Posted by Methushael [Methushael] on November 24, 1999 at 15:39:56 {BlpRHB6gpc1Ss6.WlPYY9yyP6OtnuQ}:
Actually itīs no surprise how everything is handled respecting the supposed GB member.
While he is talking thru Ros, Ray Franz is talking thru M733. M733 is "highly reliable", because someone talked to someone living close to Ray Franz, and from that talk gains the impression that M733 is genuinely posting Rayīs analysis of the subject. If this isnīt silly to start with...
Now, while I highly value Rayīs books, I will take his opinion about this "GB member" with a grain of salt. First, while he pretty well describes the personīs mental setup, this matches quite well what others have written about the GB, quoting texts in which the churches are accused of exactly the same things the GB do. The GB members seem to be completely unaware of their perfect match of the pharisees. So, "our" GB member is no surprise in that respect. And isnīt the "you have to believe us because we say so" argumentation exactly that of a GB member?
When it comes to his knowing the GB members, I wonder what analysis Ray would give had he lived on a different planet since the time he left Headquarters and we would show him videos of a man as he walks and stumbles, mumbles when speaking, hires and fires ministers, makes decisions that remind one of Kindergarten times, so you never know "Is he ill, is he drunk, or is he insane?" and then we tell him this is the president of Russia. Would he not tell us something about the Soviet Union, possibly having the "King of North" prophecy in mind, not believing that there is any connection between that world power and the man he sees? So much has happened in world affairs, but respecting the GB members the seventies are taken like they were yesterday.
Now, while quite often the remark has been made that the GB meanwhile mainly consists of senile old men, no consideration is given to the fact that these men have become 20 years older since the seventies, that they well may have to take medication to get themselves going, and that this may cause changes in their behaviour, either because their pills cause it anyway, or because they take more or less than what is prescribed, or even take them irregularly. I wonder if Ray Franz believes they are all exactly as they were twenty years ago. I wouldnīt be surprised if some of the old GB members suffer from some mental problems meanwhile. And I wouldnīt be surprised if mental problems go unnoticed within the WBTS. :-)
I donīt say this has to be so, but I donīt understand this "I know it all!" attitude. Certainly, if one of the H2O posters had been present when Jesus said to Judas "What you must do, do quick", he had stepped forward and said "I knew all the time he is a traitor". Is there any other benefit I can gain from your foreknowledge than seeing that you know everything, anything of value?
In a reply to Rick about Area51, Farkel points to one of his own posts in which he elaborates about "BibleLiars" spelling getting worse when being exposed. In this post he himself leaves out a word and also misspells one. Thatīs what I see by just reading over the text with the knowledge of a foreigner. Now, what does that tell us? Maybe that people tend to write careless when they get excited, and should reread their own text before posting?
I understand there is curiosity about the genuineness of a person, but is there nothing else to it than giving "expertises"? Imagine Jesus had been the same way, the bible would only tell about him not talking to anyone, or just saying "I wonīt talk to you, Iīve read your mind". But Jesus made statements that were valid even though his opposers had bad motives.
I must admit, I hated that sort of attitude with some of the JWs, and am sad to see that it is no different on H2O. There is not the shadow of a doubt about the opinion one has gained, not to speak about the "benefit of a doubt" one should give a person.
I remember one occasion when I was standing in front of a door with one of the elders. They had a strict rule to make sure everyone "worthy" was visited. So Not-at-Homes were revisited until someone was met. This posed a problem where they just never found anyone home, because they couldnīt "finish the territory as worked". Now, we were standing in front of this Not-at-Home door, and the elder said "There is someone at home, I can hear that. So, as he doesnīt open, heīs not interested." And he struck his name of the list. I just imagined a person under the shower. Suddenly the telephone rings. He rushes to the phone. But then it stops, and instead the bell rings. Itīs me and the elder. And there he stands, naked and wet, pretending no oneīs at home. But the elder with his super-duper hearing hears some drops dripping to the floor. So the man just qualified for eternal destruction, because he didnīt rush out to listen to the JWs naked as he is, heīs stroked from the list, and who knows if he is visited again before Armaggedon. How stupid!
Maybe those who do so on H2O are more justified in making assumptions, I donīt know. But I donīt see any benefit from it.