Posted by ros$GB [ros] on October 25, 1999 at 22:02:13 {DjTI9F5X/YdmhhsMJ.h27/SY5I9NtE}:
To my fellow members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses:
I have served with you good men for many years. By now you have heard that one among you is talking on the Internet. You may have heard that I do not fully agree with everything we as a 'body' and an organization are doing or teaching.
Before I continue, I will explain why I am on the Internet and what I hope to accomplish. We have been telling the brothers and sisters through the pages of the Kingdom Ministry and such, that the Internet is a dangerous place for them. Yes, we phrase the admonitions to make it appear as if they have some selective choice in the matter, but the truth is, we have not wanted them to talk among themselves. We have been afraid of what could happen if active members have anonymous access to disfellowshipped persons, especially those we have labeled as apostates.
So, dear brothers, I decided that our Bethel staff may not be telling us everything we need to know. Not because they are trying to be dishonest, but our organizational emphasis preconditions the way they view matters, and may color the reports we hear. I decided to embark upon a venture to get to understand what these forums were about. I wanted to know what our brothers and sisters were saying and what some of those who have left us are saying. I did not know where to begin, who to talk to, or what the results might be. To my surprise, there is a far different picture than the jaded copy we understand. Because some of our brothers here at Bethel have occasion to visit these sites, I am banking on one of them making sure that you get a copy of this Open Letter. I will not be surprised if we discuss this issue in our next session.
More importantly, I have been concerned for years over our organization's teachings, policies, and practices. I have held these to myself, and made only modest discussion in our meetings. It has never been my goal to run ahead of Jehovah or be pushy with you brothers. But as I have taken stock of my life, I realize that things have moved too slowly among us. Yes, we move fast enough when we want to get rid of an undesirable element. But we need to be far more diligent in our efforts to attend the needs of our dear brothers and sisters.
You may at this point question my credibility and brush this off as some disgruntled person who is attempting to get your goat. The truth is though, even if I was such an impostor, the issues still stand on their own merit and we as a 'body' need to take swift and serious action to address these.
You may also ask why I would drag this out into the public forums instead of bringing these matters up in full session. The truth is, when you consider our meetings, we don't really accomplish much in a substantive way. Oh yes, we talk heatedly at times about some of these matters and more. But even if we agree to a change, it is nothing more than window dressing. We are missing some very serious issues facing us as an organization and as individuals. So, I have chosen to use this forum to bring up the issues so that you can consider them without feeling like you are on the spot. Let me explain:
I have observed these Internet forums for a while, but have remained silent. Then, I began to talk on one site via electronic mail. I discovered how much easier it is to think and comment openly without the backlash of harsh criticism and reckless judgment. Oh yes, some individuals make sarcastic and sometimes very ignorant remarks. They can be very caustic. But I can ignore them and spend more time talking to those of serious mind. The value is that we can learn and discuss without fearing what others will think. This is an interesting tool that I never imagined possible. I am not suggesting that this is the only way to go, but that it is a good tool which we should not dismiss so easily.
By forcing some of our debate into public forum, we have the potential to understand and enjoy the reaction of many who care for us, many who are serious and good, and those who even disagree with us can provide very constructive remarks.
Most important, brothers, are the serious issues we need to address. By placing them into public forum, I am hoping you will read them and feel free to open them up at our meetings. You may want to know how that can work when I just said our Governing Body meetings were almost non-productive.
When you get my post, you will realize it is from me. Without feeling that you are promoting anything specific I am suggesting, you can at least ask for comments. No one has to feel that they must bring up the issue, as that seems to imply support for it, or at least concern over it. But by using a public forum, all can comment more freely. You also have the same ability to go onto to the Internet and either respond to me openly in the forum or by electronic mail to the site that posts my comments. We can talk without feeling we might be identified as the bad guy. We can begin to bring down the virtual CIA atmosphere we have had here.
What are the main issues? I will list them here, and in my next few postings, I will detail what my specific comments are regarding each issue. Brothers, it is nice that we added four new members to our 'body'. It is nice to have some freshmen among us. What we must face, though, is that there is a large and growing dissent happening right under our noses. Further, we debate over minor matters, and ignore serious issues. If we do not make some meaningful and rapid changes, we will see the organization collapse like the former Soviet Union. The main issues are:
1. Blood Transfusions: We must not only review this issue, but we must revisit the very premise of it and come to new and better conclusions.
2. Total Shunning for disfellowshipped persons: This is of no benefit to us to have a policy of total shunning. We can still disfellowship, but make the policy more in tune with the Bible.
3. 1914: Get rid of the whole idea and start over.
4. Admit our past mistakes, publicly, in writing. Apologize completely, and readmit many back into fellowship with us.
5. Review our Field Service program, and make it far more efficient and loving.
6. Stop conflicting policy decisions: such as our inconsistent blood stand with Bulgaria.
7. Revisit our history and our reason for existence. Consider a whole new mission of Jehovah's Witnesses such that we change the very premise of what we are as an organization.
Now before some of you start getting all worked up about who wrote this, or calling these 'apostate' issues, please realize that it is already too late for us to go back. One of us, (and that is me) is on the Internet. Many active Jehovah's Witnesses, dear faithful brothers and sisters, are talking on the Internet with other faithful friends and some who have left fellowship with us. They are promoting reform. This is not going to go away, but only grow. We either deal with it now as serious and deserving our full attention, or we will see total collapse of the organization. If we persist in taking forever to deal with serious issues, then we may still have our seats on the Governing Body, but that is all we will have. There will be few if any to even prepare our meals. They will all be gone.
The foregoing is what I believe will happen whether I am involved in this effort or not. But, I am involved. I am going to work at this from both sides of the aisle, with one foot in our organizational structure and one foot in the Internet. Every time you fail to address meaningful change, or you ignore serious issues, I will be on the Internet talking with everyone.
Brothers, now is the time. We can no longer afford to wait for progress. We cannot sit in our Ivory tower and pretend we are waiting on Jehovah to direct us. This reasoning reminds me of old tale about the little boy who is told to finish a chore. He says he will, but does not. When questioned about the delay, he says he is waiting for the spirit to move him. Nor can we sit there and say that we will wait as we do not want to rush ahead of the organization. If you look at it with truth, we are the organization. It does not move unless we make and carry out a decision.
I may be getting old. I may have let too many years go by without making more happen. But, it is high time we wake up and notice that we are about to be run over by a fast moving train. We think we are doing well, when in fact we are sick and need a physician. We need the love and help of our Lord Jesus Christ. We need Jehovah to forgive us and move us in the right direction of humility and equality with our dear brothers and sisters. We need to stop lording over them with titles like Circuit Overseer (bishop), District Overseer (Cardinal), and Governing Body (Pope). We need to dismantle the mess and start walking with Christ as did the Apostles.
As long as God gives me strength, I am going to go forward with this and see what he blesses. As long as I am alive, this issue will not go away. I will understand if some things take some time for debate. I can accept that not every change will be to my liking. But failure to act, and do so in a meaningful way, will mean that I am going to step up the heat. I will go to war (spiritual of course) if that is what it takes to bring honor and praise back to Jehovah and Jesus. We must end the virtual tyranny over the minds of our dear brothers and sisters, get off our pedestal, and walk as Christians.
I will now see what we do in session and what may appear in response from you. Rest assured of my love and my desire to see you do good and honor our Great God Jehovah.
Your loving Brother and fellow member of the Governing Body