Leo Greenlees Governing Body member Leo K. Greenlees was forced to resign and leave Bethel in late 1984. He entered the Toronto, Canada Bethel in 1936, eventually becoming treasurer of the Canadian branch and of the IBSA of Canada. In 1964 he went to Brooklyn Bethel, and in 1965 was elected as a director of the Society's New York corporation. As a director Greenlees automatically became a "governing body" member when that body was formally instituted in 1971. He often spoke at Gilead graduations, and was the concluding speaker for the day at the Watchtower Centennial business meeting at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 6, 1984. A 1982 Watchtower mentions him as being on the Teaching Committee of the Governing Body. Greenlees' last mention in Watchtower publications is in the December 1, 1984 Watchtower where he is said to have passed out diplomas at the September Gilead graduation. In late 1984, Greenlees was allegedly convicted by the rest of the Governing Body of molesting a ten year old boy. The boy's parents had complained to the Society and it took action. Greenlees was a friend of the family and often visited them. After leaving Bethel Greenlees served as a Special Pioneer and eventually an elder in the "Downtown" congregation in New Orleans, Louisiana. He died in the late 1980s. Interestingly, the boy who Greenlees molested applied for Bethel service a few years later, around 1991, and was rejected. Watchtower leaders apparently feared that other Bethelites would tell him the 'rumors' about Greenlees, not knowing that he was Greenlees' victim, and cause the young man to know that justice had not been done. Ewart Chitty Governing Body member Ewart Chitty (born ca. 1898) resigned his position in 1979. He entered the London Bethel in 1921, began to work in "the office", and by 1938 held some sort of official position, as two 1938 Watchtowers have him reporting to J. F. Rutherford on the attendance of Bethel family members at the "family" study. By 1942 Chitty was the secretary of the International Bible Students Association (IBSA; the Society's British equivalent of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.). Somewhere along the line he was appointed as secretary-treasurer of the IBSA, which position he held until his appointment to the Governing Body in November 1974. After his 1979 resignation from the GB, Chitty remained in Brooklyn working in Writing Correspondence, so he was certainly in good standing. A 1981 Awake! article has Chitty making comments about people having lost their love of neighbour and God. Apparently by this time Chitty was drinking heavily, according to close acquaintances. Likely this contributed to his being dismissed from Brooklyn and reassigned to the London Bethel a few years later. There he worked at an assignment of little responsibility, but was appointed an elder in a local congregation. Chitty died about 1993. As to Chitty's alleged homosexuality, he certainly made some remarks in his 1963 life story in The Watchtower that leaned in this direction. By then he had roomed with the same man for 30 years . When in Brooklyn, Chitty seems to have preferred younger men as roommates. The actual charge brought to the GB against Chitty was made by a former roommate and involved some sort of inappropriate conduct. The GB concluded that Chitty had homosexual tendencies, whatever that means, and asked him to resign. Chitty could hardly do anything but comply with the rest of the GB's wishes, since his only alternative would have been to leave Bethel at age 81 and after being there for 58 years. It may well be that the GB didn't view Chitty as guilty of homosexual activity, since he remained a Bethel member in Brooklyn or London, but it may also be that they made a deal: Chitty would remain quiet about where "the dead bodies" were buried as long as the Society cared for him in his old age.
GB Members Greenlees and Chitty
by Greenlees_or_Chitty 10 Replies latest watchtower scandals
-
-
tetrapod.sapien
uh, welcome to the board greenlees,
i hope you stick around and tell us a little about yourself.
tetra
-
Leolaia
I have a talk by Greenlees I taped in 1983, for what it's worth.
-
OnTheWayOut
When I turned in my elder resignation letter, it stated that I did not
"know" the Governing Body, and I found it difficult to promote their
doctrines anymore, unless I learned more about them. I stated that
the literature really had scant information about these men. When
asked "What do you mean?" I said with a straight face (having read the
non-Watchtower material, but not admitting it) "I noticed that three
men had stopped serving on the Governing Body, but had not died. I
said one was Leo Greenlees and another was named Chitty- neither one
had anything written about their death or resignation, yet they were no
longer on the GB, and the other was Ray Franz- him, they said
resigned. This is some of the stuff I need to know, if these men are the
anointed of God, his spirit is directing them- what circumstances cause
some of them to quit or leave?"The two elders recognized the Franz name and tried not to let on that I
was treading dangerous waters. It was kind of fun asking in ignorance
about the forbidden subjects.Welcome aboard. Tell us something about you.
-
deeskis
Welcome G/C
There have been lots of posts on this subject already, but nothing concrete on it. In fact Ray Franz spoke warmly of Greenlees in COC.
If you've got anything new to add to the picture many would be interested.
-
MeneMene
www.freeminds.org/bethel/homosexuality_bethel.htm - Just stumbled across this on Freeminds
-
moshe
When I turned in my elder resignation letter, it stated that I did not
"know" the Governing Body, and I found it difficult to promote their
doctrines anymore, unless I learned more about them. I stated that
the literature really had scant information about these men.Good point, Onthe wayout- next time I talk to an elder type I will see how much they know about their GB ,too
-
greendawn
Welcome. The JWs after accusing so much other religions of having homosexuals in their high ranks, found out that they had the same in their own GB. Conclusion, there is corruption everywhere and the dubs are no exception. But surely the average JW member is not aware of what transpired in the 1980's because unlike what happens to the R&F the two GB members were quietly moved to other parts of the org and were never expelled.
-
Madame Quixote
Welcome GorC. An interesting post. Are you new here? Is there a personal connection to these men? I am sorry if you have been damaged in any way by the JW organization. Most of us have been; you're in good co. Hope you share more.
-
TheOldHippie
"I said one was Leo Greenlees and another was named Chitty- neither one had anything written about their death or resignation, yet they were no longer on the GB,"
Actually, Chitty's resignation is stated in the Yearbook, where it is stated that since Chitty resigned last year, there are now so and so many members. Check the CD. Likewise, the KM80/06 states Franz is no longer a GB member. Greenlees' departure is unmentioned, though.