I believe if the rank and file can hear that a settlement was reached, it will resonate with them.
Will it? Like the UN membership "resonated" with them, or when the child molestations first began to be publicized? They will simply dismis these settlements as the Society's attempt to clear its name and focus on the "door-to-door" work or, and more commonly view them as lies from apostate opposers. The mind set needs to be broken before facts can sink in.
They are savvy enough to parse out the fact that NO ONE settles in the millions if they are right, or have nothing to hide.
See number one.
They may buy the concept that this current bunch is even apostate, or evil slave. After all, would Brother Franz have paid out? Or Nathan Knorr?
No, they will always believe that anything negative brought out against the WT$ is of apostate origins. I had a friend that was a faded JW, and he never believed anything that was negative about the WT$, he always attributed it to apostates. Regading Franz or Knorr, most will state that if it was for the furtherence of the preaching work they would have, and than blamed the whole thing on satan.
PUBLICITY for the settlement will help, no matter what the outcome. Just hearing that some are calling for the resignation of the body may be enough to rattle cages.
SOME cages, yes, I agree it will. Those that were already doubting will be the first affected, but the faithful R&F simply will not listen to or put any stock in any negative report about the WT$. SImple as that.
No talk of changing doctrine, or blood; just ask for their resignation due to the mishandling of the sex abuse scandal. It allows them to salvage some dignity as a fellowship, by pointing the finger at the current leaders.
The R&F believe that these men have personal hotlines to Jehovah. Why would they demand their resignation? I can already hear my father rationalizing this settlement away by saying that the GB must have recieved guidance from the holy spirit, and decided to settle in order to further the preaching work, or some such nonsensical blatherings.
To think that the R&F are going to rise up against their GB masters is the height of wishful thinking. It didn't happen in the 80s, it didn't happen in the 90s, and it won't happen now. The JWs will eventually peter-out and become an insignificant religious sect like the Christadelphians or The Worldwide Church of God in the first world. The only places that it appears the Dubs are growing is in the developing nations, and in the Spanish speaking immigrant population of the U.S.
It's a nice thought, but in reality I seriously doubt that anything like that would ever happen.
