by mamalove 18 Replies latest watchtower bible
I am curious if anyone knows the process by which new light, or revisions in beliefs actually are agreed on for presentation to the followers?
Does one member of the GB bring up something and they all talk about it and decide? Or do they get a bunch of questions in the mail and decide to re-evaluate something based on the fan mail? Or is it because as time goes on, the PR group decides things need tweaking because of possible revolt or something like that?
Thanks!
Charles Russell and Fred Franz were known to stay in a room for hours praying or meditating. Other more pratical matters come up because of legal issues.
Committee presentation is done by a single brother who is then dismissed I believe.......so that the GB can 'discern' the matter.....
My impression is that "new light" is generated by pragmatic decisions that involve:
A. Legal liablilities that expose the WTS to severe financial judgements.
B. Escaping from foolish prophecy doctrines that put them in a corner.
These self serving revelations are obvious to XJWs but are a source of excitement and rejuvination to most rank and file. Having a brain dead cult following makes it easy to erase the shit you once wrote in stone but now need to change.
Ray Franz, in Crisis of Conscience, explained the process in which GB members would raise issues. Some were discussed at length, others were given a cursory discussion and then they'd pass on without deciding anything. He explained how the GB was led by some fairly forceful individuals (many of whom have since died) and certain pliant GB members would always vote to support them. By his account, issues that were raised that suggested a softening of attitude (ie, a move away from hardline doctrines) were quickly dismissed or ignored. Some of those were issues he raised, and he held the view that they were ignored because it was he who was raising them.
Things may have changed since then, of course, but don't forget that new members of the GB are chosen by existing members, who would always take the high road and ensure that no one could suggest that they were compromising or allowing the rank and file to go soft by appointing liberal or intellectual members. There is therefore a powerful mechanism in place to ensure attitudes never change (and "newbies" and "wannabies" would always be trying to impress others about how "uncompromising" they are!)
It is unfortunately part of the mystery of the upper echelons that rank and file Witnesses are kept in the dark about how decisions are made. It's an attitude that permeates every level of the hierarchy, including bodies of elders within congregations, which keep a conspiratorial code of silence about decisions, with information released on a need-to-know basis only.
How different from the open way things were done by the fledgling church in the first century !
Of course there was no Governing Body in those days, that is a WT fiction, but decisions were made on the basis of prayer and consideration of Jesus' teaching, but the motivation was the LOVE for the brothers. ("adding no further burden to you")
Today the motivation for any "new light" is control of the R&F whilst avoiding law suits, love does not come in to it.
Ray Franz also spoke about how for something to change there had to be a two thirds majority.
So if there were 12 members of the gov. body at any one time and say seven voted for a change (or you could say new light on something), then because they did not have a two thirds majority ie eight members, then the change would not go through.
Over the years this seemed to have happened quite a lot. The majority may have wanted change but because of the two thirds majority rule many new ideas never got through.
Evidently, they take turns. One member bends over, the others perform anal extraction.
I have seen a magazine posted on JWN that describes the New Light process as a theological extraction of the changed doctrine from the collective anal cavity of the GB.
Think About It
LOL Streets76.......When I was in, I was told by an Elders School Instructor that any member will raise issues and thoughts on a topic, which happens all the time... They then either dismiss it, or agree to consider it. If so, it is shelved and diarised for a future date. By then they have thought about it and prayed about it. The matter is thrashed out by the Body who may adopt it, scrap it, or shelve it again.....
That way they say they get Gods Spirit on the matter. In fact it is just a committee decision bt men who delude themselves that God is acting....
