So, what are the statistics for personal replies? Do you know how many are copied to the local congregation.....actually know? Or are you also making suppositions based on a small percentage with which you are personally familiar?
Writing private letters to the Society.
by spectromize 77 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Friend
RedhorseWoman
So, what are the statistics for personal replies? Do you know how many are copied to the local congregation.....actually know? Or are you also making suppositions based on a small percentage with which you are personally familiar?
First let me point out that the initial assertion was not mine that, "every time you write the society the society sends a copy of your letter to your local cong. elders". Assertions require supporting evidence. As I said before, that evidence is lacking on this thread.
As for statistical information on this issue, you would have to contact the Society’s number crunchers. David Sinclair would be a good starting point.
Nevertheless, I know that every time someone writes the Society the Society does not copy local elders. From my early years as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses I have never held back from sharing my views with the Society. Sometimes those views differed from the Society. Also I have on many past occasions requested clarification from the Society on various issues of interest to me. Some of them were sensitive and some were not. On not one of those occasions has the Society ever copied local elders on my letters to them. Not even once.
On the other hand, I do have some knowledge of what goes on with the Society’s mail. I do not see it necessary to divulge that to you on this issue. My personal experience more than disproves the initial assertion. Of course, you do not know if what I have expressed is the truth or not. However your own inexperience with such things has already been manifest. Therefore you have no idea if the initial assertion is true or false either. Will you draw a conclusion from ignorance?
Friend
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spectromize
Friend,
How do you know this? Do you work at bethel? I have to tell you that every single time that I have sent a letter to the society my local cong. elders have received a copy and the content of my letters were very polite and had nothing to do about any questioning of doctrines. I think you are mistaken in thinking that it would put extra effort on the brothers to do this for the simple fact that they have state of the art photocopiers.
You also have to keep in mind that your local cong. elders don't always tell you that they have received correspondence from the society concerning you.
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Friend
spectromize
I have to tell you that every single time that I have sent a letter to the society my local cong. elders have received a copy and the content of my letters were very polite and had nothing to do about any questioning of doctrines.
1. Every time Johnny went outside he got wet. Johnny concluded that every time anyone went outside they got wet.
Do you see the problem with that conclusion?
2. Every time Johnny went outside he got wet. Bill told Johnny that he often when outside without getting wet. Johnny concluded that every time anyone went outside they got wet.
Do you see the problem with that conclusion?
Should experience dissimilar to your own be discounted just because it is not your experience?Certainly the Society does on occasion copy local elders of correspondence received from a publisher. I know that for a fact because I have received them myself. I also know that local elders are not always copied. I know that from personal experience and the experience of a multitude of others known to me. You apparently have no idea of the huge volume of this type of correspondence received by the Society. Other then responding personally to such respectful letters they do not have the time to copy local elders each and every time. The notion is preposterous.
Friend
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RedhorseWoman
"You apparently have no idea of the huge volume of this type of correspondence received by the Society. Other then responding personally to such respectful letters they do not have the time to copy local elders each and every time. The notion is preposterous."
Excuse me, but this makes no sense. You are saying that the Society has no time to send a form letter to the questioner, photocopy and forward a letter to the local congregation for additional followup; but they DO have time to PERSONALLY ANSWER all these letters?
Let's see, copy and mail letter with a form letter to the congregation....10 minutes...tops. Research question, compose letter and mail to questioner......minimum 2 to 3 hours, perhaps several days if much research is needed. Hmmmm.....seems a bit of a difference there. But it's preposterous for the Society to take the easy way out according to you.....how odd.
Edited by - RedhorseWoman on 3 June 2000 11:33:3
Edited by - RedhorseWoman on 3 June 2000 11:34:49
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Friend
RedhorseWoman
You said,
Excuse me, but this makes no sense. You are saying that the Society has no time to send a form letter to the questioner, photocopy and forward a letter to the local congregation for additional followup; but they DO have time to PERSONALLY ANSWER all these letters?
[Theatrics sniped]
Your pleading presumes that a personal reply is the exception rather than the rule. In fact that Society’s policy is to respond to individuals regarding personal letters. Optionally the Society will copy local elders.
For the benefit of all, we would like to set out here the policy of the Watch Tower Society in answering questions received…. The Society is glad to be of help to all who sincerely seek answers to questions that call for a Bible answer. First of all, a personal answer is sent by mail to the one who inquires.—Questions from Readers, The Watchtower, 1960 11/1: 671.
