People who are informed about the history of the Watchtower movement are well-aware that "new light" doesn't come out of a vacuum. "Jehovah" always seems to spirit-direct His "new light" when the WTS has a problem they created for themselves. This is all Bible-Based(tm).
After the death of Chuck Russell in 1916, Joseph Rutherford illegally wrested control from Russell's hand-picked successors. As a result, a large majority of Bible Students at that time bolted from the religion. Amazingly enough, "Jehovah" provided Rutherford with the "new light" he needed to rebuild the religion he now controlled. "Jehovah" did this by revealing to Rutherford the "indisputable fact" that Armageddon would arrive in 1925. As a result of the "Millions" campaign, membership swelled. That scheme worked fine until the majority of membership again bolted when 1925 turned out to be yet another prophetic failure of the organization.
What would Rutherford next do? He did everything possible to draw attention to his religion, not just with world wide literature campaigns, but by issuing WTS statements and creating Watchtower doctrines that would piss off just about everyone. "Religion is a Snare and a Racket" and "Religion is a Harlot" are good examples. Those obnoxious sound cars which woke up sleeping people on Sundays is another. Rutherford cared not one whit about the welfare of his followers. They were just book peddlers to him. Banning his members from accepting small pox vaccinations and from entering into military service were other examples where the victims of these policies suffered while Rutherford's religion got a lot of publicity.
There was a lot of persection of Jehovah's Witnesses during World War II and alot of publicity surrounding it. Doubtless it elicited sympathy or at least curiousity among members of the public: good chance to recruit more members.
Another example of expediency was the society noticed in the mid/late 1960's that growth was stagnant. This is not good. Was it then also a coincidence that FW Franz concocted his 1975 "prophecy" in 1969, then?
Nathan Knorr and Fred Franz were familiar enough with Watchtower history to know that when World War II would end, persecution of membership over their refusal to fight for their country (and thus free publicity) would decline. This is not good. Was it then also a coincidence that FW Franz concocted his ban on blood transfusions in 1945, the year WWII ended?
Not according to a man who was a third generation witness and a forty year member, a man who served at in the administrative offices in the WTS's world headquarters and was personally acquainted with many WT leaders. Although this man wishes to remain anonymous due to the fact that he still has many family members in the WTS, his comments ring true (to me at least) based upon identical patterns used by the WTS in the past.
He claims that Hayden Covington told him that Fred Franz anticipated a drop in news-media publicity with the ending of the war. Franz thought a ban against blood transfusions would continue to publicize the WTS and also create an uproar in the community. This ban would also help convince dubbies that they would be "suffering [and dying, it should be noted] for righteousness' sake." Of course, such suffering and dying would convince them they MUST have the truth.
If this is true, as I believe it is, then Franz was willing to sacrifice the lives of (it is estimated) 10,000 men, women and children who would die by refusing blood in order to further the interests and "promote" the Watchtower Society. Some may call it "sacrifice." I call it "cold-blooded murder."
It's all Bible-Based(tm), though.
For reference: "The Four Presidents of the Watch Tower Society"
Farkel
Joe Rutherford,got a 'burr' on his butt,back in the 1940's about blood.They knew it was bogus back 