"Your comment reveals that even you do not believe the R&F have much influence."
What I may or may not believe is impossible for you to have any inkling whatsoever. But, more to the point, it is entirely irrelevant to this exchange. I speak of what I know for a fact occurred and why, with no need to depend on what I or anyone else believes.
The factual MJ account offers quite the intriguing insight into surprising and unexpected ways, at least to me, the leadership of this corporation strategized in specific aspects of its oversight and with regard to its attempts at rehabbing its stature among the faithful in that precarious decade following its failed 1975 prophecy and "The Great Apostasy."
"WT responds only to threats to its public image. It doesn't give a damn about internal rumblings from the R&F. Please post evidence of any major policy change WT has made based on popular opinion among JWs."
Lol! A not very clever attempt to twist the subject. Nobody's claiming any change in any kind of policy, major or otherwise. I speak of judicial cases in which the WTS has felt forced to act in response to R&F outcry. Confused much?
Still, if I deigned to indulge your mangled challenge, my favorite might involve an incident (and subsequent judicial case) a few years before the MJ events regarding (the specific # I will not disclose) other very popular and regarded JW celebrities who transgressed--according to petty JW rules & regs--on a highly-visible entertainment forum. The WTS was more than content to overlook the matter until the local circuit's R&F refused to relent in their ripping their outer garments in vocal demand for HQ action.
I'll offer no more detail, but am obliged to repeat that you are either misinformed, inexperienced in matters such as these, or perhaps merely naïve.
But it's your right to think what you will. It's with no small amount of pride I submit that I am well and truly past any compulsion to whip out my spouse's and my JW bona fides to measure whose is...[ahem]...longer, if you will, in the competition to impress ex-JWs.
I'm happy to let you "win," Shirl. Continue to have it your way, friend, no hard feelings.
AMNESIAN
Captive 7/1972 - 2/2001