Several days ago I posted a topic about how the newly reinstated could be disfellowshipped again for failing to attend meetings or particiapte in Field Service. (This was based on the issue of lacking works that befit repentance.) I used cautionary language about how this ""can"" happen, but was accused of making "dogmatic assertions" and that the Organization book and the Flock book never authorize such, and most of all the S-77 form sent into the Society would trigger a CO visit were it to state such things. You can read this post and the comments at: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.aspx?id=36362&site=3
Some years ago on H20, I ran into a similar situation when I posted one of my Justice Series of a JW women who was DF'd for "Lacking Love" ... an offense not stipulated specifically in any publication used to direct JW Elders. Yet, her file was the largest in congregation JC files I maintained, and her S-77 form clearly stated "Lack of Love" as the cause of action. A poster challenged me strongly because he asserted that the Society would never go along with such, and that no such "cause" was stated in their procedures.
I believe that the problem some have with the claims made are a lack of understanding of how the JW Elders operate, and the ""real force"" that governs their actions. This may be caused by a lack of experience or failing to recall just how the JW Justice system works. The things stated below are not mere assertions or dogmatism, for there is no basis to act or feel that way. I am stating only fact and addressing reality as the religion is practiced, not as it is supposed to operate in theory. The JW religion is supposed to be lots of positive things in theory, especially the most loving organization on earth or in human history --- yet, those who have lived through it and exited to tell their stories, have found the JW religion to be anything but loving.
How are JW Elders trained, guided, directed and instructed? Understanding this will go a long way to understanding why JW members are often mistreated, even disfellowshipped improperly, and how the Watchtower Society is a willing accomplice in this charade. The training and grooming and continued direction of JW Elders is accomplished as follows:
1. The Watchtower magazine - obviously available to all JWs. This is publication is provided to the public domain where thoughtful and nice theory are promoted as to how Elders are to act. Yet, even here, terrible things are said, such as accepting counsel from an Elder without complaint, even if the counsel is 'seemingly' wrong.
2. The Organization book - also obviously available to all JWs. This book does have condensed detailed information and provides much guidance ... but it is not read all that often by the average JW, and most importantly, even JW Elders do not refer to it much except when using the appendix while interviewing baptismal candidates.
3. The Flock book - not available to average JWs --- AND --- not immediately available to newer Elders. Generally, a JW man must be an Elder for a while and attend a KM school for Elders when the book is released in revised form. This book goes into much greater detail, and is often given added notations as instructed when attending KM Shcool. This book is referred to by JW Elders from time to time, a little more so than the Organization book --- BUT --- on average JW Elders instinctively do not need to refer to it, nor do they have much interest unless some academic dabate ensues should the Elders disagree among themselves.
4. Circuit Overseer visits - while available to all JWs, the meetings the CO holds with the Elders is "private" and is among the cornerstones of ORAL instruction whereby Elders receive their PRIMARY guidance. Criminal organizations, such as the Mafia, use this means to control their organizatons ... and as a result of such ORAL and UNDOCUMENTED methods, the US Government passed the RICO legislation to enable law enforcement to persue, spy on, and apprehend such criminals.
Any man who has ever served for any length of time as a JW Elder understands this ORAL tradition and undestands that as the COs come and go, the winds of change move back and forth. I can recall commenting to a new CO about a matter of policy in appointing new Elders and MS by citing what the previous CO instructed, only to be told that we are now to follow the direction of the new CO ... and do it that way until the next new CO changes things again. This is ALL ORAL and ALL subject to UNDOCUMENTED change ... this is what the Watchtower Society means when it says in the Organization book that the Society can overrule local decisions and local Elders at anytime. The Society frequently confuses Elders, keeing them in an unsteady and uncertain state via the Circuit Overseer. (Ray Franz mentions this situation in his book, In Search of Christian Freedom.)
5. KM School - not available to rank and file JWs. The CO visits are confusing enough, but at KM School the Society adds another layer that may include the District Overseer or someone appointed by the Society to conduct the School. Here, the Flock book may be, and is often set aside ... AND ... we have even been instructed NOT to take notes. That is correct, we are to simply listen and remember. Tape recordings are never allowed. This was true in my last KM school held at Woodburn, Oregon Assembly Hall.
6. Phone Calls to the Service Desk - likewise never open to average JWs. Often, JWs Elders will be confused about some technical matter, usually Judicial decisions ... PRECISELY because the Flock and Organization books and other Watchtower publcations are inadequate to address ALL situations. The Service Desk in New York does give ORAL instructions that are followed as if law ... and as reported in the newspaper by SilentLambs, this has been the case in matters regarding shielding JW child molesters, and silencing the victims ... this an example of ORAL instruction one will NEVER find documented in ANY Watchtower publication anywhere at anytime.
7. Correspondence with the Society - these may be available to average JWs IF they are involved in the matter, otherwise, they are private to the Elders and kept in the congregation file maintained by the Secretary. These are similar to phone calls, with the exception that the Elders do have some additional DOCUMENTED direction not found in Watchtower publications, nor necessarily in in the files of other congregations UNLESS they happen to have had the same problem.
8. BOE Letters from the Society - not normally available to average JWs unless read at congregation meetings. These are supplemental in nature, and provide general direction ... and can be about any topic, not necessarily related to handling JC matters.
9. Private instruction - not available to average JWs. This is often received when a CO visits, or at an assembly or convention or other ocassions where a select few Elders host and entertain the CO or DO. During such times, the CO and DO will REVEAL inside information from the Society ... and this is especially true of visiting OFFICIALS such as members of the Governing Body ... and of ALL instruction and guidance, even the mere SUGGESTIONS of such men are taken as the Gospel. Such instruction is among the most POWERFUL a JW Elder will ever receive.
As an example, we had one Circuit Overseer who went into lengthy efforts to dissect the Society publications and the Bible to arrive at a long convoluted series of so-called logical steps to show us how to reason on whether we could DF a JW man for acts of masturbation. The Society has made it clear in publications that masturbation is not a DF offense ... but in private ORAL instructions we were shown how to turn a habitual masturbator into a serious offender by linking his conduct to more serious issues, such as Loose Conduct, and others things that are DF offenses ...
Note: The CO was not telling us to DF masturbators ... but only showing how to reason and IF necessary, find ways to logically conclude that the masturbator is guilty of more serious offenses. He may or may not have given the same instruction to other bodies of Elders in other areas ... this is what often makes life very confusing for JW Elders. I have moved into a new congregation to discover that things are viewed differently on several matters ... much depends on the good memory (and broad experience) of the Elders as to what is said by way of ORAL instruction ...
... and rare is the day when such Circuit Overseers are reported to the Society because, upon talking to the Service Desk a JW Elder quickly finds out that the CO is the Society's representative and we are to accept his ORAL instruction ... only on one ocassion did I ever see the Society go after a CO ... it was for the offense of reporting to others what a member of the Governing Body supposedly stated to him in private. (While this is normal, the quote caused general concern in congregations as it went beyond the Elders. Otherwise, these ORAL pieces of information are the norm between COs and the Elders.)
Conclusion: This is how JW Elders receive training and often engage in decisions and actions that are not always documented or directed in the Society publications (Yet, upon making a decision to DF it is rare for the Society to reverse such decision made from ORAL training) ... some of it is natural and understandable ... but I find it most frustrating when discussing this to have people insist that unless it is written in the Society publications, then it must not be so ... for this runs contrary to the very operations and nature of the JW religion.
Edits include some spelling and grammar corrections, and some clarifying points added in brackets.
Edited by - Amazing on 17 September 2002 9:56:5