by purplesofa 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Others could give better advice addressing your friends situation, but it seems to me that the only way she will avoid a DFing is to do a fast fade (especially if it involves moving away) or turn herself into the elders and beg for mercy (although this usually doesn't work after having been DF'd once).
My best wishes to her. This should be a happy time in her life, not one full of dread and fear of losing her family.
Hello decidedly_undecided
Pregnant friend..... Hearty Congrats on Baby (give diapers and baby sling like OTSBH which last FOREVER!)!
Have her read Elder Manual "Pay Attention to Yourselves and All the Flock".
1. (Mission Impossible Music Please) Immediately become 'inactive' and move out of territory (letting Elders know she will get back to them as to where to send pub card but needs to announce her departure from their jurisdiction).....in the midst befalling 'wordly' influences. If at all possible get married. Realize she has strayed from the 'troof' and returns in her now married and expecting. .......... if no marriage is possible, then she must remain 'inactive' until baby is born and then return as a prodgical daughter ..........
2. Staying 'active' ........Speak to family privately as to prepare them for her 'shame'. Make clear her regret and now burning desire to set thing right for the growing child. Make appointment with Elders having a supportive person go with her (siting outside of actual meeting of course). Be honest and repentful but accepting the punishment ( as deemed best not for her personally but for cleaness of congregation). Pleading with Elders for unborn's sake to keep spiritual upbuilding at a high in her delicate medical condition... using the term 'medical condition'. Make sure she tells the elders she is 'scared', 'ashamed' and 'desperate' for spiritual guidance..............lots and lots of waterworks and fear....... If DFd (hey I have known some only to be 'reproved'....but with quicky marriage), it would be wise to wait at least a year to year and half before she started her letter writing campaign for reinstatement.
Most of all be her friend in her time of need..... afterall a young Jewish girl is said to have been in a similar situation once too and her BOE would have been more then happy to have the congregation stone her and unborn to death.
As for some of your other questions....
Nondisclosure agreement for GB........... I would assume so.
Writing process: Read Barbara Anderson's accounts!
Structure.... Barbara also has a book about the charter, corporate entities, and amendements 1884-2003
Barb's site http://www.watchtowerdocuments.com/
Randy's site http://www.freeminds.org/ and http://www.freeminds.org/women/barbara_anderson.htm
I can't wait until all of you lurking can join!
Yknot
Do you think that there are arrangements between members of the gb,maybe even contracts,regarding privacy and confidentiality agreements,espically after Franze left?Perhaps limiting public statements etc?
Not really. There are certain disclosure statements stating that property such as the Elders handbook is property of the WTBTS. I still have my handbook. They don't have the resources to go after everyone. I would imagine that there are forms new GB have to sign, but I doubt if that is true, they would ever publicize it.
Do we know anything about the room they meet in to discuss things?Is it soundproof?Have any artifacts?Is it considered a 'holy room' or anything?
Echoing A@G, Gilead classes get to peek inside for 5 minutes. The room is a huge board room, with an enormous oak table. There is a built in mic and speakers so that those who may sit at the other end of the table can hear without screaming. No pictures were allowed. It isn't considered holy, but I wouldn't be surprised if there is a wet bar of some kind hidden either....
Do the "company directors" get anything back for the title they hold?Contributions or anything?Do they contribute any money at these meetings to the wts?
No, the charter of the corporation is non profit and religious, which precludes any money exchanging hands for votes. There is no provision for dividends as a result of being a director either.
How does the writing process of articles and books happen?One guy in a room writing?At a desk ?With how much input from the other members of the gb?Do people outside of the gb have any influence?
There isn't one particular method that is used. As Ray Franz and Barbara Anderson have noted, there are groups of approved writers and researchers, a majority of which are of the other sheep class.
The GB authorizes a type of project (book, brochure, bibles...) and it is sent to the Writing Dept. Depending on the value/importance of the project, then it would be assigned to a writer, who would have researchers under him to do his legwork. Once the first type is done, the Writing Committee (made up of GB's and Bethel heavies) review it. If they want changes, they send it back. If they like it, the GB members of the Writing Committee bring up the new publication, along with cover designs, illustrations, pictures, and other logistical issues to the GB, present their timeline, and recommend that the GB go ahead. Rarely will the GB try to overrule the Writing Committee. If it gets the 2/3 vote, off it goes to print and be released.
Very little outside influence is used on book writing by JW's. Frequently, the GB will use solicited reports and information from all of the branch committees all over the world, which influences the GB in what to write. Letters from readers do not generally sway what is written.
What is the structure of the organization itself?
Jehovah's Witnesses are organized through a central, authority wielding group called the Governing Body (GB), headquartered in Brooklyn NY. Only men who claim to be of the 144,000 class who goes to heaven can be appointed to this group. From there, authority all over the world is delegated to branch committees, made up of selected men appointed by the Governing Body. These branch committees have authority to recommend traveling overseers, called District and Circuit Overseers,(CO DO) who have a certain amount of congregations to oversee. In each of these congregations, there are elders and ministerial servants, recommended by the CO, and approved by the branch committee.
All instructions and directives start with the GB, and filter down. It is essentially a corporate structure, there is no evidence at all that the NT congregations were organized in this way.
I am one of probably many waiting to get on the board...I have been following many of your conversations for months now and look forward to "meeting" youin the future.
Looking forward to seeing you!
Jeff
Thank-you for all your comments,
purps
Only men who claim to be of the 144,000 class who goes to heaven can be appointed to this group.
I thought it wasn't currently necessary to be of the anointed class (144,000) to be on the Governing Body.
I can't answer "lurker's" questions any better than has already been done, but I did want to say I'm looking forward to when lurkers can sign on and post. Hang in there...hopefully it'll open up soon.
I thought it wasn't currently necessary to be of the anointed class (144,000) to be on the Governing Body.
No, that never changed. In the 90's, they came out with a couple of obscure OT parallels that justified some other sheep elders to sit in on GB meetings.
Since that time, the GB is no longer assigning anyone on the GB to head the corporations, they are all other sheep. They handle a lot of the business with the approval and oversight of the GB now.
Still must claim to be going to heaven to be on the GB....
