Was Governing Body Member Gerritt Losch Ever Disfellowshipped? (page 3)

I recall a conversation where Fred Franz mentioned that only members of "the anointed class" who had an unblemished moral record were chosen to be members of the GB. I think that if Losch had ever been disfellowshipped, he couldn't be on the GB unless the members felt the elders had done it in error.

Bert Schroeder mentioned that a JW in Europe had been wrongly disfellowshipped before becoming a branch member due to jealousy on the part of elders who thought he was too young to be of "the anointed." The disfellowshiping was rescinded soon thereafter. I don't think Losch was the person he had in mind, but he could have been.

minimus

Herk, thank you for your comment. Based upon Franz's words, it would've been a big deal.

herk

Mizpah,

I knew a PO who was disfellowshipped for leaving his wife and going with a young "sister." He divorced his wife and married the "sister." Both were eventually reinstated.

I know of another case like that. They were reinstated just two years after being disfellowshipped. As far as I know, the reinstated former PO hasn't been re-appointed to being an elder, but there was a heartless and cruel aspect to this situation. They came back to the same congregation where the divorced wife was still a member. As the years went by, I saw her die a slow death as meeting after meeting her former husband and his young wife strutted in to the Kingdom Hall and were greeted as if nothing had ever happened.

Herk

minimus

That happens a lot. That's when the innocent person gets counseled by the elders about being forgiving and waiting on Jehovah.

izobcenec

this is what I found about Gerrit

Gerrit Lösch (1941-)

Gerrit Lösch was born in 1941 (in Austria?).

He was pioneer since November 1, 1961 and was circuit and district overseer in Austria between 1963 and 1976.

In 1965/1966 he was invited to the 41th Gilead class.

In 1967 he married to Merete and sometime after that they entered to the Bethel in Vienna, Austria, where he stayed 14 years.

In 1993/1994 was called to the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, where he worked for the Executive Committee and Service Committee.

Lösch knows well the Watchtower activities in Europe and speaks German, English, Rumanian and Italian.

On July 1, 1994 he was appointed to the Governing Body.

minimus

izo, based upon those credentials, I would be very surprised if Losch was ever DF'd. I don't think he'd have the time to fit that into his schedule.

herk

Izo,

Thanks. I agree with minimus that the data confirms Lösch was never disfellowshipped. If he had been, I seriously doubt he would have been recommended for congregation elder let alone circuit overseer at age 22, especially after pioneering for only a year. He rose rapidly in the ranks, and I would assume from his record that he had a good source of income and a better than average education. Another possibility is that he was a favourite with the Austrian branch overseer and/or Knorr. Sorry if I seem a bit cynical, but I assume his rapid rise to stardom led him to believe he was of "the anointed" even though he was born after the 1935 cut-off date.

Herk

Pistoff

As I watch both sides of this discussion, it has illustrated for me the doublethink that is the trademark of being a witness.

First, minimus who (rightly I believe) feels that being df'd and then later a GB member would be news. And then logan who follows what the society actually prints about forgiveness and repentence. There exists written information about sin, forgiveness, etc, and MANY unwritten rules as well. Case in point: a brother who schemes to divorce his wife to remarry, or just to get rid of her: if adultery is involved, he will not be reinstated for at least five years. If it is extremely well known, or he has a pattern of conduct, it might be ten. Find that for me in any written information that the average witness reads, logan; yet every ex elder who posts here has heard of this.

There is a sharp difference between what is printed, how that information then molds the mind of the rank and file, and what is actual practice by the elders, JC's and leadership in New York. As witnesses we think that anything is available to us even after we have "made a mistake", but I agree with Minimus that for GB membership a flawless life of service (in the pharisaical eyes of the gray men in NY) would be necessary; think about this: if there are available many men who have flawless records, and some who do not, who will they choose? In my old hall, they took away the privilege of reading at the bookstudy, for crying out loud .The elder who did it said they did it because they could; there were enough brothers available who had good service records (above national average) who "qualified" to read. This brother had connections at Bethel and loved their mindset.

To have a man appointed to GB who had once been df'd would be a very notable breach of protocol that exists in Bethel, whether the society will admit it exists or not.

minimus

Pistoff, This is mostly about age vs. experience. Some things you just "know". Debating won't get you anywhere.......It's like discussing elders. I "know" about elders. I know the mindset. So, why argue with someone that can't appreciate the experience?

Was Governing Body Member Gerritt Losch Ever Disfellowshipped?

Gerrit Lösch (1941-)

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