The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses - Explained

by cedars 67 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  cedars

  Hi everyone

  I've just finished putting together a fairly exhaustive article that summarizes a number of key details about the Governing Body that most Jehovah's Witnesses are completely unaware of. A link to the article is below:

  http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/the-governing-body-of-jehovahs-witnesses-explained

  I've written the article in a question-and-answer or "FAQ" format, so that people can "cherry pick" the questions that most interest them. The article commences with a rundown of the existing Governing Body members, their predecessors, and those who have resigned (namely Ray Franz, Leo Greenlees and Ewart Chitty).

  I then answer such questions as:

  • How does the Governing Body operate?
  • Are the Governing Body members the leaders of Jehovah's Witnesses?
  • Where does the term "Governing Body" come from?
  • Who appointed the Governing Body?
  • Has there always been a Governing Body?
  • What is the relationship between the Governing Body and the "Slave Class"?
  • How do they reach their decisions?
  • What happens if Jehovah's direction is unclear?
  • How can I contact a member of the Governing Body?

  For all questions, I've tried to provide answers using Watchtower references that are as up-to-date as possible. I'm hoping that this article will shed some light on the Governing Body, and bring people to some realizations that I have only recently come to myself - partly through the aid of this forum, and some excellent contributions by forum members to the following thread of mine:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/219629/1/The-great-unanswered-question-WHO-chose-the-Governing-Body-to-serve-as-representatives

  The JWsurvey article also features a downloadable PDF with a Timeline of the Governing Body, showing when various members were in office, and allowing you to easily find out which members were on the Governing Body in any given year. I'm hoping that people will find it quite useful for research, etc. Direct links for those who wish to download the timeline are below:

  A4 version: http://jwsurvey.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Governing-Body-Timeline-by-JWsurvey-A4.pdf

  Letter version: http://jwsurvey.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Governing-Body-Timeline-by-JWsurvey-Letter.pdf

  I like to think of all of my articles as a "collaborative effort", so I would appreciate any feedback you may have and/or corrections you may suggest. If you bring something to my attention that is wrong or not entirely factual, I will endeavor to change it immediately.

  Anyway, thanks in advance, and I hope you find the article interesting and informative!

  (As always, if you haven't yet participated in the 2012 JW Survey, please do so!)

  Cedars
• 

  breakfast of champions

  I like how they "take the lead" but are not "leaders". . . pretty wild universe they live in!

  I mean, suppose if at his inauguration Barack Obama had said, "I am taking lead of the United States of America" . . . you can imagine the disillusionment when the whole world finds out he is NOT the "leader" of the United States of America!
• 

  slimboyfat

  It doesn't mention Agnes, the only female ever to serve on the governing body.
• 

  cedars

  Thanks slimboyfat, can you expand on your comment, assuming it is serious?

  Cedars
• 

  glenster

  It's similar to how things are always done at the top of organized crime. They
  have to clearly agree to tell the same lies, esp. if harm and death are involved.
  An organization insulates those at the top from the customers. Those who'd finger
  the leaders are faulted to discourage customers from stopping payments.
  http://glenster1.webs.com/gtjbrooklynindex.htm
• 

  slimboyfat

  You mention that the governing body was no longer identical to the board of directors from 1971, which is true, but you might also mention that it was not until 2001 that the president and other governing body members resigned their positions as directors to be replaced by non-GB members.

  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/20001009/aponline235956_000.htm
• 

  cedars

  Thanks slimboyfat, that is a good suggestion. I'll put a mention in at some point tomorrow.

  Care to expand on the thing about Agnes, or was that just a bit of humour?

  Cedars
• 

  slimboyfat

  Sorry.

  I also think it is an irony worth mentioning that it as Ray Franz, among others, who pushed for the new elder arrangement and GB arrangement in 1971, against the wishes of Knorr and Fred Franz, yet it was the same institution that finally forced Ray Franz's to leave. I think Fred Franz's opposition to the GB is well documented, including the recording of the infamous "tail wagging the dog" speech.
• 

  slimboyfat

  Oh, it was 2000 not 2001 that the GB resigned as directors.
• 

  cedars

  Thanks slimboyfat, I suppose it is an irony. However, it's worth remembering that Ray was an indoctrinated cult member when he pushed for those changes, and at that time he still felt the organization was being blessed by Jehovah. He couldn't possibly have foreseen what sort of monster the Governing Body would eventually become, and it was only once he'd "awakened" that he saw everything in context and was able to explain the fallacies. In any case, I've made a point of linking directly to the Scribd PDF version of "Crisis of Conscience" in several parts of the article, so hopefully people will be able to read up what happened for themselves, and draw their own conclusions.

  Cedars