How is the org really run? What goes on behind the scenes? (page 9)

Focus

some of the more pernicious aspects of the religion are not as obvious as shunning and blood

Apognophos, you are right. Even the "two witnesses" rule (i.e., the advertisement that swells the Whore's numbers with the influx of predatory pedophiles) isn't.

It is the whole pernicious, mental-illness-inducing effect of its collection of idiotic beliefs and practices.

It damages the health, esp. the mental health, and happiness of people.

A way must be found to allow it to be sued for exactly this pervasive and non-specific but nonetheless enormous damage. This is the Era of Lawsuits against Major Corporations.

Even the tobacco giants have limbered up for the day they will be really held to account. Their share prices reflect this already. They are shifting assets out of the "vulnerable" states to places where they are guaranteed immunity and safety.

The Filthy Harlot of Brooklyn is doing the same. Real estate is being gradually realized (i.e. liquidated) (think the move to jw.org) and moneys moved into more subtle, harder-to-get at things - and probably with an aim to be as far out of the reach of US, Canadian, European, Australian etc. Courts as is possible.

I personally don't care if the whole org. dies or not, I just want to see the harmful policies revoked

From a medical POV, when an organism is so evil, or completely malformed, so thoroughly diseased, minor DNA adjustments, surgery or other excision can't be enough.

You don't debate with a smallpox virus. You destroy it, every last fragment of it, except you keep a few specimens well-locked-up somewhere for research for the next time such a horrible blight emerges.

Don't kill its victims with the cure, though, unless it is absolutely necessary as an act of mercy.

Now, for the Water that Leads to Everlasting Life, scroll to the real message of:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/281308/1/A-precious-gift-to-all-from-Jehovah-channelled-via-Focus#5045463

which is not the honey-laden flytrap that I put at the top of the thread. Thank you.

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Focus

("Humanist" Class)

Vidiot

Apognophos - "I just want to see the harmful policies revoked."

That will never happen.

At this stage in the game, that would be tantamount to admitting they were wrong to have them in the first place. Whether they're conscious of it or not, they'd rather run the Org into the ground than acknowledge that.

EDIT: Even the blood prohibition - a policy that anecdotal evidence suggests they actually want to abandon - is almost impossible to ditch.

Why? For one thing, the policy is so solidly associated with Jehovah's Witnesses in the public eye that dropping it could prove publicly embarassing, and open a lot of questions that they'd rather not have to answer.

For another, the XJW community's criticism of the policy is so constant and ongoing, that from a purely psychological POV, the WTS feels compelled to keep it - at least officially - purely to avoid looking like we've made them change it. It's the same principal as the rebellious teen; tell him to quit smoking 'cause it's bad for him, and he'll probably smoke more just to say "f**k you".

Apognophos

Yes, I have to agree that I don't see those changes happening either.

And the problem with the blood teaching is that, while allowing fractions and synthetic alternatives may be almost as good as allowing whole blood at this point... many JWs view blood with disgust. Because the Society made it a conscience matter, many JWs (like me) decided that their conscience would not allow taking any portion of someone else's blood and chose "no fractions". So some people are still being placed needlessly in danger because the Society encouraged us for decades to react to blood with revulsion.

Edit: Thanks for mentioning the "two witness" rule, Focus, that was an important policy that I neglected to mention.

sir82

It is the whole pernicious, mental-illness-inducing effect of its collection of idiotic beliefs and practices.

It damages the health, esp. the mental health, and happiness of people.

A way must be found to allow it to be sued for exactly this pervasive and non-specific but nonetheless enormous damage. This is the Era of Lawsuits against Major Corporations.

I agree with the sentiments expressed, but here is what I don't get.

Pretty much any religion, if you dig deep enough, can damage or has damaged the mental health & happiness of at least some people. Or at the very least any Christian religion.

This is perhaps more evident with JWs than say, Episcopalians, but it really is just a matter of degree.

The comparison with tobacco companies is astute.

Would the tobacco lawsuits have been so successful if, say, RJ Reynolds had been the target but Brown & Williamson were purposely ignored?

I.e., wouldn't most attorneys and/or judges view a pointed attack against just one well-established religion as a "slippery slope"?

At least in the US, religion is treated with the softest of kid gloves in the legal sphere.

Where is the flaw in my thinking?

Focus

sir82, sorry for the delay in responding.

There is no flaw per se in your thinking. I've been through the same thought processes myself some years ago.

The problems are considerable. The goals are worth it.

There's more here - scroll down to my post #789.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/281308/1/A-precious-gift-to-all-from-Jehovah-channelled-via-Focus

I will answer your questions there when my posting quota permits.

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Focus

("YES!" Class)

MissFit

Bttt I somehow missed this. I found the discussion very interesting.

Miss.Fit

James Jack

Don Wallace(Retired CO, DO, now an Elder in Scottsboro Alabama), told me at a luncheon recently, "The Governing Body does not run the WBTS, but when they walk in the room, everyone falls to their knees!"

Magnum

James Jack, interesting. Did he give any hints as to who does run it?

I remember him. I can see him in my mind right now - on the stage at a dist conv in the southeast about 30 yrs ago. I even remember where I was sitting, which way the podium was facing, etc. Do you have any idea about how he feels about the current JWdom - the new shallow, wimpy, shiny one?

How is the org really run? What goes on behind the scenes?

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