A "Chernobyl" for the Watchtower - could it happen?

by sir82 15 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  sir82

  There is an article here which posits that the collapse of the Soviet Union can be directly traced back to the Chernobyl explosion. It's a pretty compelling piece:

  http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/nuclear_power/2013/01/chernobyl_and_the_fall_of_the_soviet_union_gorbachev_s_glasnost_allowed.html

  Several posters on this board have compared the WTS and its adherents to the USSR. Autocratic rule, demonizing of opponents, strict control of information, harsh punishment for unorthodoxy...there are many many parallels.

  If you were around in the mid-80's or earlier, "the collapse of the Soviet Union" seemed as utterly impossible as "the collapse of the Watchtower Society" seems today. Yet the USSR did indeed collapse, rather quickly.

  From the article:

  Chernobyl, then, represented a fundamental shift in the relationship between the Soviet citizenry and the state. Before the explosion, most Soviets were not discontented dissidents; they believed in the Soviet system, forgave its flaws, and hoped for a better future within its confines. But after Chernobyl, the system seemed potentially unredeemable—and actively dangerous. In the early days of glasnost, stories of Stalin’s mass murders decades earlier slowly bubbled to the fore, but those generally receded, so far removed were they from every life. After Chernobyl, though, every citizen’s safety was at stake.

  Substitute "Jehovah's Witnesses" for "citizens" and "governing body" for "Soviet system" (and related terms)...."Rutherford" for "Stalin", "drunken excesses" for "murders", etc. - interesting, no?

  Could a "Chernobyl-like" event hit the WTS? What would it look like?
• 

  Londo111

  Candice Conti winning her appeal. National, prime time TV coverage of this. More lawsuits following on the heels of her victory.
• 

  wha happened?

  It's always the same question. Will this latest event lead to the end of the WT? No it won't. They are big enough that the born ins still have momentum, and there's still plenty of 3rd world nations to exploit. They will be around for some time in some form or another
• 

  sir82

  They are big enough that the born ins still have momentum, and there's still plenty of 3rd world nations to exploit.

  The Soviet Union was far bigger, with millions more "born ins", and they were exploiting plenty of 3rd world countries.
• 

  suavojr

  Great read!!

  According to Gorbachev, the Chernobyl explosion was a “turning point” that “opened the possibility of much greater freedom of expression, to the point that the system as we knew it could no longer continue.”

  Outrage over the catastrophe began to spread among even loyal citizens who had never questioned the infallibility of their governmen

  A turning point is happening now as more of us still inside with appointments start to question the infallibility of the WT.
• 

  MMXIV

  The all-powerful USSR wasn't so powerful, wasn't so strong. that's what shocked me. People woke up to the fact their lives were equally shit. Well not quite as equal as those in power.

  All it would take is a candace conti type scandal that was even more mainstream that all JW's knew about (lot's have no idea despite the great work of cadace & silentlambs) and that they were disgusted with. The WBTS never says sorry and has the PR subtlety of a toxic turd floating in the soup of a royal.

  When genuine JW's are genuinely embarrassed to say they are JW's - then the curtains will fall on the facade and hypocracy that is the WBTS.

  perestroika

  mmxiv
• 

  suavojr

  The question is ,

  How will the GB and WT leaders handle another schism in today's world? Today is becoming harder to hide information especially if people start leaving in the millions.
• 

  suavojr

  WE NEED HARDCORE EVIDENCE ON FILM
• 

  wha happened?

  The Soviet Union was far bigger, with millions more "born ins", and they were exploiting plenty of 3rd worls countries.

  well if ya wanna stand and watch the grass grow while the collapse happens, have at it
• 

  Aaron Eldridge

  First the control of the Organisation would have to become more localized in the minds of the Rank and File. This has already started to happen with the recent change in who comprises the Faithful and Deseret Slave ( used to be all the Anointed Class and is now more localized in the Governing Body). While the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has ofically changed their teaching it will take a while before it filters down to the rank and file. I would imagine that the average Jehovah's Witness has a more nebulous understanding of who the FDS is and how they guide the Organisation(still imagining it to be all Anointed people). It will take time and more pushing of the 'new light' before more hope and trust gets put into the hands of a few men insted of some undefined nebulous group. If this happens then it might become commonplace for the rank and file to know the some of the GB members by name, as they would be rockstars of the faith. If this realized localization of power is well understand by all Witnesses then they are set for potential disaster.

  A huge scandal would have to hit the GB. It could be a public scandle of any nature: a new group trying to claim power, catching GB sessions on film where they bash the rank and file, intentional abuse of finances, etc. The point is that the controlling power would have to be discredited to the point they could no longer be trusted by the rank and file. This is where it is so important for the JW's to have all trust vested in a few men. When they are discredited there is no where esle to turn for leadership, its not like they could say " oh well, the organization was always directed by the whole Anointed Class anyway...so all we need to do is replace the GB members with more people from the FDS. So, really the FDS is still and has always been guiding the Organisation it was just a few bad people within the FDS and not the FDS as a whole". That line of reasoning would not even be an option if they realise the FDS and GB are one in the same.

  So, if the GB becomes publicly discredited there is no leadership in the minds of the rank and file. It would be like a nation without a king or Roman Catholicism without the pope. Then a fight for power would ensue that could lead to a total collapse of the Watchtower Society as we know it. I doubt that it would cease to exist all together, but I would hope that the new controlling power would be softer to the rank and file. Hopefully it would be less of a cult and not as damaging to members.