New BOE letter on inactive ones

by JWFreak 55 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  blondie

  I was only referring to people who want to come to the memorial and reassociate.

  Elders manual

  B aptized persons who have not associated for some time

  .

  If you learn of serious wrongdoing on the part of such a

  person, the matter should be investigated if it poses a

  threat to the congregation's cleanness and welfare or causes

  a public scandal.

  Consider the following:

  Does he still profess to be a Witness?

  Is he generally recognized as such in the congregation

  and/or t e community?

  Does the person have a measure of contact or

  association with the congregation so that a leavening,

  or corrupting, influence exists?

  How did the matter become known to the elders?

  UNIT 5 (a)

  99

  Is the person willing to meet with a committee,

  thus admitting accountability to the Christian congregation?

  Depending upon length of inactivity and other factors

  suggested above, elders may determine to hold the

  matter in abeyance.( my comment: only if person does not want to reassociate with congregation)

  In such a case, a record of the person's questionable

  conduct should be made for the congregation file so

  that everything noted might be clarified when the

  person shows interest in becoming active again.

  If the sinful conduct is known only to believing family

  members and no congregation action is taken because

  of the factors outlined above, believing relatives will

  likely determine to curtail family association severely,

  viewing the relative as bad association. ( I Cor. 15:33)

  If the individual still professes to be a Witness and is

  willing to meet with the judicial committee, the matter

  should be handled in the normal way. However, when

  factors such as possible legal action exist, it is best to

  consult the Society before proceeding. ( w 87 9/1 p. 14)
• 

  AllTimeJeff

  Ok, first of all, I think many of us know that these "guidelines" elders follow vary from local area and congregation. Having said that, here are procedures from the ks91. Remember, any reference to the PO is now the COBOE.

  k91 pg 97 pars 3-7

  A judicial committee is not automatically formed even when a person is accused of serious sin

  Some matters may be handled by the elder who hears of the wrondoing. (Gal 6:1)

  Although you may feel that your counsel will suffice to restore the individual, it is advisable to inform the presiding overseer of the matter; there may be other factors involved.

  The matter may have come up before, or there may have been other acts of wrongdoing concerning which he has knowledge.

  Some matters may be investigated and handled by two elders assigned by the body of elders.

  Some comments on the above: First of all, the PO's first and foremost responsibility is the administration of the judicial machinary that the GB has in place. Everything goes through him. In all cases, before the body of elders is informed, the PO will assign two elders of his choosing to investigate a matter, and report back to him. The PO has discretion to consider the matter handled or to bring the matter to the entire body.

  Even if the entire body is called to hear the evidence, the PO can (and has) argued against the forming of JC's even in the cases of serious sin, depnding on the length of time and practice of it, or if it was one occurrence, can affect a decision to form a JC.

  I know of at least 3 cases of fornication that were single occurrence, over a decade past, that were handled by the two elders assigned by the PO. In each of these cases, the elders were informed, but that was it, no judicial sanction was given.

  Having said that, it really matters most who the elders are, who the PO is, etc. But there are cases where the PO can pretty much squelch a committee from forming.

  The PO does have discretion to not bring up certain cases of wrongdoing to the body of elders and keep the facts to himself, if he so chooses.

  This is probably a semantics issue, agreed...
• 

  AllTimeJeff

  Blondie, you beat me to it on your quotes there....

  My overriding thought for all of this is simple, everything is purposely vague to give the elders and esp, the Service Dept an out whenever they might need it. This is illustrated by this comment that you have...

  ks 100 par 5: "If the individual still professes to be a Witness and is willing to meet with the judicial committee, the matter should be handled in the normal way. However, when factors such as possible legal actioin exist, it is best to consult the Society before proceeding. (w87 9/1 p 14)"

  In other words, they will consider calling off a JC if legal retalliation is possible, although not in all cases. It depends....
• 

  Fatfreek

  Blondie, you quoted from your elder's manual: If the sinful conduct is known only to believing family members and no congregation action is taken because of the factors outlined above, believing relatives will likely determine to curtail family association severely, viewing the relative as bad association. ( I Cor. 15:33)

  Stop right there. Unless the elders tell these believing relatives ( divulging confidential information ), what would trigger them into "curtailing" such family association, etc.? Do these elders privately talk with the relatives, give a special needs talk to the entire congregation, or what?

  Len
• 

  Scully

  Last time an Elder™ asked me if I'd consider going back, I told him that I knew exactly where the Kingdom Hall was, and that he'd see me there if I ever ready to go back.

  That didn't give him what he wanted (an admission of Wrongdoing™ or Apostasy™ or a Bible Study™) but it was enough to keep him from bugging me anymore.
• 

  flipper

  Interesting. Like most mind control cults the WT society provides no GOOD reason on why some of us have been inactive for so long. It always has to be something wrong with US the person. Notice THIS quote regarding inactive ones : " They have simply stopped preaching due to discouragement, personal problems, materialism, or other anxieties of life. "

  Yeah, right . It HAS to be something wrong about US doesn't it - to make us stop ? Message to WT society - get a clue. Perhaps it's due to your idiotic " generation " doctrinal changes which occur every other year, or injustices we suffer at the hands of power and control mad elders ? Just a thought. I mean here's a concept : Maybe it's something wrong with the WT society which makes us leave ? Incredible. they just don't get it
• 

  Scully

  flipper: you're right. I told my JW dad that I was a Conscientious Objector to the WTS policy that allowed the Elders™ to assign a child molester to the book study in my family's house without informing us.
• 

  shamus100

  to assign a child molester to the book study in my family's house without informing us.

  WHAT????
• 

  Scully

  Yep, it's true, shamus. (circa 1980)
• 

  shamus100

  Well, I'm pretty much speechless. Nothing like having the scum of the earth in your home.

  If that happened to me, I imagine that I'd have to move just for the bad memories.