Could the Watchtower "Tear Down This Wall"?

by metatron 6 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  metatron

  We are all familiar with the fall of the "Iron Curtain", precipitated as it may have been by Reagan's plea to "Tear down this wall".

  While we ponder the fate of this ugly religion, I wonder if we have missed a likely outcome. The Governing Body is already separated

  from the legal and administrative functions of the organization - at least in theory. They didn't want half senile members dragged on to a

  witness stand in court! The organization is chopped up into various corporations - like some business malefactor who is trying to save his

  assets. None of the reported growth ( however real it is) has stopped them from making serious cutbacks in magazines, hardbound

  literature and downsized Bethelites.

  Could they just "let go" of congregations in the future? It all depends on two factors:

  1) The congregations become an expensive and litigious burden to the Watchtower leadership - they ship publications

  but don't get "paid". Lawsuits spring up constantly that threaten WBTS assets. They can't find a way to isolate themselves

  from idiotic or quietly disloyal members.

  2) Bethel suffers a quiet loss of faith in the whole organizational concept - you live in Paterson and have a nice office

  and the occasional trip to an exotic Branch office. Life is good - but your education and good sense tell you the "truth" is bogus.

  Do you leave? Not Necessarily!

  This sick cult is, at once, a religion and a business. If they were forced to choose between the two, which would they pick?

  metatron
• 

  Junction-Guy

  The business
• 

  sir82

  The easy answer is of course "the business". But upon reflection, I'm not so sure.

  My gut feeling is that the GB and Bethel heavies are drunk on power and prestige. Imagine having, no matter where you go, anywhere from 1000 to 50,000 people fawning all over you, waiting for hours just to shake your hand and tell you "what a privilege" it is just to meet you and breathe the same air. And this is repeated dozens of times a year as they jet to the various branches around the world, speaking at conventions, etc.

  A business mogul enjoys enormous monetary rewards, but comparatively little prestige (except in certain rare cases). If you were sitting next to the president of Exxon at a theater, would you recognize him? If he told you to buy his gasoline only, would you listen to him?

  Power is intoxicating, and power over millions of people is something very few people in the world achieve. The GB are in the same league as kings and presidents.

  The WTS has tens of billions of dollars of real estate and investments - they can always sell another Brooklyn building or 2 if the cash flow problems get too severe. Serious money problems would only occur after the lifetime of all who are on the GB now.

  My instinct tells me they will clamp down even more in behavior modification and restrictions. They will be willing to lose 1/3 to 1/2 their members to have fanatically loyal adherents remain and give them the adulation they crave.
• 

  metatron

  I think that all these points also applied to the former Soviet Union and its leadership's lust for power. In the end, they just couldn't afford

  the whole thing and naively assumed that they had more popular appeal than was real ( a mistake the Watchtower could easily make, as

  well).

  It's the legal front that is most critical in defeating the Watchtower Society. Developing new - and deep - liabilities could force their

  hand, even with all their unsold real estate. I have consistently said that Circuit Overseers should be viewed as a legal liability that link

  Bethel, Inc with local congregations.

  metatron
• 

  Sunspot

  I must say I really enjoyed your post Sir82! The "fame and power" aspect most certainly seems to be a blanket they have covered themselves with! I don't see this being tossed away any time soon.

  think that all these points also applied to the former Soviet Union and its leadership's lust for power. In the end, they just couldn't afford

  the whole thing and naively assumed that they had more popular appeal than was real ( a mistake the Watchtower could easily make, as

  well).

  It's the legal front that is most critical in defeating the Watchtower Society. Developing new - and deep - liabilities could force their

  hand, even with all their unsold real estate. I have consistently said that Circuit Overseers should be viewed as a legal liability that link

  Bethel, Inc with local congregations.

  Whether folks in Watchtowerland want to admit it or not----their self-designation of the "clean and pure religion" that is supposedly devoid of all those "nasty and unseemly characteristics attributed to the dreaded and evil Christendom", are rampant in their own backyard. Too many others KNOW about how the WTS operates to make it as easily for them to pooh-pooh these things any longer.

  As Martha Stewart likes to say, "IT"S A GOOD THING!"
• 

  Burger Time

  I think the WBTS is more like Reagan. Old, greedy, out of touch, secretive and at the onset of Alzheimer's.
• 

  footstepfollower

  Awesome topic.

  Easily they can seperate the two. Self suffcient congregations who pay for literature etc... They may be setting this up already, for instance the assembly hall being built outside of Tucson in AZ is 100% self funded and bank loans. Noting from the WTBTS. They may need to do this to seperate their legal problems and isolate them for a congregation to handle instead of the org. It would work in their favor I think sure they would have to go back to paying taxes but taxes are better than a lawsuit. Anything they have to do in that vein is easilly described as a change because of Satan's wicked system and his attacks on God's People