Hi Yadda
Yes I agree they could easily change these doctrines for a gentler approach - but they won't, not without a serious change of heart and leadership.
For example, the GB daren't change the doctrine about blood despite knowing the whole thing doesn't make sense because the outcry from those brothers and sisters who have lost loved ones, including children adhering to this policy would be so scandalous it would totally end their control. And its ALL about maintaining control.
Same goes for the disfellowshiping rule. It should be about showing love to erring ones as JESUS would have shown love, (Jesus NEVER shunned). The problem is the Society have lumped all disfellowshipped and disassociated together under the same banner regardless of whether they were thrown out for fornication or for apostasy. And its those they call apostates that they're most afraid of. Its that intense fear of "apostates" that keeps the disfellowshiping rule in place.
They know that they're being too harsh in their understanding of the proof scriptures they use (Ray Franz proves that in ISOCF) but its an absolute must to maintain information control. By demonizing those that disagree with them, the Society have made the rank and file very fearful. Its all part and parcel of making sure the average Witness never hears what total frauds the GB are. Because once the cat is out of the bag, there's no going back and the old men in Brooklyn are out of a job.
The 2 witness rule was a media smoke-screen for the paedophile problem. A smoke-screen that totally backfired on them. By invoking the 2 witness rule and trying to keep the pedo problem in-house and out of the public eye, they were able to cling onto a finely honed public image of themselves as "God's Organization". By making it hush-hush, they could also continue to slag off the Catholic church for having this very public problem. It enabled them to elevate themselves in their own eyes and in the eyes of the average Witness.
Don't be fooled by the platitudes about the children since being found out. They don't give a damn about the victims of abuse, it was all about protecting their precious reputation. The sorrow expressed for the victims is purely a media damage-limitation exercise. If they really cared about the abused children in their midst, they would have gone to the authorities immediately.
So all in all the Society daren't take a softer line on any of these issues. Its nothing to do with what the bible says on these subjects, it never has been. Its all about what is politically expedient to maintaining their control of nearly 7 million people keeping themselves on a very high pedestal.
Power and control. Thats what its all about.