NEW BOE LETTER - It just got exponentially harder to "fade"

by sir82 91 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  lrkr

  But even beyond exercising control at the local level, I smell a rat in the "don't document" advice: I suspect it's an intentional effort by the WTBTS to increase the distance between the activities and decisions of the individual congregations and the "Mother Ship", trying to cut down on the sheer bulk of 'smoking guns' that potentially serves as incriminating evidence showing the level of local control exerted by "Mother".

  This is the key. Dont forget- Service Dept and Legal Dept work hand in hand. There's always a liability avoidance motive if you look carefully enough.
• 

  jgnat

  I take it as an annual nag. It won't actually increase the number of shepherding calls. Elders are overloaded as it is.
• 

  BluesBrother

  Best comment so far, from Shirley :

  It is very telling how the WT REALLY views the importance of shepherding by the above quote. For an organization that is obsessed with numbers, statistics, placements, hours, etc., and wants to know every fart and sneeze that occurs in the organization, to say it's not necessary to keep records of anything having to do with shepherding says they just don't care. Words are cheap....actions speak volumes.

  Frankly for most elders it is not possible to work full time, raise a family , take a lead in Field Misery , give talks and still be effective shepherds . What firm makes the manager have the same workload as his staff, and still expect him to effectively manage ? It would not work.

  Empty words to cover their asses..
• 

  jookbeard

  Shepparding calls/visits are probably the most neglected part of their busy enough schedule , we've already advised many here over the last couple of years to reject unanounced visits , text, voicemail and phone , if anything it may be harder to make contact with inactive ones .
• 

  metatron

  The reality is that many will do nothing until a C.O.'s visit comes due and then do some butt-covering shepherding.

  Like much of the "truth", it's merely a facade.

  metatron
• 

  clarity

  "We must love our brothers from the heart by feeding and shepherding
  them willingly. (1 Pet. 5:"

  *

  Now that's like an elders wife saying. "hey we must have lunch

  s o m e t i m e!

  clarity
• 

  Gentledawn

  All elders, particularly group overseers, must strive to maintain regular, if at all possible
  weekly, contact with the publishers. (Prov. 27:23)

  Talk about taking something out of context. That scripture was talking about literally taking care of sheep (and goats, for that matter), not HUMANS:

  23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
  give careful attention to your herds;
  24 for riches do not endure forever,
  and a crown is not secure for all generations.
  25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
  and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
  26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
  and the goats with the price of a field.
  27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
  and to nourish your female servants
• 

  steve2

  Oh, this is not new. There have been periodic overtures over many, many, many years, from the GB to elders, urging to one degree or another the need for shepherding calls, including to those "missing" from meetings.

  What typically follows these official missives is very telling: Zero upswing in shepherding calls.

  One can imagine the private inner thoughts of elders as they wearily react to the missive's advice: "We've got enough on our plates, thank you very much." They would never ever say this - but it will be "spoken" through fitful inaction.

  The lion has roared - but the mice have learnt how to sleep through the noises and survive to endure further noises in the future.
• 

  BU2B

  Wow Gentedawn.. Great catch! Dont you just love how they throw out of context and unrelated things next to whatever crap they are spouting off at the moment, just to give it an air of biblical authority but under examination have nothing to do with it?

  They also do this with one of their most handy doctrines, that of the "light getting Brighter" All that Proverb had to do with was a simple lesson teaching how things will turn out better for righteous ones than wicked ones, but they have taken it and made it really one of their key texts because without it, they have no excuse or way to dismiss all of their changed teachings, flip flops etc.

  They also do this with the scripture where it says "obey the law of your mother" again a proverb giving advice about how to succeed in life is strreeecchheeed to mean, we the WT society are your mother, so obey us and here is the scripture that tells you to, even though it says nothing of the kind!
• 

  Mum

  All of these recommended "shepherding calls" may be seen by the GB as a way to force the hand of faders, i.e., to force them to write DA letters so the harassment will stop. They know faders don't want to play by their rules, so they're going to give those faders some incentive. It's best to move out of the area if you can.