What is Knorr's legacy?

by drewcoul 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  drewcoul

  I was wondering, I am aware of most of the presidents of the WTS being a born in. I am familiar with how it started with CT Russell and the tumultuous takeover by JFR. I grew up in the Franz era and left about 2001 (although not mentally out until finding this forum a year and a half ago). What was Knorr really known for? Franz had all of the "Types and anti-types" and end time prophecies that I remember throughout my childhood and teen/ early adult years. But what the H-E-double hockey sticks did Knorr accomplish as president?

  Just curious to get the thoughts from people who remember farther back than I do.
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  sir82

  Knorr was more of an organizer & left the doctrinal stuff to Freddy.

  Knorr, IIRC, was the "brains" behind Gilead school, the Theocratic Ministry School, and various other so-called "schools" that JWs utilize, many of which continue to exist today (although mostly in a much different form).

  Knorr organized the largest JW conventions, including the 250,000+ one in NY in 1958.

  The organization experienced its greatest percentage-wise increase under Knorr, growing from maybe 100,000 or so to 2 milliion+. A lot of that had to do with improved door to door methods - actually talking to people instead of playing a phongraph record or handing them a printed card.
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  bigmac

  i remember in my late teens---here in the UK--word went round the congs that knorr was on a "flying visit" and delivering a talk one evening at a football ground in London England. a coach was hired & our cong went to the place.

  in his talk he kept uttering the phrase----"YOU MUST NOT FORGET"

  i'll never forget those words----but i cant for the life of me remember anything else he said.
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  jookbeard

  one legacy was his obsession with sex and masturbation and his known covering up of homosexual GB and BoD's members Greenleas and Chitty.
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  Wasanelder Once

  The green Bible.
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  jookbeard

  Malawi
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  clarity

  He had an eye for expensive Real Estate!

  Guess he was just following in the footsteps of Chr i s ....oh wait a minute
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  Sic Semper Tyrannis

  Knorr was described in Ray Franz's books as a 'strictly-business' kind of man. He had his faults, and seemed to resent any attempt at change. Personal accounts describe him anywhere from polite and proper to tempermental and prone to having many personal peeves. He absolutely couldn't stand secular dress among Bethelites, and was the one responsible for adding Saturday as a half-day of work when he discovered that some Bethelites were going out on weekends. Disfellowshipping under his reign got even more strict, especially with his rather stringent views on sex and dating. Whereas people got disfellowshipped in the Rutherford era primarily for apostasy, Knorr expanded this policy to include anything from fornication to an intentionally vague "loose conduct". Like all presidents since Russell, his legacy is of holding strong to the status quo and adding his own personal beliefs and preferences into a growing book of law for Witnesses worldwide.
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  binadub

  One thing was that the Watchtower had been discouraging people from getting married because the "time was [so] short" and they should wait until they were in the "new system."

  Then Knorr got married (to a woman quite a bit younger), and that caused a little stir among the flock, especially pioneers, special pioneers others who had put off getting married. Until then, it had been considered "immature" or "lacking of faith" to get married and have children, much the same as it was if people when to college. Couples were still supposed to avoid child-bearing though.

  ~Binadub
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  Band on the Run

  He was a giant in my world. Faint praise. I still don't understand how the business/doctrine duo with Franz happened. My father and relatives were at Bethel during his tenure. They seemed to have the least respect for Rutherford but Knorr was no favorite. It could have just factory stuff, though.

  My mom loved going on about marriage being unholy (she was shunned) and then Knorr finds a wife. Presto! I always wondered what type of super sister would land Knorr, esp. if he were such a prude. She must have been something special. Talk about landing the big one.