What is the WT's Motivation? Who Benefits?

by InterestedOne 56 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  ziddina

  "But, you're right, why would Jim Jones bother to move his whole thing down to Guyana? The only answer is that he was on a power trip. ..."

  I haven't read past this post on page 1, so if someone else has already answered this, I'm sorry for repeating them...

  But Jim Jones left the U.S. because there were investigative reporters digging into his 'practices' and past - and coming up with some very ugly stuff...

  The public confessions, the beatings - some people within the "Peoples' Church" [??? right name??] were starting to murmur about the decidedly un-Christian - and downright ILLEGAL - behaviors of Jim Jones and his cadre of bodyguards...

  That's the main reason he left the U.S. - and started his own commune. But indirectly, that does tie back into his pathological need for the "power trip" to continue - an investigation would have shown what sort of monster he really was, and would have limited or eliminated his power over that group of vulnerable people...

  Zid
• 

  james_woods

  That is all completely correct, Ziddina - and it is why I picked Jim Jones as an example. That compound was really just a jungle ghetto.

  The power madness, the fear and loathing of ordinary society and the government, the increasing paranoia - all seemed to be more important to Jones than actually living in great luxury or having lots of personal fortune.

  In that way, he greatly reminds me of the current GB. I think power and paranoia are more important to them than personal fortunes as well - so long as they are on the top and can effectively control the lives of all the JWs underneath them.

  But, of course - they do live pretty well compared to an ordinary Bethelite.
• 

  ziddina

  Whoops!!! O-K, James Woods, now I see what you meant... I must say, the thought of an investigative journalist looking deeply into Watchtower practices did appeal to me; that's probably why those other aspects of Jim Jones' motivation for moving to Guyana fascinated me...
• 

  james_woods

  that's probably why those other aspects of Jim Jones' motivation for moving to Guyana fascinated me...

  Me too - I was a witness Elder at the time Jonestown happened, and I can tell you that it shocked some of the rank and file for a time back then. Just not enough to make them actually wake up and leave.

  There was, of course, also the fact that Jones was reportedly on drugs and was for whatever reason just as crazy as Freddy Franz at the last.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  onthewayout --- don't you think the stockholders are above the GB raking in the profit and the GB is underneath where the structure begins?

  I dunno. I wasn't suggesting anything contrary to that. It's just semantics to say that one is above the other or the other way around.
• 

  flipper

  Maybe that's why the T sopciety moved to upstate New York - to create a " jungle ghetto " . LOL ! WT society are led by Jim Jones wannabees
• 

  LV101

  onwayout -- you're right. i have in my skull the GB are front men and not the real power w/the stockholders (or whoever profits) calling the shots.

  sure be nice to know about all the money they rake in.

  LV101