by cyrus 69 Replies latest jw friends
One thing I've learned since leaving the dubs; don't judge others (unless you have jury duty, or children, or a wife, or any other family, or perhaps at work with an employee or employer, or....well I don't know but judging isn't nice).
Terry, I really didn't like the tone of your posts on this thread. I know, I know, that doesn't mean much.
Ray Franz's books gave me the courage to break free from the witnesses. That is a gift I can never repay.
One thing I've learned since leaving the dubs; don't judge others (unless you have jury duty, or children, or a wife, or any other family, or perhaps at work with an employee or employer, or....well I don't know but judging isn't nice).
Terry, I really didn't like the tone of your posts on this thread. I know, I know, that doesn't mean much.
Ray Franz's books gave me the courage to break free from the witnesses. That is a gift I can never repay.
Don't you get it? Personal integrity consists of telling the truth even when others are made uncomfortable or you yourself are put in an awkward position.
My "tone" is clear. Nobody else points out these things because ONLY the good that Franz has done with his book is praised and all else ignored. I'm not judging him nor am I condemning him. I was answering a question raised under the discussion topic. I replied why I thought the "tone" of Crisis of Conscience was creepy.
Can we ever get to a point we tell things "like it is" without tip-toeing?
I'm not surprised by the tone of Ray Franz's books. Since he was a huge part of the history of Watchtower, and wrote a great deal of their articles, it would not be a shock to expect Crisis of Conscience to read much the same way.
As already mentioned, what is shocking is how Ray Franz went ahead and wrote the 607 propaganda in the Aid Book, knowing what he wrote was not supported by any scholar.
It is worth questioning whether Ray actually had a Crisis of Conscience, or if he just got caught up in the post 1975 unraveling. Then after getting the boot, he decided to write his version of what happened.
Either way, his book was a big help in getting many of us out of a bad situation. For that alone, I thank him.
For what it's worth, jayhawk1, I think he had a legitimate crisis of conscience. I just don't think it kicked in as early as I think it could have. It seems that his conscience didn't truly suffer pangs sufficient to bring him out of the organization until the inconstant nature of their dogma affected him personally.
Suddenly—at that point—all the previous may have become very important basis for the decision he eventually made; but it seems that all the evidence was there for a very long time that the organization had nothing to do with God. He had mountains of evidence that I did not have when I made my decision to leave (or join even), and he had this evidence for many years prior to leaving.
But I think that is what a crisis of conscience is all about, really; a sudden, sharp realization that forces reexamination of allegiances.
I agree that it is no surprise his writing style is similar to the WTS publications. He and his uncle are largely the ones who set the style of the writing. You could always tell the articles written by the hobbling little Greek fellow (can't recall his name right now ... Ghengis? No, but close) because the style diverged acutely from the "normal" articles.
Respectfully,
AuldSoul
How could Franz be so utterly convinced he was right before and after? The same mind saw the Truth as truth and the Truth as lie.
Didn't your mind see the same thing, Terry?
Nonsense - it is called deception. He was decieved and so were you and I. How can you attack the straw in his eye with a rafter in your own?
Jeff
But I think that is what a crisis of conscience is all about, really; a sudden, sharp realization that forces reexamination of allegiances.
Well stated AS. I call it an epiphany. I had lots of scattered data in my mind - CoC helped me 'defrag' and condense it into a realization.
Jeff
A final thought comes to me....
Believing a lie carries a responsibility with it. Nobody can force you, after all. You have to do part of the work yourself. But, living a lie is another matter; it erodes your character.
When your thinking and your living correspond you have integrity because you are whole; you are ONE with mind and body. But, once you see the dissonance clearly a choice is inevitable. You think one way and live another way--OR--you change how you are living to match how you are thinking.
Franz's character was shaped by the life he led and the people he hung around with in Brooklyn. The policy makers had a good-old-boys club mentality. Going against the boys would require a kind of character that he'd allowed to be eroded.
