The Ray Franz Era Has Finally Begun - You Win!

Long time apostate Ray Franz wrote one of the most compelling XJW books, “Crisis of Conscience”to get members out, since his even more compelling book to get members ‘in’, called the ”Truth that leads to eternal life” some years before. Mr. Franz sat on one of the most powerful committees with the Watchtower organization. The “Service Committee” oversaw and enforced all policies of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world. I served at Bethel from 77-79 and knew Mr. Franz. In a word, he was a rebel, to the liberal aspects of the organization. He always had sort of a posse that followed him around and supported many of his ideas and ways of looking at things. In the late 1970s, some might remember the Franz instituted policy through the Service Department of being able to speak with Disfellowshipped ones. At the time, like now, it was earth shaking, the friends took to it like a duck to water. Well, the conservatives realized they were losing control and a series of witch hunts were instituted at Bethel to execute the rebels. Franz had encouraged Bible study groups at Bethel, independent of JWorg literature. While these study groups were going on, Franz left Bethel as an elder in good standing and accepted a $10,000 stipend, much like Tony Morris to have a soft landing starting a new life. After Franz left the Witch hunts proceeded to expel and disfellowship any of the liberal elements that supported liberal Franz views. Franz missed all the carnage and was finally dealt with a year or so later, when the GB created a policy to get him thrown out as well. The result was Franz, in retribution, writing “Crisis of Conscience”. As some might notice, the 1980s delivered some of the harshest reinforcement of the shunning policy that was written on several occasions. Those articles were used and quoted down to this day as how to treat those that were no longer JWs.

Why all of this background information?

1970s Governing Body

This is kind of a timeline to show just how long conservative harsh leadership has been in control of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The terrible examples given in print of mothers being cut off just because they were expelled, not even being spoken to. Then came the convention videos showing visual examples of parents and children shunning each other, not even answering a phone call or text. Complete reinforcement of a terrible policy that destroyed thousands of families. In my work dealing with divorce and abuse the shunning policy became a huge factor in showing the best interests of children was often destroyed by causing them to cut off non-member parents, believing God was going to destroy them next week. So many abuse survivors were cut off when they manifested self destructive behaviors due to abuse, as a result were cut off, when they needed help the most from family.

But policies can change. In the late 1970s, Kidney transplants were approved as a conscience matter and the collective JWs forgot all about all the family members that died refusing them beforehand. Ray Franz wrote a policy in 1972 required that unbaptized children who committed sins to be DAA (disapproved associate) and treated as disfellowshipped. This resulted in thousands of kids being thrown out on the street by JW parents. But, in 1987, after a lawsuit, a BOE letter rescinded that policy. It seems, no one hardly even noticed the carnage that was no longer policy. In the year 2000, child molesters were required to go unattended door to door to prove their repentance. Due to the work of Silentlambs, policy was instated in 2002 that required confessed molesters to be accompanied in the door to door work. Again, no member even cared about all the children that were molested when pedophiles started Bible studies with unknowing families.

So now in the last six months we have seen something occur that has not happened since Ray Franz left Bethel. The liberals are making policies, some that were instituted and taken away forty five years ago! Yet, once again, not one member seems to care about all the suffering the past forty five years has caused. To them it is just a mulligan of “new light” poor forgetful Jehovah forgot to reveal.

In the big picture what does this mean? Good and bad. The good will be much more communication with JW family and former members. Members will have more freedom in dress and look more mainstream to the public at large. Legally, they will have created loopholes that will no doubt help them to be harder to expose in custody cases. In countries like the recent Norway ruling, it might allow them to regain government funding for being once again registered as a religion as well as protect them in other countries that are giving them a hard look for their shunning policies.

And the bad?

This is the funny part...

Can you imagine turning a bunch of wild animals loose that had been in a cage all of their lives? For JWs, being strictly monitored as to everything; the proverbial “cat is out of the bag”. I recall when I was twenty five being hauled in the back room by the elders and told I would be removed as a Ministerial Servant, (deacon) if i continued to allow hair to touch the top of my ear. I had to get a haircut.

So now, how are elders going to monitor beards? Will they be long, short, waxed, dirty, died, colored, tasselled, woven, or any of the hundreds of variations that little repressed men can do with beards?

The there is the shirts. Can they be golf shirts, unbuttoned shirts, how many buttons? T-shirts, T-shirts with pockets, T-shirts with slogans like rock bands, beer, big foot, child protection, muscle shirts, painted on shirts, shirts with gold chains, how many chains, flannel shirts, double shirts, backward shirts, holiday shirts, what about special Memorial shirts, or the special talk message shirts? Believe me I have not even scratched the surface.

Dear sisters we simply cannot leave you out. Now you get pants! But what kind of pants? Can they be hot pants, bell bottoms, slim bell bottoms, koolocks, sweat pants, yoga pants, pants with slit, pants with colors, pants with a message like “hot stuff” on the back, athletic pants with Nike on them, hip hugger, or high riders, pants with holes in them, blue jean pants, fake blue jean pants, and the more that ten thousand other varieties that women who have been repressed for 150 years can creatively think of?   

It truly makes me want to attend meetings again with a good camera, because my friends, it is going to be a circus. The iron hand of the elders has officially been broken into a million pieces until the Service Department can come up with a ten thousand page policy manual to address each and everyone of these variations or surrender.

Will there be more changes to come? Rumors have said blood policy will be changed to conscience matter, that there might be a “Jubilee Year” instated for all disfellowshipped, that certain holidays might become optional. Each of these, you can be sure will be welcomed by members with open arms after being repressed for so long. For the organization it will be a positive move to put them in line with main stream religion and less liable for litigation. For members it will be far more relaxing than anything former members have ever known. Much like changes in the past it will be embraced and the past immediately forgiven as it never happened.

For former members it will not be an easy pill to swallow, but you just have to put on your big boy pants and realize; Families have been terrible to each other for thousands of years using religion and politics or whatever else because being stupid of just plain nasty. Each of use has to make a decision as to what is toxic and acceptable in our lives. You can be sure there are people around the world that have cult members in their families. In each of these situations, they have to set healthy boundaries that protect their immediate family as well their personal mental well being and move on from that foundation. As xjw you have learned something about forgiveness and freedom. You can think for yourself and as a result, make healthy choices without being controlled by other peoples opinions. Use it to your advantage, be the bigger person, as you truly understand the little box they and their lives are contained within.

If you can, give them the benefit of the doubt while protecting your best interests. You paid a dear price for your freedom, while your family remains slaves to a cult.

You win...