When did the new watchtower setup take effect? (page 3)

SirNose586

Are you talking about the generation change?

watson

Rub,

I thought the Set Up issues were just rumors. Where have I been???

zombie dub

Zombie ...

At least from my perspective, the Watchtower Setup is not and has never been a secret. It is just something that many of us would consider "being below the radar" of the R&F in general.

I'm sure many in Bethel or at the Branch offices at that time could attest to that fact. Typically, it's more often a matter of what we are hearing and how we are conditioned to interpret it.

When my uncle was in Bethel, throught his various assignments, he became fairly close to Lyman Swingle. Prior to his death, Bro Swingle often privately discussed the Watchtower Setup issue and how it should be interpreted. "Off the record", as he would often say, he indirectly said that some on the GB were in favor of having a full-blown Watchtower study article on the matter while others felt it was still something that needed further discussion within the upper levels of the organization before any final decision was made. I'm sure the Service Dept would not have allowed a study article to appear in the Watchtower unless all GB members were on board!

Lyman was clearly on the side of discussing the article in the Watchtower but of course, in keeping with his position, would defer to the GB as a whole and point out that information would be presented at the appropriate time as needed.

My uncle had discussed this with some in our family (particularly my father) but it was generally a discussion that occurred at the upper levels of the organization. You figure!

So some of the questions will continue. But as far as a timeframe is concerned, the general consensus among those who were involved with the "new light," would position the new Watchtower Setup in the early fall of 1994.

Rub a Dub

thank's for that - but to ne honest I still have no idea what happened exactly in 1994 and what exactly the new setup was/is? I get the feeling many others don't either, can you please elaborate as to what the setup is, what changed in 1994 etc?

RubaDub

Rub,

I thought the Set Up issues were just rumors. Where have I been???

Watson,

many feel the same way as you do. But that's simply not the case.

The Watchtower Setup was the real thing, just not something openly disclosed to the R&F at the time. Of course, as you suggest, many just viewed it as rumors.

I just can't understand how such a signifcant "event" in Dub land could have been downplayed to the point that some weren't even aware of it. In fact, I spoke to a couple of bethelites I knew at the time and only one of the two actually knew what was occuring.

I guess this will go down as one of those situations like with Russell and the pyramids, the Masons, etc. These are things that the Society wish would just go away and pretend they didn't exist. IMO, the Watchtower Setup and the attempted efforts to minimize it will continue to plague the Society for many years to come.

Rub a Dub

Georgiegirl

Ok, I get that you guys are way cooler than most of us who have no idea what you are talking about...especially since I was still in at the time. But as has been asked multiple times in this series....What.The.Heck.Are.You.Talking.About? What "Watchtower Setup"? What, specifically, is the "Watchtower Setup"?

gg of The Totally Confused But Wants to Know class

Steve_C

RubaDub,

I remember back around the '94 era when an older brother from Brooklyn visited our hall. He gave the public talk, during which he alluded to the Setup. Since he seemed to stray from the outline quite a bit, most everyone considered him one of those quaint old-timers with a few loose marbles.

In retrospect, he was giving us all an insider's glimpse of the Setup situation, but it took some time and the Internet to bring all the details to light.

pat1060

Set up situation??????????

When did the new watchtower setup take effect?