End of an era: The original members of the Governing Body have all died

The reported death of Governing Body member Bro. Barr marks the end of an era. Many of the original members of the Governing Body were around during the days of President Rutherford. They saw the Society grow from its infancy to the huge empire that it is today.

Their policies and procedures affected the lives of millions of their followers. So absolute was their certainty that the organization was chosen by Jehovah to survive the coming Tribulation and the war of Armaggedon that they rode roughshod over all opposition to their failed prophecies.

They are responsible for the deaths of thousands of individuals who died over the blood policy, not to mention the untold number of people who were drive to suicide or other desperate acts due to their doctrine and policies.

Regardless of how approachable they may have been, how "humble" they were perceived, how grandfatherly they appeared in their old age, these men have blood on their hands.

They did not live to see the promise of a peaceful new world that they taught generations of their followers. Their hopes and dreams died with them.

All that is left of their once mighty empire, the New World Society, is a legacy of broken promises.

Now the old guard have passed on, only seven members remain, none of whom lived during the turbulent Rutherford years.

The current members of the GB are as follows:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governing_Body_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses

Current

As of December 2010, the following people are members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses(year appointed in parentheses):

• Samuel F. Herd (1999)
• Geoffrey Jackson (2005)
• M. Stephen Lett (1999)
• Gerrit Lösch (1994)
• Anthony Morris (2005)
• Guy H. Pierce (1999)
• David H. Splane (1999)

It is now fully GB2.0 as other posters have said.  However, many of those on the GB were appointed in part by Jaracz and as such probably harbor his hardcore philosophies.

From what I've seen so far they are capable of tweaking existing doctrines but not capable of creating the fanciful doctrines of Franz.

I wonder if they are going to get so desperate that they will choose me--and I will simply refuse to take orders from everyone else unless they can prove it either with scriptures or sound science.  In fact, I will go ahead and tamper with the core doctrine--the new doctrine is that Jesus died trying to save mankind from Jehovah's tyranny, and Satan got debased for attempting to do the exact same thing.

Of course, I don't expect the religion to stick around very long with that doctrine.

Very true TheListener

They chose people who think like them and will continue the mantra of the old guard.

Several years ago I had hope that there would be real change but none happened.

Me too.  And then I got to know Losch.  Hardcore and not open to change in doctrine.  The rest of the GB2.0 seem to be lining up the same way. 

I'm of two minds on the matter.  One, I would like my family that is still in to have an easier time and less stress so I want the GB to loosen their grip and allow the witnesses to become more mainstream.  However, I also feel like I want the GB to continue tightening their grip and making the lives of their members even more controlled than ever before and coming up with even more crazy doctrines.

One will keep my family as witnesses but their lives will improve (and probably our relationships) and the other would hopefully free a lot of people including my family which would also improve our relationship and their lives.

TRUTHSEEKER,

Yes, I just read about it.  Never having accepted anybody's divine claims, these men meant ZILCH to me.  And I didn't care how ANYBODY else viewed them either.  I wasn't impressed by how 'approachable' or 'grandfatherly' any of them supposedly were.  What stupid creature worship in this ridiculous religion!  In fact, I got nauseous whenever I heard people saying stupid things like 'they got their wings'.  

I despise this religion.  There is no accountability to anybody harmed by following its practices.  You believe at your OWN risk.

When Russel died, there was the end of an era. So was when Rutherford kicked the bucket. But the JW doctrines were stupid and biased from the very beginning and not much has been changed. Presidents died, others came from the shadows and took their place and the Society continues it's dark march. Doctrinally speaking, they are in the same era over and over again, no matter who lives or dies.

DagothUr

I understand your reasoning and yes, doctrinally speaking the era continues but the younger GB members have lost well over a century of learning and experience from the older GM members who have died off. They were not around during the key moments of the WT society.

The loss of the collective experience of the older governing body members must surely be a blow. To whom do the newer GB members look to for direction?

The WTS leadership is floundering, trying new things, such as reducing meetings and eliminating the book study which was considered the historical foundation for the Society's humble beginnings. Branch closures, layoffs, reduced membership; all these things weigh on the collective minds of the remaining members.

Devoid of spiritual insight, all the younger members of the Governing Body can now do is simply keep the machine running.

Yes, they can keep the machine running.  That will be their private mantra.  'Keep it running until the great tribulation' will be their watchword.

However, as happens with all such 'keep it running' types of situations issues will come up that demand thought and possibly reaction.  Issues for which they're not prepared.

We may see the GB2.0 start appoint a couple older guys to their ranks.  Guys who coulda/shoulda been on GB1.0 but didn't make the cut for whatever reason.  These guys may already be out to pasture but they'll get pulled back in.  GB2.0 might need their historical input on things.  If they don't appoint, or appoint younger ones to the GB then they feel confident and don't realize the situation they're in - imho.

It is powerful to look at the picture in the proclaimers book of the 12 GB members and see that all of them have died.  Many of us were taught that the anointed would still be alive when the big A came.  The GB in the 70's -early 90's were a representative group of those that professed to be anointed. Most were around before the "other sheep" were identified.  It was easy for the rank and file to believe, because these guys were old and had been around since Rutherford.

In my perspective, the new bunch of boys are even greater impostors than their predecessors. They are fairly young, unintelligent or unimaginative, and holding on to the eroding foundations of doctrines that were built 50-100 years ago.  Everyone who is their age or younger who is a witness has been conditioned to think that they are unworthy of the heavenly calling. It makes it tough for the rank and file to accept these younger GB members who are the same as us.  The moving target of 1935 was a tacit admission that the FDS was wrong, the effect of this teaching was that  for 70 + years they closed the door to heaven for 99% of JWS.  

They are stuck because as time drags on it becomes even more clear that 144,000 is not a literal number. They are going to have to make a doctrinal move which will further weaken their "chosen" position as more people begin to partake. Of course these clowns in Brooklyn feel that the people that do partake are not real anointed which will make it tough for them to appoint replacements to the GB. It is a clusterf#$%.

The wheels are falling off the bus.

SIAM

One hopes, HOPEs that a shake up likee what happend in the world wide church of God will happen here.

One does not, however, hold ones breath.

                 The last original WBT$ GB Member is Dead..

      Who will Wear his Ruby Red Slippers?..

agree 100% Truthseeker

If the most recent circuit assembly is any indication, nothing is going to change. Matter fact, I'd say if there was any question about which direction this organization was headed, the assembly answered that question. They're sticking to their guns, and it wouldn't surprise me if their control freak persona goes on steroids.

Well, MSE, I shudder to think what MORE control they could attempt to exercise on the rank and file....

You mean all the Insightful information from the Watchtower Corporation ( the only godly guided organization )

has been nothing but lies, ignorance and corruption ?

Well yes, but we're still in the " Truth "

New era will be worse I think, since the new GB members have been assigned captain to a sinking boat.

-Sab