"Watchtower" vs Jehovah's Witnesses

by NotFormer 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  NotFormer

  Rattigan350, whenever someone brings up the failings of the organisation we refer to as "The Watchtower", tries to define the argument away by saying that the Watchtower is a corporate entity and has very little to do with the Kingdom Halls, the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Could someone who knows their stuff please explain if this is a false dichotomy, using the literature which is used by R&F JWs, if possible?

  It gets kind of tiresome when someone makes a point about something that the Watchtower said and Mr. Apologist comes along and tries to define away what is usually a very good point.
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  Rattigan350

  The WTBTS is a corporation that owns property and printing presses. People more than 20 years ago used to use the term "The Society" when referring to the religious authority of the Watchtower magazine, and other publications and the writers. Back in 2000 the Watchtower Society split from the Governing body and is no longer the religious authority of the religion and the people within. The Governing Body is referred to as the Faithful and Discreet slave that Jesus said to have appointed, thus the Governing Body is the spiritual overseers of the organization, not the Watchtower Society.

  Then there is the CCJW which is not so much of a property and money holder but the Corportation that is more aligned with the religious aspect of matters. That is what runs and operates and directs the congregations. In other words the CCJW is what is referred to as the Branch. The GB communicates to the congregations through the CCJW, not the Watchtower Society; although the Watchtower is still the name of the magazine that is studied on the weekend meetings.
  
  The failings of the organization is what people refer to as the doctrinal changes. I don't see how that is a failing. It is simply as it was said in the AGM, a better understanding. Not being dogmatic about specifics that were not stated in the Bible. Because sometimes an issue is looked at narrowly but later the view is expanded and looked at with a wider scope. It's like a Supreme Court will make a ruling or issued opinion and then later they will overrule it because there are different people in there and different understandings and different views.

  Those people were wicked and because they were destroyed in Sodom they are gone; but Jesus said in an metaphor they are not so bad. But then what about these ones such as an 8 year old girl who died in the flood, etc. Why does anyone care? Worry about those alive today and not the ones who died many millenia ago.

  I'm not an apologist. I'm a centerist. I think proJW is wrong and I think antiJW is wrong. So what is right is somewhere in between.
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  NotFormer

  Thanks for the clarification. Your post provides me with much useful information.

  As you say, present day events and suffering are more important than distantly historical stuff. And a lot of people here have been damaged in recent times by their trust in the GB or by those following the direction of the GB. Because the GB told them to trust them. And then changed the things that they are supposed to trust about.

  What to do about it all? For every complex problem, there is a simple solution. And it is always wrong! So discussion between many people of different backgrounds and experiences can be useful, as on here. Proverbs 11:14 "...there is success in the abundance of counsellors."
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  BoogerMan

  If the WTBTS and the CCoJW are separate entities - independent of each other - and the WT has no authority over the G.B., (as Gerrit Losch asserted to a court in the U.S.) then why does the G.B. of the CCoJW orchestrate and conduct the Annual Meeting of the WTBTS?

  Why don't the board members of the WTBTS Inc. run the annual self-praise fest???????
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  markweatherill

  In other words, any one of the individual heads of this beast can deny responsibility for anything the beast says or does.
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  Drearyweather

  Why don't the board members of the WTBTS Inc. run the annual self-praise fest???????

  The Annual Business Meeting is conducted by the board members of WTBTS of Pennsylvania Inc. (President: Robert Ciranko) and only the members of the corporation are present.

  It's the spiritual program that happens after the Annual Business Meeting which is headed by the GB members.

  For the rank and file, this spiritual program is called the Annual Meeting, which is separate from the Annual Business Meeting of the corp members.
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  TonusOH

  If I mention the society and someone asks for clarification, I might clarify. Most of the time, I assume people understand what I am referring to, but if they don't, it's no problem to explain.
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  DNCall

  In the years leading up to 2000, there were two goals that were pursued at headquarters in Brooklyn. The first was to analyze the way money was being spent with a view to more efficient spending. The second was insulating the Governing Body from legal liability. Advisors were employed to analyze and opine regarding spending practices. Corporations and orders were created to separate the organization's various departments and functions. This was thought to act as a "corporate veil" or firewall around the Governing Body. When you debate about which of the many entities within Jehovah's Witness organization you are referring to, you are doing exactly what the organization would have you do. Straining out the gnat while gulping down the camel has never been a good strategy.
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  Beth Sarim

  Rick was saying on SixSreens that the Borg may be trying to distance itself from the JWs.

  Im not really on the same line of thought or believe everything he says.

  But,,,again it could be for legal ramifications. I mean what other way would there be with the Borg?