What's up with the Governing Body?

godsgurl

My dad was raised a JW and though he isn't a JW (because he hasn't passed all of their tests) he insists on "converting" me. We constantly debate over my beliefs and his beliefs. The JW have so many strange beliefs in blows my mind. What I want to know is what is the purpose of having a Governing Body? There is no mention in the Bible of a Governing Body. The bible mentions pastors, elders, teachers,etc but no mention of a Governing Body.

Gopher

Welcome to the forum!

The JW's compare their Governing Body to the council of elders at Jerusalem that made decisions for Christians, for example the circumcision controversy. You would be correct in saying the term 'governing body' is not in the Bible.

The Watchtower Governing Body helps oversee the organization, and spends a lot of time deciding what is and isn't a disfellowshipping offense. The overall organization of the WTS is that of a publishing and real-estate-holding firm. They have an enormous amount of value in their properties and in stocks. It's a publishing firm that masquerades as a religion, and its members who go door-to-door are its free labor.

Please do stay around here and feel free to pose your questions. Many of us were JW's for a long time.

jwfacts

Welcome to the board. It would be great to find out more about your history.

The information at http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/organization.htm and http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/slave.htm may help with information on the Governing Body and whether and organization and Slave are necessary.

A couple of important points - There was no Governing Body. At Acts 15, when determining the circumcision issue there was a large group that included the Apostles and older men all gathered together. “ they arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and older men in Jerusalem regarding this dispute.” (Acts 15:2)

In the case of the claim that the Slave Class has existed for the last 2000 years - who was it? Who was it prior to Russell? Russell made a totally new religion by piecing together the beliefs of a whole host of other religions. Then in the late 1920's, Rutherford overturned a large portion of it.

The whole idea of a group of leaders that can not be questioned is a common technique used by cults and high control religions. (see http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/mindcontrol.htm)

Cellist

Welcome to the board.

Cellist

godsgurl

Thanks everyone! I ask my dad lots of good questions about the JW and most of the time he refuses to answer them or will change the subject and start talking about something else. I was amazed that most JW don't know any of the Governing Body members personally. I mean if they are comparing themselves to a group in the bible then why is there such secret. In the bible we clearly know the apostles and those that were overseers; they fellowshiped with the people. They were not hidden or untouchable. Early Christians were able to see the Holy Spirit at work in them. How can the JW see the Holy Spirit at work in members of the Governing Body? They probably rarely see them or know anything about them but they are suppose to just take their word that they are led by the Holy Spirit.

OnTheWayOut

I will give the radical, but true answer.

The Jehovah's Witnesses are a mind-control cult. Most cults have or had a charismatic leader.
Charles Russel was the first person to be that leader. Joseph Rutherford was second. After them,
the next president of the Watchtower, Nathan Knorr, wasn't much of a charismatic person, but was very
effective at making the religion grow. He left too much of the writing of doctrine to others, primarily
Fred Franz (who would be president after Knorr).

The Watchtower has a Board of Directors. After all, no matter how much of a cult it is, it is first and
foremost a printing company that makes a profit on the free labor of the members selling literature.
While Fred Franz was writing doctrine and enjoying the limelight, his prophecies went awefully far, and
the Board of Directors managed to get more control over what could and couldn't be said in print. They
became the Governing Body.

Since establishing a Governing Body, the corporation has separated many business aspects and leaves
the doctrine up to the men on that Governing Body, but runs the corporation with it's own officers. That
protects the corporation from lawsuits. The men who make the doctrine don't run the company. The
company makes the money, but doesn't harm anyone with doctrinal decisions.

oompa

it is first and
foremost a printing company that makes a profit on the free labor of the members selling literature.

Not sure if this is still correct. At one time there were very low prices for literature, but I thought it was all distributed for free now? Donations are kind of asked for, but are there any countries that still charge a nominal fee?.........either way, I do not think this has ever been a money maker for WT even with free labor........oompa

OnTheWayOut

My dear Oompa, while we stray off target, the literature sales was everything up into the
1980's. They had free laborors build a taxfree empire, then had unpaid salemen carrying
the literature door-to-door. They only gave it up as they might have had to pay taxes on
the sales. That's when they switched to donations only.

They are not losing money on it yet. It just isn't the cash-cow they thought it would be.
The labor is still virtually free. The purchase of paper and ink, computers, equipment is taxfree.
The product is still taken to the costumers without paying the salesmen. The salesmen are
expected to contribute their own hard-earned dollars or rubles to cover the sale if the
customer doesn't pay for it.

How much do you suppose they spend to make a magazine? A book? I have seen some
thick Consumer Reports (free of advertising) that were chock full of color pictures and
well written articles that sold for a couple of bucks. I can imagine there are penny pinchers
that can tell you exactly how much it costs to print a 192 page book or a 32 page magazine.
After the scant cost of making it, I am sure the "publisher" contribution still makes it a
profit.

Their huge profits are from "selling" the new books at the District Convention to the "publishers."
Telling everyone that the cost of the convention is some staggering amount, and that on Saturday
or Sunday, they are still at a deficit of some smaller, but staggering amount, the crowd digs deep
into the pockets and covers the cost of the convention and the books and leaves a nice profit.
Remember that the locals paid for everything to set the stage and sound. The speeches and
skits were given from unpaid people. There was no charges for anything except the agreed upon
cost of the facility. The expense report includes a hefty "donation" to the worldwide work, making
the deficit announced. Even the visiting Bethelite gets a complimentary room from the contract
WTS makes with the local hotels, then tells the publisher where they must stay.

Now, is this all as big as it was in the past? No. The JW's are not giving as much as they used to.
Don't count out WTS yet. They are still in the black on all this, but see the future red ink, so they
are streamlining now. I don't have solid facts to show you, but I have read enough to see this.

?.........either way, I do not think this has ever been a money maker for WT even with free labor........oompa

It was their bread and butter, their gravy train, and their meat and potatoes.

flipper

GODSGURL- Welcome to the board my friend! It should give you a good idea if your dad is not in, then maybe you should not be in the witnesses either ! I agree with what On the Way Out said, the witnesses are a mind control cult whose motive is, ( including the governing body) is to control your thinking, put it in line with theirs, in spite of them having scewed beliefs which are unloving . So, keep your free will, and avoid joining them . If you don't want to be controlled then turn around and run like hell ! Peace out, welcome, Mr. Flipper

bobld

Run run as fast as you can away from this dangerours cult.As has been said they will control you, they want your money.Yes maybe they give the rags away but they pass resolution at their meeting for donations to the WBTS.And if you don't do as the gestapo says they give you the boot.Goodbye family, friends, business, your house, kids, dog boy you are totally f#@@#.

bob

What's up with the Governing Body?

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