Do We Give WTS Too Much Credit? Are They Maybe Just Dummies?

by OnTheWayOut 34 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  mindmelda

  They pretty much believe what they teach others. You'd have to, wouldn't you? The best liars are those who believe their own lies.

  It's the blind leading the blind...Jesus gave the best description of it, I can't do better.

  I think a few of them are douche bags using the others, but you're going to find that in any group of any size, the sociopathic users who've found a good place to hang out, lots of fresh meat. Rutherford was a calculating SOB, or so it seems to me. Just my little old opinion there.
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  jamiebowers

  I share Ray Franz's opinion: From top to bottom, they are 'captive to the concept' that WT is God's Organization. This belief dominates their thinking and actions.

  I think Ray Franz believes that to be true, because that's how he felt when he was on the governing body. But I don't think it is true for all or even most of them.

  SD-7, I couldn't have said it better myself.

  I heard Barbara Anderson say on one of Rick Fearon's conference calls, that Jarasz or however you spell that asshole's name, specifically sent co's out to intimidiate sex abuse victims and their families from coming forward. That is evil, pure and simple. Throw in all of the battered women, the men who went to prison over the neutraility issue, and the people who died over the blood issue, it is evil. It would be different if the governing body changed its evil ways after realizing the ramifications of their faulty doctrine, but they stubbornly refuse to change, no matter what the cost to the rank and file.
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  agonus

  tough call... their literature is becoming more and more insipid yet more and more manipulative... i'm half tempted to think no thought goes into it at all... just whatever jaracz coughed up that morning
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  Aussie Oz

  I think it is most of the above. I wrestle with this a bit too. I have concluded that at Publisher level they are a mix of ignorant, 'dumb', scared, lazy and want to be led. Up a level to M/S and they are feeling important and still ignorant, 'dumb', and taking consolation in being looked at as 'mature'. Up again to Elder and it appears that thats when the penny starts to drop for many, but most slog on because by then they have too much invested and the pressure is on them to please the powers that be. Add in the 'training' of being a M/S following mundane procedure and the die is set... a follower of followers learning to overlook the dodgy shit. Up to C/O and D/O i see that they are the ones aware of the dirty business. The henchmen, the heavies for Brooklyn. I cannot see how any of them can be without blame by then. Surely at that level, the comunications from Bethels must be a lot less 'spiritual' and more control orriented. Up to those in Brooklyn itself and i see men who must know the rot. They can not possibly be ignorant of all the information on the internet. They can not be ignorant of all the backflips and changes, contradictions and lies.The harm they have done, the lives ruined. But they have come to far. They will not and cannot acknowledge wrongs. To me that makes them culpible. That makes them BAD. Like any multinational corporation raping the planet or people, those at the top can isolate themselves in some bubble belief about how much good they do... Evil is as evil does.
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  metatron

  Read Crisis of Conscience and consider what it presents about Governing Body members. It's no different from Nazis who ruined lives but had really nice families and homes and appreciated good wine and art.

  Ever known any murderers? Child molesters? I've visited some in prison at length and most are just ordinary people, at least outwardly. It's just the banality of evil.

  If guys like Jaracz lie and coverup, they just see themselves as supporting Jehovah's Organization. Their loyalty isn't much different from the SS or being a Cardinal in the Catholic church. As the Bible says, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes."

  metatron
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  Gayle

  We cannot 'judge' people for their motive of belief. We can judge actions, lies, what is false, what is hurtful. They are not dummies but they do not have the wisdom to 'govern' people in any way.
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  aSphereisnotaCircle

  Great posts Metetron.

  I agree.
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  minimus

  They too believed the lie.
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  OnTheWayOut

  Having read MISTAKES WERE MADE (BUT NOT BY ME):WHY WE JUSTIFY FOOLISH BELIEFS, BAD DECISIONS, AND HURTFUL ACTS (http://www.amazon.com/Mistakes-Were-Made-But-Not/dp/0156033909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272041912&sr=1-1)
  I have a feeling that Metatron is correct. The GB and others up there feel that they are doing right by Jehovah. As they got deeper and deeper into wrongdoing / voting for the corporation instead of the members / hiding / twisting / covering up- they felt they had to do these things for the betterment of the overall organization above the individuals.

  Very few are able to step out because of their own involvements. They may know that some (or even most) of what they have done is wrong, but they are in too deep in their own beliefs to expose themselves. They feel it's better to support the corporation and its wayward path than to let it come crashing down.

  This is a form of evil, comparable to those police that plant evidence on innocent people because they figure they probably are guilty and they need someone to blame in court.

  Also, I have learned from you guys that it doesn't matter what each of the GB or anyone at Bethel thinks of their own culpability. It's not the truth, it does damage to people. I can forgive anyone that comes out of it for whatever they contributed to it, the same as I hope anyone can forgive me.
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  joelingeorgia

  they are not dummies. the inner circle of the Watchtower is mostly comprised of men who need to be in positions of power

  and see the Watchtower org as the easiest way to achieve this. this was so clear at bethel. there are some humble men

  mixed in but they are the exception, not the rule.