Does anyone know where Ray Franz's archives are? He seemed to have kept a good deal of material and it would be interesting to research it.
Thoughts on a WT Reformation
by Fr.RAS 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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1234
I knew both men. Ed Dunlap was my primarily school instructor when I was at Bethel from 1970-1974.
So to answer your question after your long talk/walk memory lane and after being a Jehovah's Witness for over 50 years I have your answer to ...
"Imagine what the cult would look like today had the Society worked itself out of its self-insularity by following Ray Franz vs Fred Franz in 1980/81."
It would still look like a CULT! Just a mutated one. With thousands of suicides, pedophiles and wrongful deaths that would still not have been prevented! They would still be blood guilty! Even if they did everything Ray and Ed said.
Keith Casarona
P.S. I sent you a private message.
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Vidiot
The WTS is long past any possibility of positive reform.
At this point, if they reformed, they'd arguably no longer be "Jehovah's Witnesses".
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LongHairGal
VIDIOT:
I agree with you that if the JW religion were to ‘reform’, it would no longer BE Jehovah’s Witnesses.
People talk about the JW religion ‘reforming’..I assume these ex-JWs would go back if this were to ever happen.
Well, I wish them all the best because I’m done with religion and am not interested in what the JW religion morphs into or ‘reforms’ into.
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Fr.RAS
Don't get me wrong; I have no sympathy for the WTS. Maybe it was just a thought experiment, but I could imagine a trajectory wherein Ray Franze becomes president and begins by easing the disfellowinghipping isolation which in turn permits a broadening of Witness contact with different ideas. This could grow into some pressure on doctrine and the development of "new light" on the heavenly calling being exclusive the the remnant, thus some more new light on an impending Armageddon, a heightening " appreciation" for the role of Jesus Christ maybe the acceptance of his divinity - all this would take a great deal of time and probably a few schisms along the way, but what if the WT slowly morphed into some kind of non-denominational evangelical group?
I believe something along these lines happened to the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints, now know as the Community of Christ, which is pretty much a protestant group. Of course, there is a whole series of LDS churches that came out of the Mormons. Not so much with the Witnesses.
To be CLEAR: I am not carrying water for the WT. I am a traditional Roman Catholic and believe all this is full blown heresy (no personal offense intended to anyone here). It's just an interesting thought.
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mikeflood
Let's brainstorm names for the new religion, for example:
"Christian Community of the Lord"
Hey, Kosonen, what do you think?
Guys?
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Vanderhoven7
Real reform would happen under this new name
Chrisian Congregation of Jesus Witnesses
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smiddy3
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Vidiot
Fr.RAS - "...there is a whole series of LDS churches that came out of the Mormons. Not so much with the Witnesses."
Don't kid yourself.
There's a few.
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ElderBerry
I wonder how Tony Morris departure from the governing body compares to Ray Franz?
Have their been any other members who were taken off the governing body since it’s inception?