I'm reading Crisis of Conscience right now, and here's a sentence I found key, when Raymond Franz is talking about the opportunities GB status afforded him: "Practically anywhere a Governing Body member goes he is the guest of honor among his fellow Witnesses." (p. 277, Fourth Edition)

They're just old guys, mostly simple and poorly educated, who are comfortable doing things the way they have been and like the perks that come with their position. Respect, honor, a cushy lifestyle, a constant big boost to the ol' self-esteem. And they want to perpetuate their good deal as long as they can. They lack the self-reflection, empathy, or large-sightedness to fully understand or care how their actions affect people for the worse. I'm not so sure how differently I would act if I were in the same position, honestly.

Not that I'm excusing the actions of men who have hurt many thousands of people, and enslaved millions more. But it'd be overblown to paint them as malicious, manipulative masterminds. It's more likely they've fallen to the most banal of evils -- selfishness, moral myopia, ethical laziness, hidebound traditionalism, hard-hearted legalism, and craving for prestige. The same things we've witnessed among the more small-minded elders, but on a global scale.

Of course, I could be wrong.


-LangSyne

The most frightening monster is the one that holds up a mirror to ourselves.

Last Edited By: LangSyne Jun 27 10 7:49 PM. Edited 2 times.