Nice article.
A pertinent question revisited: Food for Thought - Reorganization of JW's
by truthseeker 13 Replies latest jw friends
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garybuss
I was aware the Governing Body members resigned from their jobs as corporate officers, but I was NOT aware they were not serving as directors. They look like directors. There is a yearbook quote that says there are over 100 corporations under the Pennsylvania corporation. This implies the Pennsylvania corporation owns the stock of the other corporations.
Does anyone know who the directors (not to be confused with the officers) of the corporations are? And who owns the stock of the various corporations? -
ezekiel3
Amen to that.
This however did not come to pass:
Talks of having commercial printers take over the Society's operation have been heard, and the layoffs of thousands of staff members reported to be imminent.
The WTS has instead puchased modern multi-million dollar presses and installed them in every major branch around the world.
Sounds like a big gun and no bullets:
A concern among many is the lack of leadership, the Society has not published anything of significance in years.
Yes, so true. Watch the letdown for the last five years when the "new release" comes out.
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willyloman
Excellent article that distills many of my own thoughts. I used to think this would happen:
The census is that within the next few years the Jehovah's Witneses will be openly divided. Independent congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses will arise, they will be self-governing, answering ONLY to themselves.
...but now I'm not so sure (or don't care). I can see a situation where several familes get together and decide the form their own "reform" congo and, if led by enough charismatic dub elders (the guys that everyone loves to deliver the public talk) who were emotionally balanced, approachable and known liberals, it might fly. But I suspect the minute the rules were relaxed (no f.s., no time reports, no assemblies, fewer meetings, and so on), people would start drifting away and begin to enjoy a "normal life." You've noticed how many people come and go on this forum -- they get the support they need until they no longer need it, then they move on. So it would be with any "independent congregation" formed by ex-dubs. It would be more of a halfway house than a church. Not that that's a bad thing, imo.
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Dogpatch
I tend to agree with Willy. I am probably the only one on this forum who kind of did just that. After I left Bethel, I was reassigned as an elder in El Segundo, Los Angeles, and taught a bookstudy for awhile before I decided I did not want any part of the Watchtower any more. Then I wrote my letter of disassociation and sent it to the Governing Body individually, rebuking them for their childish conduct during the Franz Incident.
I was already attending a church called "Hope Chapel" even before I wrote my letter to them. I kept it quiet that I had been a JW for a year, but soon it got out because I knew "too much" about the Bible and people were curious. Soon many ex-JWs wanted to know more and meet, so I started my own study group and met in my house once a week with about 25 ex-JWs. I was also eventually licensed as a Foursquare minister. Our main pastor said to me, "Why don't you just start your own church? And we did, with about 40 people, two-thirds were ex-Witnesses. It was called Hope Chapel West Manhattan Beach and we later met in a property owner's association building.
I told the group that I would not take a slary and that I only wanted to teach for about a year, then have them choose another pastor. Three years later, after many had been "healed," they no longer needed it but they still wanted me to be their pastor (personality worship!). I told them we either get a new pastor or I quit, because it was too much work since I was already doing what I do now with Free Minds, Inc. They finally voted on dissolving, and every one went their own way, mostly to other churches. As far as I know, they are all healthy now.
There is just so many things wrong with the WT Society that people are better off without any semblance of it in their lives. My favorite essay is: http://www.freeminds.org/doctrine/rules.htm
More info on this from this page:
http://www.freeminds.org/history/watters.htm
No one needs an organization to be a Christian, or to be free.
Randy Watters
Net Soup! http://www.freeminds.org
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Valis
Randy you have email and a PM..
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metatron
I certainly wish you well with this post - but some observations about it.
First, the "reorganization" was almost purely a legal move designed to keep Governing Body
members off the witness stand in courts. Bethelites cringed at the thought of any half senile
old geezers being called on to testify. The rest of it was done to protect assets in case of
successful lawsuits - chop them up into a whole bunch of separate corporations.
As for laying off Bethelites and shutting down printing, that's already been done!
They got rid of a huge number of people and dumped much of the printing work that
was done in Brooklyn. Their unskilled, cannon fodder volunteer labor isn't such an
asset anymore. The new presses were paid for with bucks they got from selling off
real estate.
Rebellion? Independent Witness congregations? I find this unlikely .... but you
might discern a sort of drift away from the Society's authority as contributions
decline, brothers don't wana be elders, kids don't wanna be Witnesses and
everybody is faking their field service time. It'll be interesting to watch.
metatron
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orangefatcat
TruthSeeker, I read with eagerness your report. How was it that you obtained this information? I know some of it was known but some other details I was totally unaware of. I was not one to fully grasp the understanding and functions of the JWs corparation with its body of officers and directors, and the role of the GB. Now I understand it a little better.
You must have done alot of research in order to know all this. Were you a member of the Bethel or adminstrative worker of the organization?
I tend to agree the quality of literature is not the same. If we look at older books published they were beautifully bond, leather and gold embossing. And now its just paper back and doesn't have the same quality. You can sense the lack of enthusiasim that once excited JWs at conventions when the new books were released. Its as if the tower is crumbling a little at a time. Very subtle to begin with and then you start seeing the damaged workings of the Org.
Randy I would like to know how you were able to have your own church? Did you have to take any courses or did you just find a place of meeting and advertised a Bible subject and waited for followers and person interested in Bible lectures. Like the exjws who seem to joined your ranks.
I have always wanted a church or meeting hall of my own (Rented Building ) and I know I would make a good pastor or minister. I would like to teach the Bible. Do I need certain credentials? If so how do I go about getting started.?
Once again TS thanks for a great post.
Orangefatcat..
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truthseeker
Orange Fat Cat, thanks, but I can't take credit for this report.
The report is over 3 years old, written by someone from the Bible Student Ministries.
I kept it for 3 years, and decided it would be appropriate to post it here, in view of the 10th anniversary of the Generation change, and all the things that have been going on in Witness World.
Truthseeker
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vitty
I wonder how much the R&F really are unsatisfied ! We all know there are many who are having problems but thats always been the case. They just blame satan !
On the subject of the changed generation, unfortunately many older ones didnt understand it and still believe the old teaching, and the younger ones, say in their twenties dont even know about the change or significance of it since they would have only been 10 years ongoing.
If they can get away with 1975 they can get away with anything
Reform if any is a long way off in the future