Ray Franz blamed for 1975 false prophecy

by EndofMysteries 33 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  outsmartthesystem

  "Ray Franz was put on the governing body in 1971 but for when they first started mentioning the 1975 which I think was around 1968 or so that is correct. My family told me/believed that there were many apostates in Bethel and all of them were responsible for 1975, and because they believed that, they never had a problem with what happened because they thought it was an apostate thing."

  Yep. When you revise your own history (whether through publications or word of mouth) and then prohibit your subjects from reading or discussing anything you don't approve of......you can accomplish anything.
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  Bungi Bill

  I would have to say that there were rumours circulating in the mid-1980s that the 1975 business was the doing of "apostates". (Well, I certainly heard these, anyway!)

  This was closely followed by further rumours about those who left Bethel / were expelled from Bethel to the effect that they had been also invlolved in some homosexual scandal. Both claims, of course, were completely slanderous!

  Bill
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  steve2

  I'm realistic and charitable enough to admit that not all rumors that circulated or circulate within the organization originated anywhere near Headquarters or its hallowed environs. Local kingdom halls the world over are quite capable of developing their own rumors about events in the organization. So, if rumors begin to circulate locally and spread further afield -especially ones that accuse specifically named "apostates" of all manner of doctrinal deviations - I doubt very much that Headquarters would step in to clarify that those rumors were false. When you know that your enemy has been vilified for something he did not do, it's simply not in your interests to defend your enemy against those accusations. I suspect that there may have been "localized" rumors about Ray and company that the GB knew about and knew were unfounded but "allowed" those unfounded rumors to spread because all damnation is good damnation when you want to crush your enemy's reputation.
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  snare&racket

  Elders heres in the uk largely flat out deny the JWs ever claimed 75 as a prophecy. They say it is a misunderstanding of the believers back then...