Who are the Governing Body members? Can the average JW name even one or more members of that body? And for those JWs who do know one or more members, what do they really know about them? (Not all of this series will be in essay form ... but this one is as a kick off to the series.)
If you want to see the current list of Governing Body members and other Corporate officers of some of the Watchtower corporations, see this: http://www.freeminds.org/history/listofgbmembers.htm Courtesy of Freemings.org
More importantly, HOW did these men get to be the absolute rulers over six million Jehovah's Witnesses? The average JW has a very vague idea of how these men are in a position over them. New JWs seem to know even less, or many could care less ... and this lack of interest is often typical in our society in general. For example: If you start a checking account at a bank, you trust them with your hard earned money, yet the average person makes no real effort to know who the branch manager is, much less care about the board of directors or executive officers. Few depositors in a bank know the background, education, or experience of the persons who take and use their money. The difference is that banks are at least regulated and monitored by state and federal agencies ... whereas the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses have no such level of accountability.
It is not surprising, however, that this lack of investigation into the background of leaders would be the case in a religious environment ... because people join for reasons not related to the leadership ... yet, in the case of groups like Jehovah's Witnesses, it is these very leaders who have a great impact and ultimate control over the lives of so many millions.
What does the Watchtower tell the average member or a person from the general public? Note what they say on their website:
a central group of experienced elders who oversee the worldwide congregation. There are also over 100 branch offices around the world. At these locations, volunteers help to print and ship Bible literature. Direction is also given to the organizing of the preaching work. Why not plan a visit to the branch office nearest you?
[Source: http://www.watchtower.org/library/rq/article_14.htm]
This little paragraph certainly implies a modest arrangement ... experienced Elders may easily imply to the average JW that these men are taken from local congregations because of their talent and experience and as such they are simply overseeing the worldwide work of Jehovah's Witnesses. But, how are they really chosen?
When professing to be of the Anointed: I was approached one Sunday after the meeting by a sister who is the mother of the man who brought me into the JW religion. She had already been a JW from the mid-1950s, when I was about 4 years old. Now, in the mid-1980s, I was just over 30 years old, and she was approaching 35 years in the organization at that time ... and here is what she asked me:
"I am curious, do you ever get any insight from Jehovah that you write down and send off to the Governing Body?"
This simple yet understandable question utterly stunned me. I had never before considered such a thing. I did not get any special insight beyond my claim to be Anointed. And in retrospect, even that so-called 'insight' or 'claim' was a religious fantasy as most religious experiences likely may be. But what her question told me was that average JWs really believe that the remaining Anointed are the Faithful & Discreet Slave who have charge over the Master's belongings, and as such, they really do direct and use the Governing Body to oversee the worldwide work of preaching the Good News.
Years later in 1989 I finally read the book Crisis of Conscience, and discovered that the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses has no interest in the Anointed class worldwide. The Society does not consult with the so-called Faithful & Discreet Slave, and in fact, they do not even track who these Anointed are beyond taking a census once a year resulting from the Memorial celebration! This did not disturb me personally, as though I might have felt left out of the "loop" ... rather, I was concerned because I could see that the most fundamental cornerstone of Watchtower doctrine, their special understanding of a so-called Faithful & Discreet Slave class as having a God-given Commission as Prophets in these last days is not true ... it is a pure fiction. [Ref. the book, The Nations Shall Know that I am Jehovah, Copyright 1971, Watchtower, Chapter 4, "Commissioned to Speak in the Divine Name"]
So, what we were being taught was not honestly taking place ... for all practical purposes, the term Faithful and Discreet Slave class, as used and applied by Jehovah's Witnesses, is nothing more than a fairy-tale akin to Santa Claus for children. There is no Santa Claus and there is no Faithful & Discreet Slave class. Yet, being CHOSEN in 1918 at the time of Jesus Christ Second Presence (Coming) and enthronement in heaven as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords must be a major fulfullment of prophecy ... or so it is claimed over many decades in many and various Watchtower publications. So, such a commission and divine choice must mean something! The reality in practice is that this root doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses is an empty shell.
