Is the society corrupt or mistaken?

sleepy

So what do you all think , is the organistaion of jehovahs witnesses flawed due to corruption or just mistaken belief systems?
I was thinking it could be a bit of both .
Perhaps some people know what they are doing and others cant see the errors of there ways .
I though that maybee the governing body , DO's , CO's and elders are usally just following what they belive to be true.
But who is the society that is behind it all , who is it really run by .
Each year when the members of the society hold their annual who attends and why. Is this metting all about finances or are other things discussed?
If the society is making vast amounts of money were is it going who benifits?
Or perhaps the corruption was all in the past with people like Rutherford and those still alive today who run the organisation were taken in by him and refuse to admit they were wrong.

Frenchy

Good question. JT and others who have been to Bethel could shed more light on this. CO's and DO's and elders are as much victims as the average publisher. I can't help but feel that to a large extent, the GB is going under the presumption that they are correct and on a mission from God. That is what really makes them dangerous.

When you begin believing your own propaganda...you're really out there!

-Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it-

Pathofthorns

The leadership is at the very least, arrogant. To have made so many errors painful to the lives of so many in the devoted membership and to not acknowlege any responsibility is just plain rude.

To pass off such errors onto the membership, as they often have done, is even worse.

Their arrogance is further shown in their resistance to suggestions. Change comes painfully slow and it has to go through so much red tape, that it is any wonder it even occurs at all.

These men are so old, living so in the past with all of it's crazy wacko thinking, that I think people are just waiting for them to die off so that the men in waiting can clean up so many ridiculous policies and save something of this sinking ship.

Path

COMF

I think the most important thing to note about your question is not the answer, but the necessity of asking. Whether they are corrupt or merely mistaken, the fact remains that they are wrong.

COMF

betweenworlds

They are very often mistaken, and have never had the courage to admit that they were wrong, but instead blame their followers for believing them when they are wrong, but yet they tell their believers that they have to believe everything they say OR ELSE. Hows that for messing with peoples heads. I think I just got a headache (rubbing temples)

BW

"The important thing is to not stop questioning" Albert Einstein

patio34

I think Shakespeare's line may apply to the whole ball of wax: Oh what a web we weave when we first practice to deceive.

All religion starts with the same premise: a man or men who claim to be personally led by God (which doesn't harm). But THEN they start telling everyone who will listen, what they should/shouldn't do. That's where the power, etc. enter.

So, it could be a little of each (mistake or corruption) in every religion. Or start out as one and lead to the other.

But, another maxim may apply: Power corrupts. Religious 'leaders'(tho the WT denies they are leaders because of the statement by Jesus) have real power over the r&f--in ANY religion.

Pat

jst2laws

Hi sleepy,
Surely there are some there who know they are pushing bunk. But by far I believe most, as we did, are dismissing the evidence daily so as to hang on to the concept, to protect the entire belief system. I believe Carl and Ray used phrases such as: "victims of victims", "followers of followers". Those at the top who know the truth but still keep pushing the system are pond scum, but a minority.
Jst2laws

sleepy

COMF

not sure what you ment , but I think personaly it's a very important issue.
For starters its helps us to identify were we personaly went wrong.
Were we missled or was our way of reasoning wrong?
For a long time I dissagreed with certain ideas , but thought perhaps the society wasn't aware of the evidence for conflicting viewpoints and when presented to them they would maybee change.
I now feel this is not the case and they are pretty much aware of evidence against there ideas.
I just wish I could understand why they think and act the way they do.

Pubsinger

The conclusion that I have reached in virtually every area of my study of JWs is that all the evidence shows that they clearly are not the "Exclusive Channel of God " that they claim to be.

Whether it be doctrinal, historical, policy related or the behaviour of certain members ie paedofiles, there are errors, mistakes, skeletons in cupboards etc.

To me this proves that the Watchtower is just like any other religion.
Some of it's adherents are Christian, some are not. Fortunately God judges us all as individuals and not because of the "badge" we wear.

If we aren't saved on an organisational basis then we cannot be condemned organisationally either.

If a JW is worshipping in spirit and truth, I believe that they are acceptable to God. The same would apply to persons of other denominations.

COMF

sleepy,

For starters its helps us to identify were we personaly went wrong. Were we missled or was our way of reasoning wrong?

I can identify with your desire to understand why they think and act as they do. I went through a period of time where I tried to do the same thing, and if it helps you at the moment, then I encourage you to keep considering this line of thought.

My point was that what we do now, how we react to the knowledge that we've been on the wrong path, and the course our lives take from this point onward should not be determined by the motives of those men. Rather, we can accept the reality: there is no guidance for us there, and in view of the harm being done to many whether deliberately or through ignorance, it is wisest to separate ourselves from that lifestyle and their influence.

COMF

Is the society corrupt or mistaken?

-Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it-

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