What benefit is all the power of people's lives to the Governing Body?

by TimothyT 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Reality79

  IMHO it doesn't matter whether they believe they're God's organisation or not. The fact is, countless people have lost their lives over many decades because of their bullsh*t doctrine on blood and neutrality issues. That's the bottom line. These people - including children - aren't coming back to some fictitious la-la-land, Little House on the Prairie type eternal world. They're gone, period.

  Those who were lucky to survive like the women in Malawi who were sexually violated and beaten for not buying a cheap plastic card, have to live with mental scars for the rest of their lives.

  I won't mince my words when talking about these demonic, Jehovah Wickedness leaders. They all need to be put down like dangerous dogs with all the blood on their filthy hands. As for the rest of the organisation, once all the paedophiles and other crooks are locked up, the rest of the organisation needs to be disbanded.

  That is all.
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  Mad Sweeney

  They have no great wealth, but they do have security in that they have an apartment, health care and so on. But by the standards of many religious leaders they are by no means rich or materially privileged as many religious leaders are.

  That's kind of a fallacy. Most preachers, ministers, reverands, rabbis, and priests live a MUCH more humble lifestyle than the GB members do.

  The GB members don't need to OWN the wealth. They control it and can use it at will. They live a much higher standard of living than any individual "religious leader" in the town and county I live in.

  If you ever watch the real estate shows on HGTV you'll see that a New York City apartment not only costs thousands of dollars per month but also needs to be purchased for hundreds of thousands of dollars. GB members each get an apartment in New York City for free.

  When is the last time you had a free trip to Europe, or Africa, or the Caribbean, or Asia, or South America? Know when the last time a GB member had one? Whenever he felt like it. The cost? Promise to give a talk for 45 minutes or so.

  Have you had a medical bill recently? GB members haven't.

  There isn't a preacher in my community who can claim the material privileges that the GB has and aside from the big-time TV and/or huge city/community churches, there probably aren't that many in the entire USA.

  The myth of the super-wealthy preacher is propagated by the Watchtower to make themselves appear humble. But a wealthy and materialistic preacher is an anomaly in the real world.
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  TimothyT

  Great points everybody.

  I think it puts it into perspective doesnt it. I think you have made some good points Mad Sweeney. They dont need to flash the cash so to speak. They have constant access to it and they can use it whenever they like to go anywhere, have anything they wish. Everything is provided at the expense of the people who follow them.

  I also think that Reality79 makes the point that annoys me the most too. I think organisation that are based on teaching and education are fine. Its when the organisation starts to control peoples lives in a bad way. The members feel threatened and forced and have to endure painful trials and are left with huge emotional scars all for the sake of following the commands of several men they have never met sitting around a large table in a foreign country. This kind of influence is unnatural and in my opinion VERY VERY VERY wrong. Im not one to pass judgement but I do believe that such inequalities will be ironed out by Jehovah either right now or in the future. I agree with you though Reality79... its time for them to understand that when this level of power is abused, you have to pay the price!

  I have read Crisis of Conscience too. I think its BRILLIANT!
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  Damn The Watchtower

  Mad Sweeney,

  I hope you know that I'm not here to defend the Governing Body, but compared to the rather palatial surroundings of the Cardinals and Bishops of the Catholic Church or the comforts allowed those who are the top leaders of most Christian churches, the Governing Body's comforts would appear rather small. You cannot compare the living standards of priests to the Governing Body, the top level in the religion, a fair comparison would be the highest order in the Church, the Pope and the Cardinals and Bishops, who I imagine travel quite a bit and in comfort.
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  darth frosty

  This is my opinion based on what Ive seen and come to know. Its all about the system or machine at this point!

  Knor perfected a machine that rutherford created (I believe that russel started an Idea that rutherford turned into a movement.) Knorr fashioned a system that could carry on in perpetuity (sp and trying to use big words) Even with franz crackpot ideas knor made sure that the system itself would continue. Look at his moves to reduce the power of president after he died and the creation of the governing body to share power and decisions.

  Now I feel the system is firmly in the hands (and guidance) of the law department. Thus we see the changes to get the GB off the rulling boards and isolated from the corporation.
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  TimothyT

  Now I feel the system is firmly in the hands (and guidance) of the law department. Thus we see the changes to get the GB off the rulling boards and isolated from the corporation.

  Thats very interesting. Could you expand on that. What exactly do you mean? Is this happening right now?

  Timmy x
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  darth frosty

  Already happened. Back in the 90's there was a shake up in how the society operates as a business. It used to be that at least one of the GB sat on the commitee's of the main corporate boards (I believe there are 4 corporations that the WT$ use.) This was changed in the late 90's early oughts to distance the GB from these legal corps (and IMO distance them from lawsuits.) Now the corporations are free of GB guidance and the system can just keep running.

  Since freddy died and we are now deep in the 2000's I dont think they even care about WT dogma or any true guidance of the organization. Its just a matter of keeping the bethel/watchtower machine moving and everyone thats put in there time (bethel heavies) getting their little piece.

  Another thing that keep the machine moving is all the people at Bethel who are waiting their turn. You see bethel is a place where you serve to rule eventually. When I was there I saw all these 15-20+ year cats who were just waiting till they could weild some form of 'power' and ironically lord it over other bethelites or those in the congo.

  There is no way these dudes are going to let the machine stop with out them have their day.
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  jeckle

  dtw how many top christian church leaders do you know or do you mean televangelist.cause i know the average chrstian churches around me do a lot of cumminty work and sometimes just barely scape by my granpa on my moms side was helping his preacher with his insurance premeiums cause they were barely making it but they always helped the community.i know you didnt mean it that bad but it sounded like the wbts in the way they put down christian when they doing it worse.
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  Damn The Watchtower

  Hello Jeckle,

  I apologize for using wrong terms. When I used the word church, "most Christian churches", I was actually referring to Christian religions. I believe the JW Governing Body lifestyle should be compared not with ministers and leaders of individual churches but with the leadership of most Christian religions. In that regard I believe the Governing Body cannot be charged with living higher on the hog than most leaders of Christian religions. And of course just like most leaders of Christian religions the JW Governing Body also lives a softer and more secure life than their members do.
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  sir82

  For a certain segment of the population, power over others is a narcotic like no other. Most people with this trait might control perhaps a spouse, or small children. Maybe a supervisor at a place of employment can control a somewhat larger group.

  Power may not be a big deal for you, personally. But for those who are addicted to it, it's a rush like no other.

  Now, imagine someone (or 7 of them) with power to control, not a spouse, not a dozen or 2 people, but 7 million people.

  You can dictate what they watch on TV...what they read...how they spend their time...how they spend their money....how and with whom they have sex....

  That is some serious $#!+.