So then, how are the members of the Governing Body really chosen? What is the criteria? I don't really know, but over the last ten to twelve years since I left the JW religion, I have a better idea - I think. I believe that these men largely started out working at the Bethel level, or perhaps in Missionary work, as did Raymond Franz. After working many years at Bethel, likely decades, and in some cases, if you are better connected as was Ray Franz to his uncle Fred Franz, Vice President of the Watchtower Society, and you simply profess to be Anointed, you stand a chance of being chosen to serve in that capacity ... likely your Bethel experience overseeing magazine production, or assisting in the writing department may be of help ... but, judging from what various Bethelites and ex-Bethelites have stated to me, your talents and experiences are not always important ... you could be a computer genius, yet be asked to clean toilets, just to make sure you are in submission and kept humble.
Education, corporate experience, career development in secular life virtually mean nothing ... the men who are appointed, are chosen for reasons that are not necessarily consistent with what a major corporation or religion really need. Not that idiots in the secular world cannot rise to the top, for they do ... but usually there are adequate checks and balances, and enough good, experienced, and educated people to offset the potential damage done ... but in the case of a rigid religion like Jehovah's Witnesses, the perpetuation of harm continues at a steady pace precisely because it lacks checks and balances, and because more often than not, untrained and unqualified people are at the helm, driving the religion like a runaway train into the ditch of destruction ... perhaps Ray Franz, Ed Dunlap and a few others were the exception to the rule.
Who does the Appointing? When do they feel the need to add members to the Governing Body? The first part is fairly easy. The Governing Body makes any appointments of new members. They are not directed by any policy, nor are they directed and instructed by the larger Faithful & Discreet Slave to add members ... nor do the Faithful & Discreet Slave review and approve any such appointments ... rather it is a closed and very small club of a few men. Beyond that, all else is a mystery. At times in my JW life, there were as many as eighteen (18) members of the Governing Body, and currently there are ten (10) members. At least the Mormons follow the concept of having twelve (12) Apostles ... it makes a little more sense. I guess when the majority of the Governing Body, or maybe a single powerful member, like that rumored about Ted Jaracz, decides that some of the members are getting too old and feeble, then it may be time to bring in a few new members ... the latest being Sam Herd, the first and only African-American member.
History of the Governing Body: Oddly enough, the Board of Directors of the Watchtower as a publishing corporation was the forerunner of today's Governing Body ... largely, the organization was run by Russell and then Rutherford as sole and exclusive all-powerful leaders, who did not recognize any Governing Body. The term seems to have begun to be used by the 1940s or 1950s, but it was not made reality until the 1970s. It was then that power was really transferred from the sole ruler, Nathan Knorr, to the Governing Body.
The Bible does not support any such concept as a Governing Body. Outside the temporary existence of the 12 Apostles, there is no evidence of any kind of a core of leaders. Even here, such people like the Apostle Paul acted quite independently of any central direction, and in fact, discarded any direction except by Holy Spirit. If one reads the New Testament, the clear impression is that the Christian faith is governed by the Holy Spirit and not by men ... even the Apostle Paul challenged the Galatians to not become slaves of men again, for they were to treasure their freedom from men ruling their religious lives ...
Ultimate serious concern: Regardless of what concept a person accepts as to how a religion is operated and led, whether it claims God a sole leader, or claims that God rules with the assistance of human leaders ... what I have come to realize is that it is extremely unwise to turn our most important asset, our conscience, our very lives, over to men who we cannot name, who we know nothing about, and who are not qualified to lead us. In my opinion, the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses is a dangerous and insideous arrangement that should raise red flags for those who are considering joining the religion. The recent expose' of the child molestation policies of the Watchtower religion is an example of how harmful and misguided these men are.
Stay tuned for Part 2 - Do all the Governing Body believe the JW religion?
An then, Part 3 - Did J. F. Rutherford lie about being Exonerated?
And, more parts are on the way ...