# To H2O Readers From 'GB'

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Posted by ros4GB [ros] on November 01, 1999 at 18:53:51 {2gTL9dbN6kdmhhsMJ.h27/SY5I9NtE}:

Dear Readers,

While preparing a post to address many of your comments it began to grow into a very long document. I have decided to send out a series of short postings to address individual subjects. In this post, however, I need to address some of your questions regarding my credibility and anonymity.

One of the recent postings suggested that I am an imposter who is using the authority and name recognition of the Governing Body to achieve a larger audience that I could not otherwise enjoy. That is not the truth. Over the last few years I have gradually reached the conclusion that many of the organization's teachings and policies are in error, and in some cases serious error. I even question the very basis that Jehovah is using the Watch Tower Society or its Governing Body in any special way.

I contacted Beacon for private discussion and to get some resource materials for my own education. I had not formulated any specific plan beyond that. At one point I expressed to Ros that I wish I could someway reach those about to face a judicial committee or other serious difficulties and provide some help to them. She suggested the concept of posting some of my comments on the H20 board. I agreed to do this under certain conditions.

As I began to make postings I saw what a powerful tool you have here and on other such similar Internet sites. As a member of the Governing Body, I along with other members, understand a lot has been happening in these forums. The 'Body' fears these forums in general, and hence it has begun a policy of discouraging Jehovah's Witnesses from visiting them. Nevertheless, I am not in favor of such discouragement.

If I were an impostor, I possess sufficient writing skills that I would not need to try to represent myself as a member of the Governing Body. Judging from the reactions and comments many of you make, the vast majority of you feeling negative about my credibility, there would be no benefit in trying a stunt like that.

Besides Ros, I have received advice from a trusted person who has strongly warned me to avoid giving out my identity and resist the temptation to satisfy your concerns with my credibility. The person commented that many of you are falling into the same trap that you accuse the Governing body of falling into. Specifically, many of you accuse the Governing Body of focusing on issues that are not relevant to your serious concerns. The Governing Body seems, and generally is, far more concerned with control than with the substance of your issues. That is why congregation judicial committees are instructed to not argue the Bible with suspected apostates. Rather, loyalty to the organization is of far greater concern. They lose site of what is important in the name of maintaining unity. I cannot stress this enough. Discussions among fellow members of the 'Body', both in private and with the Governing Body in session, reveal this is the case. You may be falling into the same trap of being so obsessed with my identity and credibility that you may be missing issues of far greater importance. You, we, have such a wonderful tool and opportunity here, that we should not be wasting it.

In the past, when a person left the organization for reasons of conscience, and maybe even wrote a book, such as "30 Years a Watch Tower Slave" by William Schnell, the organization did not make much of it. We did not feel threatened. I personally have never read Schnell's book, but it only stirred minor upset by comparison. Most people who left made little contact with others who sympathized. Or at least the effect of those who left the organization was not evident to the Society.

When we had the house cleaning in 1980, that was a major upset for the organization. Even that was not perceived as a threat until Ray Franz started publishing material exposing the Society's flaws. I have never read or even seen his books. I have only heard general comments that they have had a significant affect.

Then, as more critical works of the organization became available coupled with the ability to advertise material on the Internet, the entire picture changed. Many thousands of you are making contact, in some cases organizing campaigns to expose the Society. Your influence is now readily accessible to a large number of Jehovah's Witnesses who have Internet access. For the first time in our 120 year history we are faced with a situation that we cannot control and cannot easily prevent its use among Jehovah's Witnesses. You have no idea of the effect this is having on the Society and the Governing Body.

I can tell you that in the not too distant future there are going to be sanctions added to the existing discouragement regarding the Internet. The problem with this kind of legislation is that with rules come exceptions. In the case of the Internet, business use may be just such an exception. But an effort is in the works to prohibit Jehovah's Witnesses from visiting Internet sites upon pain of disciplinary action. That is one reason why the Governing Body has tried to get all talk forums and other ostensible Witness sites off the Internet. That way there can only be one approved site, the official Watch Tower web site. Visits to any other sites will be dealt with strongly.

Please do not get hung up over my presence on this site. What we have here is too precious and valuable to waste on frivolous discussion and other non-productive talk. I urge you, all of us, to use sites like this to their full potential. If I certify my credibility as a Governing Body member it will cause great harm, not so much to me, but to many within the organization who are working for reform. If the rest of the Governing Body become convinced that a fellow member, me, is on the Internet, there will be no stopping them from an all out effort to expose me.

One of you commented that if I were exposed the Society would use this in the Kingdom Ministry to show that anyone, even a Governing Body member, is not immune from the effects of apostate smooth talkers on the Internet. Another person mentioned that the Society could use this the other way around if I were an impostor. They could show that apostates will stoop to any level to get attention. While I understand the merit in these two viewpoints, I strongly disagree. The last thing the Governing Body will do is to tell Jehovah's Witnesses that either a member of the Governing Body was on the Internet or that apostates are posing as members of the Governing Body on the Internet. Either way, that would be a blanket inducement to cause everyone to start looking on the Internet to see what was said by the real or supposed member of the Governing Body. It would produce the opposite results desired.

