congregation with which I associated briefly in 1949 tried a man for homosexuality and pederasty, exposing his faults to the entire congregation.
However, by that time a different procedure was in place. It was poorly defined. Organization Instructions (first published in 1939, if I recall correctly.) Said that the responsible brothers were to speak privately with those not behaving as a Christian should. If the “mature ones or elders should decide what shall be done with such person.”
They did not call it disfellowshpping. But the effect was the same. If they servants wrote to the Society, they were to furnish the accused brother with a copy of the letter.
Post-war behavior standards were lax. In the same period, the Watchtower put more emphasis on behavior. The 1950s modifications were meant to increase diligence and to diminish the role of the service department. Poor behavior on the part of appointed servants was part of this. As an example, the Company Servant at Salinas, California, ran off with a fifteen year old girl.
-
whathappened
I am amazed at how the deeper we look into the Watchtower organisation, the worse it gets.
-
Terry
At least a public "trial" is face to face and the people who think they are offended don't hide behind a curtain of elder bullying.
You get things out into the open and lance the boil.
Any group is going to have controversy and clash--how the group handles all that is the measure of it.
JW's take a cowardly way out, imho.
If more emphasis were placed on who really has the problem--and--solving that problem, it would be repair and restore unstead of punish.
-
Finkelstein
The DF policy the WTS uses is really not surprising in its formation and use when one takes into account the very
doctrines to which this religious organization (publishing house) had built itself upon.
.
Since this organization was built upon lies and misinformation involving bible theology, as a protecting endeavor to maintain
the acquired power and control, firing, muzzling, DFing or excommunicating was directly necessary.
The very thing C Russell admonished other religions of Christendom of doing.
-
Vidiot
whathappened - "I am amazed at how the deeper we look into the Watchtower organisation, the worse it gets."
I remember that realization.
It ain't pretty, that's for damn sure.
-
Terry
My memories now are mixed. I separate the "friend" memories from the doctrine memories.
Doctrine SUCKED.