Governing Body arrogance vs. Legal Department's pragmatism - do you think there will be a slip-up at some point?

by sir82 31 Replies latest jw friends

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  flipper

  QUENDI stated, " But when it comes to formulating religious dogma and practice , I believe the Governing Body reserves that right exclusively to itself. " That may be true to SOME extent, however I beg to differ with you on that statement being totally true black and white.

  My point is this - That the cult dogma and practices have definitely influenced by the WT legal department on the blood issue , now accepting blood fractions as a conscience matter, alterations in the child abuse policy in not telling JW victims or relatives they can't go to the police , calling presiding overseers - coordinators , even the " overlapping generation " theory has been put into the WT society's dogma & practice now mainly to keep the WT society's end game going which involves bilking $$$ out of the 7 million JW members as a BUSINESS or CORPORATE decision which will work to benefit wT attorneys in the legal department as well as extending the 50 -60 year old GB members comfortable retirement / paid for life at the Bethel headquarters where everything is provided for them. To be perfectly blunt and honest- I feel the GB and WT corporate attorneys know EXACTLY what they are doing and are working together in synchronicity to keep this business/ religion going to benefit themselves only.

  I bet the WT people at the top all know that it's BS. They've got over a billion $$$ empire going - so they have to pull any strings to make that happen. I feel the WT legal AND GB have a good working relationship. It's all to keep the WT ship floating
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  Quendi

  As always, I appreciate your feedback, flipper. I see what you're saying about the blood issue, the pedophile problem and related subjects and I agree with you. I suppose that what I should have written was that the Governing Body will brook no counseling from others about Bible interpretation. Yes, the blood issue is a matter of Bible interpretation and they have been doing a slow retreat on that one. That would be an exception to the rule. But I think in other areas of Bible doctrine, the Governing Body stands firm. It may be a matter of the Governing Body and the Legal Department seeing themselves as good partners in the business, each with its own realm of responsibility. When there are overlapping issues, I think you are right to suggest that they cooperate rather than conflict with each other.

  Quendi
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  flipper

  QUENDI- I agree with you that on many Bible interpretations the GB won't bend. However they WILL bend if it hurts their profit margin $$$ - and that is where the WT legal and attorneys come in to re-direct what constitutes " new light " in the WT doctrine. Good points you make. I think we basically agree and have similar takes on the points. It's really interesting, isn't it ? Wish I was a fly on the wall when WT corporate attorneys meet with GB members. Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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  Mad Sweeney

  The Governing Body has given no indication that THEY do any significant Bible interpretation, either, though they reserve that right. What's actually new in the last ten years or so, doctrinally? The only new light doctrinal changes were pretty much forced on them by the passage of time: ditching the 1935 anointing cutoff date, overlapping generation, and??? The other changes have all been legalistic things.

  For the most part, this Governing Body is a status quo maintainer, and I think there are a couple reasons for that. One, they believe the doctrines they were believed when they were indoctrinated and will not entertain the possibility that it's all wrong. Two, nobody on the body has the gravitas among his peers to influence any real change anyway and so even if there is the occasional effort to do so, no real reform ever comes.

  As for whether the Governing Body runs the lawyers and corporations, I don't think they do, officially. There is no apparent legal connection (that I know of) between the many corporations of the Watchtower and the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses. The religion is separate from the business, officially, and as such the businesses are under no compulsion to do anything the religion says - other than due to cult control influences. The leaders of the corporations are all JWs and as such can be DFd at the whim of the GB. Therefore they have to keep the GB appeased. The ONLY way a corporate head like Don Adams could overrule the GB is if he had the full support of all his underlings. Without that, the GB could easily DF him and he'd be powerless to get anyone else in the corporation to do anything - and there is probably a clause in all the corporate officers' job descriptions that they must remain a JW in good standing to hold their office.

  But as has been stated by many, this is educated guessing and speculation. We won't know for sure the current state inside the Borg until another insider defects and leaks info.

  Any high level WT insider lurking here - if you want to defect from the Borg and spill the beans on the entire operation I'm sure there are people here with a spare room for you to crash in until you get on your feet. Us apostates are kind and loving that way. :-)
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  DesirousOfChange

  I have to imagine them thinking, at least privately, "We're the Governing Body! Jehovah talks to us! Why do have to run everything past these #$%#@!! lawyers?"

  I think running things past WT Legal is considered Theocratic Warfare. I'm sure they figure that the world's legal systems are tools that Satan is using to try to tear down WTS. Having their own bank of lawyers is good strategy since they are forced to live in "the world" but be "no part of it".

  DOC
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  flipper

  MAD SWEENEY- Interesting takes you have on this subject. Personally, I kind of doubt the GB would ever have the balls to DF any of the WT corporate leaders , if in fact the WT corporate leaders are in charge of financial pursestrings of the WT society in general theory . I mean, in essence the GB would be cutting off their meal ticket ( of course I know they could always replace corporate WT leaders ) - so like yourself - I also wish someone from the higher echelons at the top of the WT society would come on here and spill the beans. But as this site is probably monitored - I doubt any high ranking WT officials would disclose anything private. If they won't let rank & file JW's know- they sure as hell won't let us ex-JW's know. So the mystery continues
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  Band on the Run

  Overall, their lawyers do a good job of protecting the WTBTS. How they interact is beyond my comprehension. How does God's voice comply with routine legal matters. Tensions are unavoidiable. Also, the GB are not the types who grew up with sophisticated use of lawyers. I would love to be a fly on the wall during a meeting.

  I keep posting how it is incomprehensible to me how how a lawyer can block out very critical thinking skills and be a Witness. Also, they are hearing all the dark secrets of which we have no idea. People can compartmentalize.

  Pedophilia is a great place to show the tension. The Roman Catholic Church's lawyers must be much brighter and more skilled. They are pulled from a group of millions of lawyers. We know all too well how they went way beyond their job duties and became so enmeshed with their client, that children did not matter. The publicity about the cover up has cost the Roman Catholic Church many follwers and mega amounts of money. I have yet to read one positive story in the mess. Conrad Murray became too enmeshed with Micheal Jackson. Similarly, the Witness lawyers have a very silly defense strategy in combatting pedophiles. Good law never happens when a lawyer is too close to a client. You can no longer see clearly or act clearly.

  I expect they will self destruct b/c of this. If I were on the GB, I would hire consulting lawyers from an outside, neutral law firm to cover this very situation. WT lawyers fight over ever little tree and shrub rather than seeing the forest as a whole. Bad publicity and good legal advice usually don't coexist.

  Frankly, I don't know. People remind me that bright people can become involved in cults. They aren't breaking ehtical rules. Every corporation has outside counsel to avoid people who are more near sighted.
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  Aussie Oz

  Here's a thought...

  Once upon a time there was a small town lawyer with big ambitions. Anyway, one fine day he saw the way to topple the ruling body of a little nothing religion and call it his own. He really did! And he crafted a grand way of life for himself, as he saw he deserved. Years after his death, his type of rulership was stolen from his heir and replaced once again by a body of men.

  Once you steal a kingdom, you will always be fighting off those who want it back...

  Carefull GBs!

  Lawyers are on your tail like old days perhaps...

  Oz
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  Devil_Fish

  They have all ready slipped up.
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  smiddy