by Newly Enlightened 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I just heard a rumor and trying to verify it. A current JW just told us that the Elder's are now a separate entity and that when brought into court hearings and they try to use the 'Clergy confidentiality clause' that the WTBT$ backs off and says the Elders are their own separate entity.
Anyone heard anything like this?
I think their lawyers have been trying this game for some time. Each congregation is its own legal entity and the WTBS lawyers do everything they can to keep liability at the local level.
I don't know for sure, but I would second Jeff T's sentiment. Basically the WTBS considers it self a franchiser like McDonald's. They just supply the financing, materials, supplies, general operational procedures, etc... The individual restaurant would be owned by a Franchisee (the congo) and they are responsible for the deeds of their manager (elders).
Dang, that was a pretty good analogy... :)
Sorry, lost some of my post somewhere in cyberspace.
There was a recent court case where Elders tried the 'Clergy confidentiality clause' so they wouldn't have to testify and BAM! Awake magazine was entered into evidence that JW's have no clergy class so could not use that clause.
Youtube video link talking about the case:
But then a friend of ours just told us about a letter that was sent out, basically throwing the Elders under the bus legal wise.
Case-Study 1. Did the Watchtower Society remove the videos of their Elders in the series "My Apostate Video Trial" by Eric? If they did, than the Watchtower Society must be behind those three elders backs, I have no doubt they promised those elders they would get right on it! If "No", than the Watchtower Society is a liar, a very big liar to those three elders in the video!
The Watchtower Society want's the elders to work in the Kingdom Hall for free, help collect monies but as a Corporation, they want to be free from the mistakes of their managers in charge.
Elders and management in large companies attend meetings and profession sessions on "Sexual Harrassment" management "Elders would hear details and sign a form waiving liability in case they screw up with a pedophile case. The manager who signed a "waiver" and "information packet and lecture attending test", now accepts all liability from his actions. The Watchtower is nothing more than a company who wants the money from their employees but refuses to accept the risk their management are prone to make.
That is how you seperate a manager from his company, how he/she will accept all risk if he can't keep his zipper up. The Company is able to say, "sue him, we had him undergo various training programs for sexual harrassment and abuse!" The same is with the WTS, I am not kidding you!
I've heard that the WT itself refers to the elders as "independent agents" (when speaking to non-JWs - which, if you call the Society, the first thing they ask you is if you are a JW or not).
That corresponds with CageFighter's "franchiser" appraisal.
The elders status with the Society is carefully treated in WT literature. To the R&F, they are part of the chain of command. To outsiders they are 'independant agents' who are legally different from WT representatives such as COs and DOs. (I think they also have done something similar with Regular Pioneers. The Society used to assign/approve them. Now the elders do this and simply inform the Society. None of this is overt. But it all appears to be a careful legal stepping procedure to avoid legal ties, under the guise of 'simplification.' Similarly, the Society has the elders write alot of stuff in the columns of their KS manuel when they attend KM school. The objective appears to be so that the Society 'never said' that.)
Incidentally, it is similar with Circuit Assemblies and District Conventions. District Conventions are WT sponsered events. CAs are not. Thus, DCs have an entire WT printed manual instructing how to operate them. Although CAs operate per WT instruction, the paper trail is more elusive.
By the way, if you understand how this works, there is a little room to 'work the system' (very carefully, though). A CO who understands his position vis-a-vis the Society, would never give direct counsel to you on the blood issue, or about using the 'Reccomended Lodging List.' They let their 'stool pidgeons' (the elders) do that. Thus, if you are in a meeting concerning issues sensitive to the Society, and the CO is attending the meeting, insist that he give you the counsel. You might see some serious wiggling.
If the matter of agency was really tested in Court I would think the WT would be hard pressed to prove a disconnection without some solid documentary proof.
More than likely the Elders will be signing away their connection to the WT very soon.
This is a good thing for those threatened with a J.C who do not wish to be forcibly DF'd or DA'd, there will be more instances of "Oh he has gone Legal against us" and the Elders backing off so as not to have the expense of Legal action aginst them personally.
The effect is still the same as DAing usually, but at least your family are free to talk with you.
We saw a case in worker's compensation with the Hutterites who tried to claim he was a volunteer. The Montana High Court viewed the Hutterite wood and furniture worker as a employee who was entitled to "workers compensation insurance".
JW elders get in trouble for misclassification of workers "independant contractors" and call me for help when they owe cash to the State Fund. The end up owing Social Security for one-half of 15 percent and SDI (State) and other taxes. Why do JW pool cleaners 1099 their workers each year and wrongly classify them as sub-contractors? They don't pass the stringent test the IRS applies, window washers, janitors and roofers do this kind of corruption and leave the brothers with degrees to clean up their messy and corruption. I have had to deal with the IRS trying to fight for the goonies, sometimes it was free because I thought they were just dumb. I learned I would get all the free-work I could do, never anyone offering to pay me to help them out!
The Watchtower has been sneaky with their layers of corporation structure to protect themselves from lawsuits, forcing elders to endanger their family and assets while the Watchtower is there to pass around "the collection plate", just taking the money without any of the risk. The elders learn how to play games with Ceasar by cheating on building permits, creating illegal dwellings and my favorite is to qualify for "low income housing" and rent the buildling out for double what they are paying the section 8 agency!
They take money and promise a high return (eternal life if you pay out everything from your heart and soul!) or higher rate of return, than Christendom (you will go to Sheol or Ghenna!) vs the Watchtower's Intial offering.
ArbolesdeArabia you have a pm
Dang, that was a pretty good analogy... :)
Cagefighter.......that was a perfect analogy to describe this religion. The Watchtower has the JW religion set up and run like a publishing house religious corporation cult. The local KH is like a franchise to learn the sales skills necessary to serve the parent company organization and CEO's Governing Body.
