Justice #24a - Flock Book

by Amazing 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  Amazing

  Many JWs and ex-JWs have wondered about the secretive book called "Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock" or simply stated, the "Flock" book. Little has been said about this book by way of critical review of its content. This Justice series #24 will review Unit 5 of the Flock book regarding Judicial Committees. This post deals first with the Introduction to the Unit:

  UNIT 5 (b) Sharing on a Judicial Committee

  "When having a hearing between your brothers, you must judge with righteousness. " ( Deut. 1:16 ) It is a serious responsibility to judge matters that affect people's lives and relationships with others. Elders must have a reasonably complete picture when judging a matter so that their decisions will not be based on partial knowledge or on personal feelings. They also need heavenly wisdom in order to make proper application of God's Word and to determine how far their showing mercy should extend. (Prov. 28:13; Jas. 2:13) They must treat every person with impartiality at all times and desire that the spiritually ill become well again, since a failure in this regard is unjust and violates the law of love .I Tim. 5:21; Jas. 2:1-9; 5:14, 15; w77 3/1 pp. 146-52

  1991 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

  The introduction uses such noble sounding language, offering fairness, concern, and recognition of how serious it is to judge matters affecting people's lives ... and that is where the high road ends ... and while some, maybe many JW Elders feel and believe that this is their goal, the end result is anything but fair, impartial, or a demonstration of the love of Christ in their lives ... or concern for people ...

  I highlighted the closing comments because it ties in their accountability before God as it pertains to the LAW OF LOVE in their dealings with their fellow humans, especially those they say are related to them in the faith.

  Following in Justice #24B I will get into the specifics of how the Judicial Committee is formed and functions according to published policy and how it operates in actual practice. -

  Edited by - Amazing on 7 October 2002 23:53:35

  Edited by - Amazing on 7 October 2002 23:59:50
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  freedom96

  Thanks amazing for making public something the rest of us would never have the chance to see. It is obvious that the above listed guidelines are rarely used.
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  blondie

  freedom96, the Flock book is posted on the internet.

  http://home2.inet.tele.dk/carloc/

  http://www.douknow.net/jw_manual1.htm
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  Amazing

  Yes, thanks Blondie: That is the copy I am using, although I have a few earlier paper edition supplements. When Elders resign they have to return their "Flock" book, so I don't have my hard copy any more. I was avoid ing referencing the site because I do not want to get into copyright violation issues as did Kent when he posted it.

  Copyright law allows us to make slected quotes in a critical commentary or report on another's written works ... and so by making simple quotes, I was avoiding a wholesale reference to all the material in the book.
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  blondie

  Sorry, I was just hoping he could read on his own without necessarily posting anything from it.
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  SixofNine

  Elders must have a reasonably complete picture when judging a matter so that their decisions will not be based on partial knowledge or on personal feelings.

  Gotta love how quickly they go sloppy. Notice the word "reasonably" in reference to "reasonably complete picture". If they gave a damn about people, they could have just said: "Elders must have a complete picture when...." See how clean and forceful dropping the word 'reasonably' makes the sentence?

  By using the word "reasonably", they left room for elders to do exactly what they pretend they don't want to happen in that sentence: Elders make judgements based on partial knowledge and especially on personal feelings. Think about what the society has preached and drilled about the word reasonable, especially as regards elders vs publishers. If an elder has a disagreement in thought with a regular publisher, by god it's the elder who is "reasonable". And if the elder can get two other elders to agree with his p.o.v., hell it may as well have come from God himself. Damned unreasonable publishers.

  The word "reasonably" is included in that sentence to absolve them of any responsability to true justice. Larry, Mo, and Curly must be reasonable (after all, they were apointed by holy spirit), and if not, well, leave it in Jehovahs hands.

  Edited by - SixofNine on 8 October 2002 10:12:15
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  Big Tex

  Amazing,

  Thanks for sharing your insights on the Flock book. Perhaps I'm just too cynical, but this quote

  I highlighted the closing comments because it ties in their accountability before God as it pertains to the LAW OF LOVE in their dealings with their fellow humans, especially those they say are related to them in the faith.

  seems hollow to me. I don't know, maybe that's your point. But how many elders really take this seriously? I've run across too many who apparently do not. I know there are some good and decent elders trying their best, but my experience is that the vast majority are either mean-spirited bean counters who are fanatics about the rules, or mean-spirited sadists who enjoy throwing their weight around. I still believe in God. I do believe that teachers/leaders (and not just JWs but any spiritual organization) do have a serious responsibility before God. I just wish more took it to heart.
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  benext

  Why is this book always referred to as "secretive?" It's just a textbook for elders like the "Shining As Illuminators" is for Reg. Pioneers who go through the Pioneer School or books that are given to new Bethelites. New publishers are given an Organization book. There's nothing mystical here.
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  Amazing

  Big Tex: I am not sure why you thought of my comment as 'hollow' ... I did not stripulate that I believe this stuff and actually hold JW Elders accountable ... for I well know that they do not apply what is written ... my purpose in highlighting was to draw attention to the points they the Watchtower Society made in ostensibly holding themselves accountable ... they are the hallow ones.

  Benext: The Pioneer book is fairly well known among JWs, and the Organization book is given to ALL newly baptized JWs. There are men appointed Elders who do not know about the "Flock" book ... unless they happen to learn of it from another Elder, or they go to KM school where they finally receive a copy. . I mention its being 'secretive' because it is largely that way ...

  I have already made ther point in earlier posts that the "Flock" book is not all that special, for it basically compiles what is already published in a convenient form for Elders ... and as an Elder I rarely referred to it, because as most Elders we did things as we saw it at the moment, and did not feel compelled to look it up unless he issue was weird - like the Trans-sexuals in the post above.
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  rwagoner

  The "Flock book" is available online too - there were several sites with it online at one time but they seem to disappear soon after I find them. I could also not speak to how accurate they sites are either.

  I don't want to post the link to another site here out of respect of Simon and I also don't want to flood the site and have yet another one disappear. If you need the link or if one of the former-Elders here want to check it for accuracy let me know via email.

  RandyW

  *** Now that I review all the posts I see someone has posted some of them - I do have another as well.

  Edited by - rwagoner on 8 October 2002 11:35:50