by pale.emperor 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Chook: "Warwick farm with these 7 in one spot could actually qualify as an mental asylum."
I am cleaning off my keypad........ had a mouthful of coffee when I read that!
The Searcher:
Samuel Herd - my instincts tell me he knows that the org is corrupt and self-serving and he's just going through the motions. He has a wife and family to consider, so he will bite his tongue. He doesn't appear to act as self-righteous and "glorious" as the rest of his fellow "priests" at Brooklyn. I reckon he could be mentally "out" already.
Sorry Searcher, but I strongly disagree with you. I've heard quite a number of Samuel Herd's talks and it looks like he's also deluded to the highest degree!
Here's the transcript of one of his talks. Have a read-through yourself and see his true nature. I have the audio recording too if you like
They are definitely sociopaths or psychopaths. Sociopathic behavior is usually a nurtured condition, where as psychopathic behavior comes from an underdeveloped brain.
The individual GB members would need to be carefully studied/typed, and then have their shadow functions discovered. Pedophilia, anyone?
This would be a difficult task, because all TMS members ( Theocratic Ministry School ) are trained to deliver believable performances of outlines that are devoid of any feeling. Who is the best at such a feat, an Extrovert, or clever Introvert?
While being groomed into Sociopaths is a reality for Dubs, finding a Psychopath is difficult. With all the Pedos running around in the ORG, and the utter disregard for societal norms, and no real empathy shown for children, at least some of the GB ( Pharisees ) and their Legal Team ( Scribes ) must be Psychopaths.
DD
Anthony Morris III - narcissist, controlling, possibly psychopath. Knows full well it's all bullshit but loves the power.
I would add that he firmly believes it's the best way of life and that image is everything when it comes to the org. Would love to return to some sort of 1950's "leave it to beaver" utopia.
Stephen Lett - mentally ill, fantasist, liar who genuinely believes the lies he tells.
Not sure on this one, it could be that he believes that he has such a unique style of speaking that people will believe anything he says. Probably also believes rank and file don't need all the facts because it would discourage them.
Samuel Herd - deluded, likely actually believes he actually is anointed by God
I think he is mentally awake, the only reason I say that is because I saw him at an assembly once delivering a talk and his demeanor was quite strange. It was like the words were coming out but his body language was very uncomfortable. Gave me the impression that he doesn't believe any of it.
Gerrit Lösch - deluded and likely a liar who knows he's a fraud.
Knows most of it is BS but believes in the basics from the bible, the rest really isn't important to him.
Geoffrey Jackson - deluded, likely actually believes he actually is anointed by God
Just happy to be there, treats the position like a job, wants to make the org appeal to people
Mark Sanderson - liar, narcissist with an inferiority complex
Has a need to impress others and have them like him, loves to tell stories of false humility.
David Splane - deluded, likely actually believes he actually is anointed by God
Thinks he is an actual bible scholar, takes the lead on bible prophecies, he may not actually believe it but thinks he is gifted at making all the pieces fit together.
I could be wrong, but these are my impressions:
I believe as Ray Franz said, the GB are still “captives of a concept.” They believe that the organization is God’s sole channel and thus can do no wrong. The decisions made as a small collective body also allows them to not accept individual responsibility.
As DD said, likely all nurtured sociapaths and narcissists. Such an effect is only natural given the cause: their rise through the organization as company men to the top spot where they are surrounded by sycophants where as a body they have no checks and balances, no transparency. They are religious rock stars who live in an insulted bubble.
I don’t know enough about Sanderson as he’s kinda the new guy.
Lösch seems old and tired and barely hanging in there.
Judging from Herd’s disposition giving the talk about the layoff of fulltime servants, he felt worn out. I wonder if he’s struggling to maintain his belief while wrestling with reality catching up.
Jackson seemed like a true believer at the ARC, arrogant and condescending, and at times a deer in the headlights when confronted by people smarter than he.
I believe Morris, Lett, and Splane are all truest believers, which is what makes them dangerous. I suspect Splane in particular has an elevated view of himself as a scholar and a composer…he is likely the brainchild behind the overlapping generation and the new musical direction the organization is taking.
Of course, I suspect they all individually have an authentic self, a side of themselves that sometimes manifest that is quite apart from learned sociopathy and narcissism. I also think that had we rose through the organization and ended up on the Governing Body that we ourselves might manifest the same negative tendencies they do. As JWs, that was "that is what some of us were."
By that measure, it might be that it is not so much as a “rise to the top”, as a descent to the bottom. The organization is a pit and the Governing Body are in the deepest part. It’s a long climb out of the hole they have dug for themselves.
" I also think that had we rose through the organization and ended up on the Governing Body that we ourselves might manifest the same negative tendencies they do. As JWs, that was "that is what some of us were."
NOPE. We never could have rose through the ranks, because we are not like them. We were forced to dress, walk, talk, act, and believe as they did, but we were never like them. That's why we are here, and could never have been there.
DD
DD:
I can see where you are coming from.
What I meant is that some of us were elders and participated in judicial committees, some of us were just rank and file members and participated in ratting out fellow members or shunning former members, some of us were somewhat arrogant and judgmental because that was the learned group behavior. In one way or another, we participated in negative behavior and attitudes that we no longer participate in.
I don’t believe I could’ve ever proclaimed myself “anointed”, because to be honest with myself, I know that I’m not different than anyone else. I think of how Ed Dunlap never professed to be because he realized he was not distinct or above others.
It's impossible to watch Stephen Lett on any broadcast, and not be distracted by his annoyance.
It's been said before but putting these guys on show was a mistake. I am confident that Lett alone, waving his arms, goofing with his eyes and stupid mouth when he addresses his audience like special-ed preschoolers, he could have helped hundreds of people learn TTATT.
Morris will be the kind to take charge of a splinter group if this shit falls apart while he is still at the helm. Even if he had only a congregation of followers, he would take it, he's the sickest of he bunch.
