How the WT Study is Used by the Governing Body

by AllTimeJeff 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  erandir

  I forgot to add that, but a letter to the elders went out a couple of months ago that basically said all WT Conductors have to do it the same way

  Could anyone scan or copy or even paraphrase that letter? I'd like more details on that.

  I never liked the way our WT conductor handled the meeting. He'd comment more than everyone else combined, it seemed. He'd also have a few people picked out ahead of time with specific paragraphs in mind. He would hand out printouts before the meeting to three or four people so that he'd get the specific answer he wanted for certain key paragraphs. He said it was supposedly to help new ones comment, but he'd give them to his wife and daugther, too. What a control freak.
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  AllTimeJeff

  http://p196.ezboard.com/fexjehovahswitnessforumfrm12.showMessage?topicID=359.topic

  About 1/3 of the way down is the letter to the body of elders. It is a real hoot.
• 

  WTWizard

  I have noticed that the questions tend to force one to give a stock answer that will fit the cult doctrine. Often, the answer given is word for word what is in the paragraph or slightly different wording. I wonder when they are going to start forbidding people from making comments except for those in the paragraph, perhaps being given the liberty to slightly change the wording but not much more.

  The other meetings are also pernicious. The Theocraptic Misery "School (??)" and Service Meeting are where members are instructed in effectively spreading the virus. They practice it in the Theocraptic Misery "School(??)", and get suggestions and occasionally more practice in the Service Meeting. Here is where they spread it to others in the territory so they can be indoctrinated.

  The Book Study is where they learn the main story line. They learn the prophecies according to the Watchtower Society, often repeating the same book more than three times. In both of these, children of school age are kept up late so they can be tired for school the next day and bomb tests.

  And, as this thread stated, the Watchtower study is the prime outlet for the "new light" and indoctrination. The Public Talk is more used as bait for the new ones, and they often stay into the Watchtower study for further indoctrination. The really smart ones will see through it and blow off the whole religion afterward.
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  LongHairGal

  AllTimeJeff:

  I think you are right about this and how it is done in 'small doses' - like poison. Anything larger then the stupefied people in the congregation might sit up and take notice. I feel these meetings are like hypnotic sessions because people are relaxed and open to suggestion.

  I guess this is 'meat in due season'.

  LHG
• 

  Hermano

  http://p196.ezboard.com/fexjehovahswitnessforumfrm12.showMessage?topicID=359.topic

  About 1/3 of the way down is the letter to the body of elders. It is a real hoot.

  Wow.

  That seems to be the elder's version of the September KM article for the rank and file. "Elders, you don't need to do additional research, we've already done the research for you!" They are plugging up all the independent thinking holes.

  I think it's interesting too that it says "it is the collective responsibility of the body of elders in assuring effective teaching." I think they want the body of elders to gang up on any elders that doesn't follow this prime directive.

  The next few years are gonna be rough in Watchtower land. There is witch hunt brewing....
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  2. CO's are going to be ripping all WT Conductors a new one.

  C.O.'s never really see the typical WT meeting. When they visit, it is an abbreviated meeting.
  The conductor only has time to cover the questions and take the answers. He tries to shine
  by running the meeting smoothly.

  When he's not there, the conductor has a tiny bit more latitude, but they expect him not to do
  "his own thing." I think the C.O. asks the pioneers about the WT meeting to check on the
  average WT conductor.

  I have read a bunch about cognitive dissonance. The WT meeting is all about dissonance.
  According to Wikipedia- "In simple terms, [cognitive dissonance] can be the filtering of information
  that conflicts with what you already believe, in an effort to ignore that information and reinforce your
  beliefs." If you reinforce the WT doctrines, and everybody in the audience thinks it is right, then your
  cognitions (knowledge including attitude, emotion, behavior, and beliefs) reduce the dissonance by
  dismissing any disagreements with the doctrines.
• 

  katiekitten

  As an intelligent person (!) I always found the questions embarrassingly simple.

  In addition someone once posted on this forum how many times the material is repeated when you study the WT. First of all you read it and then identify and underline the answers in your pre study. Often the answer is a rewording of the question. You generally look up at least some of the cited scriptures which are rewordings of what has been written in the paragraph. Thats 3 repetitions so far.

  Then you sit in the study and listen to a brother read the paragraphs (4), then someone answers the question (5) then someone reads the cited scriptures (6). All of this is repetitions of very simple no brainer points. By this time your brain has shut down to any thinking or processing it might have been tempted to do under normal circumstances.

  Brainwashing at its finest.
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  Honesty

  You kidding ?? The Watchtower study rocks. Where else can we have Jehovah dispensing through his faithful and discreetful slave the truths from the bible ?

  I am looking forward to next year when the Watchtower Study Articles will be contained in the 'members only' area of the Watchtower Society.

  The opposers and apostates don't deserve the truth.
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  Hermano

  Is it typical for the WTS in their letters to elders to say the issue is a "collective responsibility?" If so, doesn't it cause stress among the body of elders?
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  BluesBrother

  The Watchtower Study has aways been the main outlet for WT "feeding", it is unified worldwide and keeps them all together.

  Of late though, it has become much more formulaic, the current crop of conductors are "company men" largely brought up in the Borg. They are firmly told to stick to the paragraph and not encourage free comments.

  When I conducted the study, my ideal was to emulate a large family having a meal around a big table and discussing the things with free open comments. I saw the conductors role to keep order and keep time and let the audience have their say. It worked well in the past but not so well in later years when people were not so inclined to comment.

  The dubs of my acquaintance who like to comment are frozen out as the conductor breaks it down to "soundbite" replies.

  And btw, the articles are repetitive B/S