Elder's Manual

outsmartthesystem

First and foremost....if anyone out there has access to one and trusts me...please PM me. I am dying to get my hands on a full copy. But if not....can someone at least confirm.....does it expressly say (somewhere in the manual) that simply not accepting society based doctrine is grounds for disfellowshipping (on charges of apostasy?) If so what page?

Many of you know I am dealing with a wife that cannot fathom why I don't want to approach the kind and loving elders about my beliefs. Her father has assured her that no one could possibly be disfellowshipped just for 'having disagreements".

Gayle

ots,,you have a PM

wannabefree

It is okay to have disagreements, as long as you keep them to yourself. If you share them with others, you are causing division, for that you will be disfellowshipped.

the-illuminator81

I think it even helps elders to ask people who they think might be apostes if they agree that the watchtower society is God's chosen organization. If you answer no, you are disfellowshipped. If you ever have an elder ask you that, it's because he wants to see you disfellowshipped.

slimboyfat

I think the phrase used is that apostates are those "who stubbornly hold to false teachings", which technically I suppose you could do in your mind without sharing it with anyone. But then elders are not mind readers are they?

Lore

if anyone out there has access to one and trusts me...please PM me.

Trust you? Why would we have to trust you? I'd hand em out like candy to strangers. (Except that I don't hand out candy to strangers, but I'm sure you know what I mean.)

But it's freely available on google docs at the moment: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B0P5s5YtkFqFODE4ZmNjM2UtYzAxNi00YmIzLWI5MzEtZTcwYTExYTI0MmM2&hl=no&authkey=CKHh4KkL

"If one obstinately is speaking about or deliberately spreading false teachings, this may be or may lead to apostasy. If there is no response after a first and a second admonition, a judicial committee should be formed."

So according to THAT, they will only take action if you are actively talk to people about your beliefs. . . But that's only in theory. If you tell an elder: "I'm an atheist and I think Jehovah is a fictional monster who is more evil than emperor Palpatine, but I won't talk to anyone about it" Odds are they'll try to disfellowship you whether you talk to anyone about it or not.

sabastious

Couldn't the Watchtower prosecute Google for having a digital copy of the Flock Book for all to see? I think it's funny that the spiral bound letter is included:

Since the release of the new Shepherding textbook, several elders have asked about the
possibility of having their textbook spiral bound. There is no objection if an elder personally spi-
ral binds or laminates his own textbook or does so for other elders. If he has another baptized
brother who is not an elder do the work for him, the elder must watch while the work is being
done. Outside companies. unbelievers, or sisters are not permitted to do this work. The material
in the book is confidential, and confidentiality must be preserved.

-Sab

outsmartthesystem

Wannabe......but what if the only people you mention your disagreements to are your wife and kids? Is that still considered to be "spreading" other teachings?

Illuminator - what if you were to answer that question with "I am not sure"?

Lore - I am still relatively new to teh community so I didn't know what confidential tools may or may not get shared with newbies.

wannabefree

but what if the only people you mention your disagreements to are your wife and kids? Is that still considered to be "spreading" other teachings?

Yes. If your wife and children do not make it known that you are trying to turn them from organizational teaching, then it is not an issue. If any of them mention it to others in the congregation, and/or a witch hunt wants to be had against you and they start asking your family questions about the subject, their testimony would be used as evidence of you causing division. Your baptized wife and children are members of the congregation and allegiance to the organization comes first.

First they will try to readjust your thinking, if they can't, you are leaven that must be removed to protect the rest of the congregation.

(actually, since the "Faithful Slave" has changed the illustration of the leaven to a positive one, a more appropriate comparison would be a cancerous tumor)

Lore

Lore - I am still relatively new to teh community so I didn't know what confidential tools may or may not get shared with newbies.

Heheh, what do you think we are? the elder body? We don't have confidential tools. . .

At least none that I'm going to tell you about.

Elder's Manual

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