BOE on Disfellowshiped Relatives (page 4)

I see this as quite a positive letter. Obviously the whole situation of shunning relatives is abhorrent and cultish, but at least it indicates that there are circumstances a relative could live with an elder and he not be relieved of his position. Considering association with a d/f relative can lead to being disfellowshipped this is more reasonable.

I find the following sentence ironic - "failure to provide assistance might result in disastrous consequences and even bring reproach on the congregation" - as the entire disfellowshipping policy brings reproach on the congregation. Anyone I speak to about JW shunning immediately identifies the religion as a cult. I wonder when the lawyers and marketers at WTS headquarters are going to try to tone down disfellowshipping due to the negative image it creates.

Quillsky

Today I described to a relative, one who has never been a JW but knows my family well, how shunning works. His jaw pretty much dropped to the ground.

On topic..........

On the other hand, if the circumstancesraise serious questions and the appointed person
has lost the respect of the congregation, the elders may determine that it would be best for the
appointed person to relinquish his privilege of service. '

What does "raise serious questions" mean? Raise which serious questions in the mind of who exactly? How serious do the questions have to be? Will the person in whose mind these "serious questions" have been raised also be subjected to a personal evaluation of whether they are qualified to cast the first stone?

Cult speak. Sufficiently obscure and vague and loaded with unspoken rules.

On the other hand, if the circumstances raise serious questions and the appointed person
has lost the respect of the congregation, the elders may determine that it would be best for the
appointed person to relinquish his privilege of service.

Let me understand this right. A congregation is usually between 60 and 180 people. What does "lost respect" mean? Does the MS/elder/pioneer, despite their work for the organization have to have "lost respect" by the entire congregation, like 100%, or is 80% okay? Or 20% of sisters gossiping plus 100% of elders? Or 10% of sisters if they are elders' wives plus 10% of publishers??

Cult speak. Hmm, "you know exactly what we mean, body of elders.......... Rumors reflect badly on the congrega... we mean on the Governin... we mean Jehovah, yes, Jehovah the almighty God. A rumor that a brother is looking after his family member will reflect badly on Jehovah our God of love. Although it may pain you, you know it's what you need to do."

On the other hand, if the circumstances raise serious questions and the appointed person
has lost the respect of the congregation, the elders may determine that it would be best for the
appointed person to relinquish his privilege of service.

Oh they may randomly decide on the basis of their own feelings determine that it would be best? What percentage of the congreagation should have lost respect for the person again?

Cult.

On the other hand, if the circumstances raise serious questions and the appointed person
has lost the respect of the congregation, the elders may determine that it would be best for the
appointed person to relinquish his privilege of service.

Don't you mean have the voluntary unpaid work taken away from them? Or did you really mean "to relinquish"?

Cult.

On the other hand, if the circumstances raise serious questions and the appointed person
has lost the respect of the congregation, the elders may determine that it would be best for the
appointed person to relinquish his privilege of service.

Don't even get me started on this one.

Cult.

Quillsky

I understand your mistrust......but I can confirm this letter is real, I normally get these interbranch copies a month or so before the congregation elders receive them.

Any one who reads BOE letters will recognise the style and content of these type of letters anyway.

JWFreak, if you are posting real early news of interbranch Bethel correspondence then I thank you, as do many others.

I've only had 30 minutes or so to go through your previous <unscanned> early releases of confidential WT information. However I haven't seen evidence yet that any of them were confirmed with follow-up scans or confirmations. Would you consider posting a link to a thread where your insider information has been proved true by follow-up details from WBTS publications/scanned letters thereafter?

The post about pioneer/aux pioneer hours going down to 50/35 was an interesting one. It was termed a "hoax" by some here but there was also a claim that the Society got wind of the advance information and decided not to implement the new policy in order to discredit the apostate network.

It could well be that I haven't done enough investigation...............

observador

"Since this may be disheartening to the individual, the elders should confirm their love for him and help him to ap-
preciate that he is needed in the congregation"

Interesting how they see that it will be "disheartening" for a person who has just done good.

I wish they said in the letter:

"Since this may be disheartening to the individual, the elders should confirm their love for him and help him to ap-
preciate that he is needed in the congregation, and tell him not to log in to jehovahs-witness.net to get some compassion from the good folks there."

Observador

JeffT

On the other hand, if the circumstances raise serious questions and the appointed person
has lost the respect of the congregation

Those serious questions will have been planted in the minds of the congregants by the elders, CO's and pages of the Watchtower, but that doesn't make any difference. Can't let something like Christian love enter into the thought process.

dozy

As to the veracity of JWFreaks postings , please note the current list of documents on JW.Org as posted on another forum - you will see that these tie in with his previous letters ( bearing in mind that he gets them some time before they are posted online for access by cong elders ). I have no doubt that the letter is accurate.

Publications Announcement Sheet—February 2010
2010/01/19 Re: Use of ministerial servants where the number of elders is limited
2010/01/04 Re: Forms and outlines on the jw.org website
2009/12/20 Re: Use of answering machines at Kingdom Halls
2009/12/18 Re: April 1, 2010, special issue of The Watchtower and 2010 Memorial announcement
2009/12/16 Re: November 2009 Awake! article Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
2009/12/13 Re: Our Kingdom Ministry downloads on the jw.org website
2009/12/12 Re: 2010 district convention handbills

CO-5 Special Needs Room Request
"Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies" (Reprint of November 2009 Awake! article)
Public Talk Outline No. 176
Public Talk Outline No. 177
S-24 Receipt
S-36 Shipping Address Form
S-205 Application for Regular Pioneer Service

Regarding the letter , I don't see any change in policy as such. I've known elders who have DF children (including some who have moved back in to the family home) not to be deleted , I have also known elders with 4 "faithful" children (in JW terms) who are deleted when one commits a relatively minor indiscretion. It all depends on his status in the congregation , attitude of other elders and their wives , whether he is friendly with the CO etc etc. These issues are all down to interpretations and opinions.

MissingLink

If you doubt the authenticity of the letter - why not ask your local body of elders if they've received such a letter? Everyone is equal in the organization right? There are no "secret" procedures... right? Should be easy to confirm. Don't forget to mention where you saw it.

Thanks for posting this. My father is an elder who secretly associates with his DF daughter and faded apostate son (me). They tell us both regularly that if we're ever in hard times, we're always welcome to live with them. It's good to know what sort of pressure he's getting in his elders meetings. Recently he's been very down, even having suicidal thoughts. It's hard to get him to face that his organization is the cause of this. He just bottles it all up and pretends everything is OK.

hoser

The rumor of the pioneer hours decreasing is interesting. I heard it from a distant relative regular pioneer a few years ago. What it shows to me is that what you all doing here is getting into the mainstream JW's somehow. I didn't question where he got the info from. could be a lurker here or a poster. It proves to me that there is a strong undercurrent in the faith, Just everyone is afraid to come clean as to their true beliefs.

BOE on Disfellowshiped Relatives

Sargeant Pepper

jwfacts

Quillsky

Quillsky

observador

JeffT

dozy

MissingLink

hoser

cattails

JWF, thanks for the letter, it does sound authentic.

It has the hypocritical and self-serving tone of the WTS.

I hope it comes back to bite them in the a** and many

more ex-elders end up becoming conscious and leave.

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