Sorry I often don't come back to my discussions due to lack of time... no mystery!
Randy only doesn't reply if he doesn't visit here to see what comments are made. :-)) I'd be doing it all day.
in response to:
I notice that this issue - of a hidden governance of the Watchtower - has been brought up before and Randy doesn't reply.
That fact puzzles me. I recognize the hard work and selfless devotion Randy has shown - that makes me all the more puzzled.
This is so common in businesses and big organizations, it is certainly no mystery. Just because they are a religion, they're still corporate men with their own interests at heart, and will screw others as needed. Even if they wait 20 years. :-))
You have to understand that there are several generations of men in charge at Bethel. The longer you are there, the less you "obey" their rules and mandates. It is a sign of either/or:
1) You know the person making the new rule is inferior to you in position, and dissing them demonstrates they have no power over you and would be beneath your dignity.
2) You know the newbies are just men like you, only wet behind the ears. What can they possibly teach you????
A perfect example is in 1978 or so Dan Sydlik announced that all who come to the breakfast table should dress as if they were going to a meeting. How stupid, and it went over like a lead balloon. Fred Franz, vice-pres. at the time and table head, came to HIS REGULAR Bethel breakfast table the entire next week wearing the same old ragged T-shirt that said, "WHERE IN THE HELL IS McCOOK, NEBRASKA?" Just to show Sydlik (and 2000 others) who was boss.
What was his message? The finger to Sydlik.
This was actually quite common. Remember, this was before the Franz purge. The new puppet GB, who complained about having "no power" as did Henschel during a private Bethel elders meeting (300 elders at the time, I was one) complained about HAVING NO POWER, and Henschel himself said, "What power? We have no power!" in complaint. I was feverishly writing this all down it was so surrealistic.
Obviously this would never have been said at the breakfast table. Only at a Bethel elders' meeting, which maybe one or two of you ever attended. So you never got to know the REAL gut feelings of the GB on highly critical matters. Same with Harley Miller, head of the Service Dept. before Jaracz got there. You have to read my take on that. :-))
Fred Rusk, Colin Quackenbush, Knorr and F. W. Franz used to brag about how they were not drones, and had differences of opinion from the WT's official positions. Franz acted them out quite often, much to the amusement of the Bethel BA's (ones with "bad attitudes"). Freddy was a hero the the new boys and he loved it... but almost everyone disliked or hated Knorr. Yet they were Mutt and Jeff. Freddy was actually the truly EVIL one of the two!!
Quackenbush (former editor of the Awake! magazine) told his little circle of admirers that he believed all the "anointed" were chosen in the first century. Knorr voiced doubts about 1975, and visited Cathedrals in Rome DURING services!! YOU would get disfellowshipped for that.
God knows what Freddy told the salivating brothers who joined him in the sauna privately each week. The idea was disgusting to me to be near him, the old creep.
F. W. Franz wrote the "God's Kingdom of 1000 Years" book (yellow) which completely reinterpreted the Society's meaning of Jesus' parables, and he was gutsy enough to give an hour lecture on it at a Gilead Graduation when it came out. (Franz had free reign to do whatever he wanted and no one could do anything about it.)
During the first 30 minutes of his talk on the parables of Jesus in front of 2000 Bethelites at a Gilead Graduation ceremony, he talked the standard interpretation of the parables of Jesus according to the Society.
Then halfway through, he declared it all to be bull$%^&, and gave an entirely new meaning to each parable, often the very opposite! Get the book and you'll see for yourself! I'm sure the Gilead lecture is recorded somewhere online as well, along with Freddy's rant at another Gilead Graduation in 1975 where he completely trashed the idea of a first century Governing Body, let alone a ROTATING one. (THAT deserves a snicker.)
Freddy was Knorr's advocate and never paid much attention at all to the "new" GB, which numbered 18 at that point if I remember. As with all previous changes of leadership, the older ones developed class distinctions (Ruth and Naomi classes, etc.) and EACH ONE was a lesser position to the creeps in charge before!
The oldies wanted to keep all the power they could, and still do. BUT THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT. Then you come under scrutiny and your cover is blown.
Now they are almost gone.
It's the same today... the current GB are looked down upon as ignorant by the older family leaders AND members, for the most part. They didn't hide their feelings about it when I was there, either!
Each older family member took pride in their own pet interpretations (up until the 1979/Franz Incident). But the older ones enjoy being hidden in the background... they keep their power secret that way. Let the lapdogs (new GB members) take all the heat and cruel laughter at their stupidity! This was EXTREMELY common before 1979. And to be a Bethelite who knew one of the powerful oldies, and were part of their little clique, was a sign of great honor!! You knew MORE than everyone else, therefore you had more "power." You were not in a mindless cult anymore.
Knorr brought in Jaracz from Australia to get back at the new GB for takiing away his power (notice Jaracz was always in the forefront then??) , but he was dying of cancer, blubbering down the hallway his last year (1977?). He bragged about how he started Gilead all the time. Freddy was pissed because after nearly 70 years as resident prophet, he couldn't get full control as President! But then they gave it to him, regretted it, and soon "whisked him away" from Bethel.
The new GB (Henschel and Schroeder were the main spokesmen - Jaracz was head of the Nazi SS) wanted visible power. Power is a DRUG.
The old guard could only operate their shenanigans from a place of secrecy, something Knorr taught them well. And they had absolutely no interest in impressing the lesser new GB members, whom they looked down upon.
If you don't get it, then read stories of the aging leadership of large corporations - it's exactly the same. It is neither a conspiracy nor a secret to men in power.
Randy
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