The best thing I can do for the moment is to do exactly what I have been doing. My purpose in holding off on proving my credibility is to avoid an unnecessary situation that will only result in harm. I am sorry if you cannot accept that. I am sorry if you feel that my credibility is so important to you that it must be satisfied before we can move forward. If you cannot shake this need to prove my credibility, then I ask you to tell me to leave your forum, and I will. If I see comments from you in the next few days that are strongly in the majority of having me around, then I will stay for as long as you like. If not, I will go back to my original venture of talking privately to Ros and maybe a few others. In such a case, those of you who have substantive questions for me can send Ros a direct message for me.

Finally, some have suggested my writing style, my time spent on the computer, and others actions of mine could give me away. I can say, without giving specific details that I have made arrangements before I contacted Ros. I have reasonably insulated myself from exposure. I appreciate many of your kind suggestions as to how I can achieve more safety, and I have put some of these into place. Please understand, of anyone here at Bethel, I am most sensitive to the lack of privacy and freedom. I am very in tune to the mentality that produced the actions in 1980. Some of the trusted advice I have received should keep me out of harm's way. I have taken precautions, for example, with writing style that I have not even discussed with Ros yet.

My hope is to continue working with you under the conditions I have presented. I will respect your decision to have me stay or leave. Again, I have no need or desire for some kind of audience as a ghost writer. I have no desire to upset what you do here. My only desire is to be of help to you and deal with my own concerns about my future with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society and whether I resign from its Governing Body.

I will look for your reaction over the next few days and make my decision based on that. I will post the results to you.

Sincerely, ---

Follow Ups:

- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Dear Bro Sydlik 06:55:16 11/09/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Michael 06:48:48 11/09/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Feldspar 23:19:08 11/03/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' YaYa 00:55:55 11/03/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Observer 19:02:44 11/02/99 (2)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Amazing 20:51:11 11/02/99 (1)
    - ***To H2O Readers From 'GB' Observer 15:03:48 11/03/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Hey fraud 13:23:41 11/02/99 (2)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' IBelieve 17:17:03 11/02/99 (1)
    - ***To H2O Readers From 'GB' Farkel 18:46:26 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Mod101 12:44:20 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' URWastingTime 11:40:28 11/02/99 (10)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Alan 13:32:05 11/02/99 (2)
    - ***To H2O Readers From 'GB' Farkel 13:57:34 11/02/99 (0)
    - ***To H2O Readers From 'GB' UStillRClueless 13:41:33 11/02/99 (0)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Mod101 12:10:12 11/02/99 (6)
    - ***To H2O Readers From 'GB' URNitPicking 13:17:16 11/02/99 (5)
      - ****To H2O Readers From 'GB' Mod101 13:54:37 11/02/99 (3)
        - *****To H2O Readers From 'GB' NoNeed4That 14:55:40 11/02/99 (2)
          - ******To H2O Readers From 'GB' Mod101 05:42:55 11/03/99 (0)
          - ******To H2O Readers From 'GB' Moderator104 22:22:30 11/02/99 (0)
      - ****To H2O Readers From 'GB' correction 13:18:54 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' dproper 09:52:54 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Rugged Cowboy 07:46:51 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Spartacus 07:18:18 11/02/99 (2)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Michael001 10:51:31 11/02/99 (0)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' 2Spartacus 09:15:04 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Petro 06:36:15 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' 5GJW 06:07:02 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Joey 05:46:09 11/02/99 (3)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' 5GJW 06:33:30 11/02/99 (0)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Lion 06:19:37 11/02/99 (1)
    - ***To H2O Readers From 'GB' Joey 06:55:44 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Antique 05:07:15 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' WotM 04:42:00 11/02/99 (1)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' WotM again 06:04:43 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' practicus 03:42:44 11/02/99 (3)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' 2practicus 11:34:59 11/02/99 (0)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Farkel 06:43:09 11/02/99 (0)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Polly 06:15:49 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Sincere 03:07:29 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' proplog2 00:48:43 11/02/99 (6)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' 2proplog2 09:27:59 11/02/99 (2)
    - ***To H2O Readers From 'GB' proplog2 15:27:39 11/03/99 (1)
      - ****To H2O Readers From 'GB' Phenomenon! 10:05:29 11/04/99 (0)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Farkel 05:06:49 11/02/99 (2)
    - ***To H2O Readers From 'GB' proplog2 09:22:41 11/02/99 (1)
      - ****To H2O Readers From 'GB' Farkel 10:08:56 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Rick 00:31:11 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' nimrod 23:36:52 11/01/99 (1)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' WotM 04:49:33 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Janey 23:01:29 11/01/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Janey 22:53:29 11/01/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Petro 22:19:29 11/01/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Moderator104 21:58:03 11/01/99 (1)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Antique 04:50:58 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Petro 21:39:10 11/01/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' BenHad 20:41:23 11/01/99 (1)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' a.j.w. 02:21:28 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' COMF 20:34:06 11/01/99 (4)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' 5GJW 22:12:49 11/01/99 (0)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' COMF 20:59:13 11/01/99 (1)
    - ***To H2O Readers From 'GB' Oops... © 21:00:33 11/01/99 (0)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' ros 20:52:28 11/01/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Enoch 20:24:43 11/01/99 (1)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Farkel 04:19:58 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Shamrock 20:17:22 11/01/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Rick 19:55:33 11/01/99 (1)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Antique 04:35:54 11/02/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Best Idea Yet 19:44:05 11/01/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Believer 19:43:21 11/01/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' rolls-royce 19:28:01 11/01/99 (0)
- *To H2O Readers From 'GB' Farkel 19:20:25 11/01/99 (1)
  - **To H2O Readers From 'GB' Antique 04:27:19 11/02/99 (0)

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