Through a Darkened Pane (page 55)

compound complex

Dear Syl:

I love it, too. The worded images run deep and strong.

Thanks for sharing a resonating swath of Nature.

CoCo

snowbird

Hi CoCo.

Rivers have figured prominently in our culture - from Africa to the USA.

Deep River

One More River to Cross

Roll, Jordan, Roll

Down By the River Side ... etc.

Syl

Living down here in the backwoods of Alabama, we were privy to very little of what was going on in WT world. Most of us never heard about the shake-up at headquarters during the 80's. I read and dismissed the Time article about Ray Franz; heard and dismissed whispers from one local elder about "certain apostate happenings up there in Gadsden."

I knew that he was a nephew of Fred Franz; I had once gone up to Tuscaloosa to hear him speak, and I knew that a lot of JW's thought the world of that uncle of his. What I didn't know was the extent to which Fred Franz had promoted 1975 as the end of a system of things, and that he had been instrumental in driving his nephew out of the WT.

I learned all of that from reading CofC; I also learned about the Malawi/Mexico conundrum, the alternative military service fiasco, and the non-allowable bedroom intimacies debacle.

I wept at his confession that he regretted not having children, raged at the GB's callousness toward the suffering of JW's in Malawi, recoiled in horror at their duplicity in allowing Mexican JW's to bribe officials concerning military service.

I applauded his frankness in confessing that it was hard for him to maintain celibacy while living at a missionary home with female JW's. I was also impressed with the fact that he stressed that he and Cynthia always practiced stringent birth control so as not to interrupt their full-time ministry.

Throughout the book, Ray Franz's love for God, justice, and Christian freedom shine brilliantly. My prayer is that the God he loved so much will remember him for good.

Sylvia

compound complex

Thank you, Sylvia.

You have spoken for many of us, I am sure.

CoCo

snowbird

Hi, CoCo.

After my well-intentioned thread was besmirched so badly on yesterday, I needed to hear that.

Syl

compound complex

Dearest Syl:

Our smallish literary meanderings will go by the wayside, but Ray's humble devotion to his LORD will be a source of unflagging encouragement to us and those yet to discover him. It took me 25 years to realize what my Bethel instructor - Ed Dunlap - had unwittingly done for me.

Don't dwell on the besmirchment....

Much love,

CoCo