Franz got to the point where the facts didn't match the doctrines. He could finally see that. Strength of character would require him to assert himself at this point and excuse himself from spreading a lie into Aid to Bible Understanding. Why? Because he would be spreading a viral infection into the water supply, so to speak, that would infect others. 607 is false. Putting his hand to supporting such a lie is unthinkable when you have character and integrity. But, clearly, Franz was weak.
Confronting oneself and confronting others are part and parcel of the same purpose: to live in accord with reality. You cannot fake reality.
Franz clearly had leverage on such a confrontation. He could threaten to "Go Public" as a whistle-blower to the press and Tv if the brothers didn't sit down and work it all out without pressuring him to shut up.
As it was, even with all the rumour-mongering and whispering that began and ended at Bethel, Franz more or less left on good terms (if not "good" neutral) so that he was paid a lump sum for his years of service. If this was intended as "hush money" or not--I can't say.
What being a JW was all about when I was a young man was being consistent with the TRUTH. You had to live or die by it or else you were a compromiser who wasn't worthy. This was a kind of moral habit ingrained in me. Had I known that the very people in charge of said "Truth" were compromisers and two-faced double-dealers it would have hit me hard. I'd have had a crisis of faith. That crisis would cause me to RE-think the basis of what I was committing to in dedicating my life.
Franz short-circuited this process by not taking immediate action publicly (if private discussion and debate failed) to bring to light deliberate reckless error in JW doctrines.
If pleasing God is about living and walking in accord with truth it cannot simultaneously be about going-along with a lie. It doesn't make sense!
There is an attitude of "poor-me" in Crisis of Conscience that is unnecessary. Franz presents his story in a heroic light: many years of faithful service and sacrifice followed by a dawning awareness that all is not right and then, an unjust and unsavory downfall at the hands of the unscrupulous.
Terry - one word - Bullshit! Go spread it on the fields. You just speak a lot of words to make yourself believe you are intelligent.
Jeff
Franz clearly had leverage on such a confrontation. He could threaten to "Go Public" as a whistle-blower to the press and Tv if the brothers didn't sit down and work it all out without pressuring him to shut up.
As it was, even with all the rumour-mongering and whispering that began and ended at Bethel, Franz more or less left on good terms (if not "good" neutral) so that he was paid a lump sum for his years of service. If this was intended as "hush money" or not--I can't say.
I find it odd that you don't know that he did go public to the press and on TV. It didn't boost ratings, he didn't get invited back. Nobody cares much about JWs and their doctrines except those directly affected by JWs. You can't make a public stink about an issue that doesn't dent the public conscious. JWs and their plight doesn't dent the public conscious.
The WTS is 100% unafraid of threats regarding negative publicity. They don't care. Virtually all negative publicity increases public awareness of the religion's existence and encourages people to inquiry. For such a bright fellow you seem very narrowed in your viewpoint on this matter. Almost as though your chosen position must be maintained and argued out as valid simply because you chose it.
Really, the only publicity they outrightly dread is publicity created by ardent supporters of JW teachings who hope to spotlight the organization and religion in a favorable way. It invariably comes off like a well orchestrated attempt at black propaganda, creating anything but a favorable impression.
With each post you make on this thread you stray further and further into the speculative and it is dark speculation regarding motives and objectives of a man who does not deserve meanness, even if he does deserve some criticism. I hope you can rein it in.
Terry: But, clearly, Franz was weak.
Terry: But, living a lie is another matter; it erodes your character.
Terry: It is the tone of a victim.
Clearly, Franz was weak. His character was eroded by long years of unconsciously living a lie. He was a victim.
Do you even read what you write? Such a person is to be pitied, and praised if they are able (before they die) to overcome such and stop being victimized.
Perhaps, since you identify so closely with the man, it chafes that you were ever in a pitiable position. I can only guess. In any case, woven among your vivisecting comments comprising your various diatribes on the thread are all the reasons I am proud of Ray Franz. I am so sorry you can't see cause to feel the same way.
