The Society Isn't about Money. The Governing Body isn't the Illuminati. (page 3)

jayhawk1

Don't forget the private stache of food, just for special occasions.

Who was it that posted about the lobster, smoked salmon and fillet mignon?

The "organization" which is bigger than anyone has the power. The governing body and all the higher ups are parasites.sucking off it. The wealthy brothers fawning over the elite and sucking up to them with gifts and money are brown-nosers and idol worshipers and all the rank and file are drones who count for nothing except to give homage, obedience and money.

Stealth453

They do, however, have the power to make 6m people jump to their tune

And maybe, that is where their real money and power WILL come from...

under_believer

Narkissos, that's an interesting concept, where change comes from. I suppose I should have stated it "no individual can change it." As the structure itself, as you put it, feels the need to change (and I think using the word "feel" makes the analogy more complete) the change probably manifests itself as a "movement" or swelling of support for a different course.

I think that, as many people far more wise than myself have posited, the primary stimuli the Society responds to as a united organism are financial, though perhaps a sharp drop in publisher count would also prod it into action more specific than the anemic changes it's been making lately in the blood doctrine.

Gregor, don't try to minimize your comments. You came in and called the thread fluff, asked (fine) if I was a ditz, suggested I had no point. There was more than disagreement there. I hope that my riffing on your avatar wasn't too offensive. I was trying to "flame humorously." :)

Personally, I think that they are ALL caught up in the movement. Even people who are perceived as "evil", like Jaracz, are simply archetypal expressions with very little free will. Remember in 1984, even the people at the top were simply pawns of the system, and I see the Society as being very similar to that. If O'Brien himself hadn't existed, or had quit or died, somebody else exactly like him would have taken his place.

Remember when Franz wrote those damning passages of CoC about the GB and its parliamentary procedure he was fresh from the experience and possibly a bit bitter, and rightfully so.

OUTLAW, seriously? A "cherry" airplane, like it's a '69 Chevelle, or something? Do you think they cavort around in there, getting foot massages and sipping Beaujolais? Have you ever done business travel for a living? It sucks. It's exhausting, it's not a point of envy.

And yeah... the "green handshakes" are really getting those CO's rich, I always see them retiring into huge mansions, eating at $75/plate restaurants, off those "green handshake" earnings. Dude, being a CO totally sucks ass, and then those guys are discarded at the end of their usefulness as a burden to local congregations who can barely afford to rent their own trailer homes, let alone rent one for some guy and his wife in terrible health in their golden years. I can't speak to JR Brown's "cherry ride" but the fact that he couldn't buy himself a Geo Metro speaks volumes about how rich those guys are.

Seriously those benefits you just listed don't come close to making up for a lifetime of living in a Best Western double suite, eating workaday food for your entire life and trying to decide what to do to save the morally bankrupt, doctrinally questionable religion you inherited from an insane, asexual little bastard with a messiah complex.

And jayhawk1, I don't think eating lobster, smoked salmon, and fillet mignon on special occasions really qualifies as living in the lap of luxury.

Beep,Beep

"lobster, smoked salmon and fillet mignon"

I guess then the local college students are living high too! At just one meal they had all three of these. The joys of attending a private college?

Gregor

Under_B, I have no hard feelings. However if you had said something about my little blue pants...

LittleToe

~chomps on popcorn, wondering what nearly didn't happen...~

OUTLAW

Under_Believer..The plane is very nice..I don`t have one and I make more money than they do..Living in a Best Western double suite is a lot nicer than living out of a grocery cart when you make no money..J.R Brown can`t afford sh*t,but he`s still got a nice ride..They do very well for someone who generates no cash..They are using a credit card that will soon come to an end..When it all comes to an end,some will be decieding which flavour of dog food they`ll be having for dinner..For some,the credit card lasts a lifetime..Is it worth giving your life up for?..Not a chance..Your not wrong..Niether am I...OUTLAW

bigmouth

What a coool thread! And Little Toe made me Larf!

I must go back and read all the other comments now :)

Doubting Bro

Under_believer,

As a whole, I agree with your statements. I don't see anyone personally getting rich off of the WTS and don't think the cash flow is as large as some people would believe. They spend a ton of money on the machine, so despite the fact they are making a killing selling off real estate holdings, they simply reinvest those monies back. Of course, none of us will know for sure since they never disclose anything resembling real financial statements.

You point about the GB is a valid one. If they all died tomorrow, they would simply be replaced. The people in the sucession line are just as deluded as the current GB members. I really think they sincerely believe they were selected by God to do what they do. Not excusing the wacked out doctrines or their lack of humility. But, I would imagine if I thought I was hand picked by God to "lead his people", I'd probably have an issue with humility as well.

You can't kill it and neither can anybody else. Exits from the Society are personal and individual. That's the only way it happens. If the Society dies, it will be a slow senescence, a dying much like that of old age. Many people believe this process is well on its way, and maybe that will bring you hope, if you wish for such a thing, but really that's just not comforting to me, or a hollow comfort at best.

You & I share the same fatalistic view. I'm fully convienced that I'm going to either 1) have to live a lie for the rest of my life or 2) lose much of my family. It's a depressing reality. Coming to grips with the reality the WTS is not how they say they are seems to me to be a grieving process. Personally, I've moved through denial, anger, bargining and am now stuck in depression. I could be way off base, but it seems like your in that stage now.

Things will get better. It will take some time, but it will happen.

The Society Isn't about Money. The Governing Body isn't the Illuminati.