August 1980 Kingdom Ministry about Apostasy & Franz resignation (page 2)

Atlantis

Cabasilas:

Thank you Cabasilas! We appreciate having the entire KM.

N.

Thanks, I had never seen it before. I had already walked out of my last circuit assemble about 3 months before, never to go to another meeting again. I had resigned as an elder about 1979. Of course, I knew exactly what was going on with the reform/apostacy for at least a year prior to this as Marion Dunlap and Ed Dunlap were both friends. While it was happening (prior to the "night of the long knives") a lot of the new thinkers thought that perhaps some real reform would come about (Ray being so high up and respected). This, I think, was why the ugly backlash came as such a shock.

I just didn't believe they would ever change some time before this, and simply couldn't sit through any more of it.

They finally called me to disfellowship me in about 1983 - I asked them if that meant that they would absolutely promise to never contact me again, they said yes, and I said thank you very much.

Mary

I've often surmissed what the fallout would have been like had it happened now instead of in 1980. I remember everyone at the Hall talking about it, but back then, most of us had no way of finding out what had really happened-----we were given the official version and that was that.

Can you imagine what would happen now if a member of the Governing Body left due to having a 'crisis of conscience', was disfellowshipped for each a meal with someone who wasn't even disfellowshippped and accused of "apostasy"? No matter how much they villify the internet, I think curiosity would have gotten the better of alot of Dubs and there's no way the Borg could have hid all the dirty little details like they did back then. I figure the fallout would have been 100 x worse than what it actually was.

garybuss

Thanks! Good to have this.

jgnat

Thanks. I had to browse the document four times to find the announcements. Almost as if they were embarrased to say what they'd done.

cabasilas

To all, you're welcome! Yes, I wonder too what would happen if something like this happened now in the Internet Age. I think the repercussions would be much greater for the Watchtower Society.

james_woods

Of course, on the other side of the coin, do they even still have a GB member as well loved and respected as Ray Franz was who could create this kind of a stir if he defaulted on the doctrine?

cabasilas

Good point! I remember well that the Bethelites in the mid-70s (and other JWs I knew) had a very good opinion of him. It was amazing how after the purge in 1980 how many JWs turned against him. I think many of those who didn't turn against him ended up leaving.

BluesBrother

I thought I would post it up from the cd rom, for those who may not wish to download it :

*** km 8/80 p. 2 Announcements ***

Announcements? Literature offer for August: Two of the older 50-cent books for $1.00. This does not include Choosing,CommentaryonJames,FamilyLife,Truth or SchoolGuidebook. If your congregation has any 384-page books in stock, special efforts should be made to use these first. September: HOPE tract along with any pocket-size book. October: Awake! subscription for $2.50. November: MyBookofBibleStories.

? As soon as the AUGUST report is compiled, the form (S-10) for supplying the Society with the activity of the congregation should be completed and sent promptly to the Society. Be sure to double check all information for accuracy. Keep the duplicate in the congregation file.

? Pioneer report cards and forms for use by the congregation during the coming year are being mailed in August.

? The Literature Inventory forms should be completed and forwarded to the Society no later than September 6.

? This is a notification that Raymond Victor Franz is no longer a member of the Governing Body and of the Brooklyn Bethel family as of May 22, 1980.

? A memorandum concerning American citizenship is being sent to each congregation. Any publisher desiring information on the subject can see the secretary of the congregation.

? Frequent requests are received by the Society for regular pioneers to be given a leave of absence due to health or other reasons. There is no arrangement for regular pioneers to take a "leave" from the pioneer work, but what is available to one who becomes sick for a short period of time is explained in the insert of the February, 1978, OurKingdomService.

? Any publisher or pioneer who wishes to serve where the need is greater should submit a letter to the congregation service committee including information on page 135 of the Organization book. Any not recommended by the committee should be told why in a kindly way. When sending the letter to the Society, the service committee should either sign the letter or attach one of their own. (Same basic arrangement as outlined for pioneers on page 137 of the Organization book.)

*** km 8/80 pp. 1-4 Branch Letter ***

Dear Brothers:

No doubt all of you are concerned about whether there are any of our brothers and sisters among the more than 115,000 Cubans who have recently arrived in the United States as refugees. Yes, about 3,000 of our brothers and sisters were taken to the different camps in this country and they are being processed by the immigration authorities. More than 1,000 of our brothers were among the many thousands transported to Miami, Florida, where the Orange Bowl football stadium was used as a temporary site for the refugees. The rest are distributed in other camps set up by the government. Efforts are now underway to register and settle our brothers.

The Society immediately sent some funds to be used to aid the brothers. Additional contributions have been provided to benefit them. Congregations from Tampa to the Florida Keys have contributed some 15 tons of clothing and more than two tons of food have been donated locally in the Miami area. Our brothers from Cuba are in good spirits and are using every opportunity to spread the good news among others in the camps. Reports tell us that their conduct has been exemplary. Many have suffered much persecution in Cuba, but they are of good courage and are determined to continue walking in their integrity.

*We are saddened to report at this time that five members of the Bethel family, and a few others in the New York city area have recently been disfellowshiped. There has been some apostasy against the organization and the promoting of sectarian divisions in some of the congregations of God’s people. (Titus 3:9-11) Living as we are in times difficult to deal with, it should not be surprising that such things occur. The first-century congregation also experienced deviations as we well know from our reading of the Holy Scriptures.—1 Tim. 1:20; 4:1; 2 Tim. 2:17, 18; 1 Cor. 15:12, 13; Acts 20:29, 30.

It is our hope that such ones will come to their senses, repent, and return to Jehovah’s organization which would be to their everlasting benefit.

To conclude, we hope all of you who may have already attended the "Divine Love" District Convention have enjoyed it to the full, and that those of you who will yet attend will find it spiritually stimulating and upbuilding.

Your brothers,

GOVERNING BODY OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

AlphaOmega

Excellent - many thanks for this

August 1980 Kingdom Ministry about Apostasy & Franz resignation

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