It is the Society’s policy is to respond to individuals regarding their personal letters. While that is the policy that does not mean that there are no exceptions. For example, letters that are blatantly insincere are usually not responded to. However, whether the Society copies letters to local elders remains an option and is only done occasionally.
Now, RedhorseWoman, considering your penchant for mathematical probability, would you care to offer an opinion on how inclined the Society is to copy local elders on every personal letter sent AFTER having already expended time on a personal reply?
Friend
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waiting
Dear Friend,
You have opened a can of worms - and I truly wish I knew how to copy your post with those cute little lines that you and Frenchy use. How do you guys do that? (I am quite well written on the lack of my computer literacy.)
However, I did, in fact, write a 4 or 5 page, single spaced letter to the Society about the actions of the elders when they handled my daughter's disfellowshipping. They were wrong - even the Circuit Overseer said so in his subsequent visit to my house.
I did not receive a response from my beloved Society for my "respectful" outpouring of my heart and my anguish. I did recieve a visit from the Circuit Overseer and Presiding Overseer of my congregation - unsolicitated, but nevertheless, ok.
The CO explained that's how the Society did it sometimes - the Society sends the letter to the CO and the CO and PO come see the writer - and I thought ok so we talked. And he did agree that the elders handling my daughter's disfellowshipping were completely ignorant on how to even talk, let alone handle, an incest survivor - especially when one of the men who abused her was a ministerial servant. And you might ask, how do I know this? Because I called the cong. where I raised my daughter and told them and they said they had just received a letter from him own daughter about years of incest and rape at his hands. My daughter was this older girl's little companion.
Three years ago, my husband and I wrote a 33 page letter, plus 100 pages of legal attachments (deeds, bank closing statements, surveys, appraisals, etc.) to the Society, pleading with them to look into an issue that cost us over $100,000 dealing with the body of elders.
The Society replied that they were sending a copy of our letter to the elders in our congregation, and then they would be in a better position to answer our letter. I am quoting as their letter was only two paragraphs long.
We waited approx. nine months then approached our CO, asking him, respectfully, to meet with us about this issue. He called Serv. Dept. for a copy of our long letter and he said: "I was told not to talk to you about this matter, they said they were handling it." It has now been a year and we're still, respectfully (kinda), waiting for a reply.
So, just because you've been an elder for many years, and things weren't handled this way in your congregation - doesn't mean it's that way in all of congregations. Your argument only holds water in your local well. Our water tastes rather poisoned.
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waiting
You said:
The CO explained that's how the Society did it sometimes…
That is exactly what I have said. My first comment this thread said, "Only occasionally does the Society copy elders on personal letters received by local publishers.
Additionally, the Society will usually respond to publishers through local elders (COs, City Overseers, or local body of elders) if they perceive any sort f threatening situation. They may also do this if they feel face to face attention is needed. There is scriptural testimony to the benefit of face to fact communication. (See 2 John 12) Responding in person to some sort of perceived or real threat is only reasonable and natural; it hardly needs explaining.
An example of a threatening situation is some sort of threat of legal action toward the Society or anyone associated with the Society. It can be some perceived threat internal to some congregation, and so on. any perceived threat usually generates a copied letter to some local elder or elders. What you have represented is entirely in harmony with that and I have not represented different.
As for your situation, I cannot comment on its merits or offer advice because I do not know the details. As a general bit of counsel I would suggest that you call the Society’s Service Department and just ask them what is taking so long. They will talk with you. Just call your Branch Office, ask for the Service Department for whatever state or region you live and then explain your problem. Generally you will find them easy to talk with. Usually they offer good counsel and comfort. You need have no fear about such a call.
Finally, how the Society chooses to respond to personal letters is not dependent upon locality or local situations in some congregation or region. The Society’s policies are far more centralized than that.
Friend
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Frenchy
To waiting:
I truly wish I knew how to copy your post with those cute little lines that you and Frenchy use. How do you guys do that?
As always, the French Knight comes to the rescue of the fair damsel in distress!
When you make a reply to a post (or a new post) look at the bottom of the window that you are typing in and you will see some blue text. The one of the left:
Add emotions to your message
and the one on the right:Use Forum Code in your message
. Move your cursor over the blue text on your right and you will see that it's a link. Click on it and a window will come up and explain how to do all those cute little things....As always, I'm only a click away.
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waiting
Dear Friend,
Thank you for your suggestion for calling the Service Department. We have done that, another elder has done that, and our Circuit Overseer has done that.
They are very polite, even friendly, and it ends there.
THANKS, FRENCHY, I HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET - BUT I'LL GET MY HONEY TO HELP ME.