by Undecided 28 Replies latest jw friends
For those who are DF or DA the FLOCK book instucts the elders that if requested to have your records destroyed they should comply. Once you make this request they should have not records to use as a basis to come calling. If I ever DA I will request that my records be destroyed.
Have not yet had my visit, but expect that I will soon. Not sure what I will say, may depend on who shows up. I will try and remain passive if I can.
Hey musky, I'm dense today, what credit? Only if you use it to watch football.
Blondie
And those elders who baaaaaaaaaaad! They weren't following the direction of the "slave."
August 1991 Kingdom Ministry page 3 Planting and Watering-Steps Toward Making Disciples
Blodie, Believe me, Your not the dense one. Just my bad humor. I assumed that because of your having access to some fairly sophisticated databases, you would know everything about such things as credit history, addresses, etc.
Blondie:
Do you or anyone else on this board recall a time (in the early eighties) when the PO's obtained the birth dates AND social security numbers of each publisher?
I recall being taken aback by the request (though I obediently complied!), but since I have left I have ocassionally wondered about the possible reasons why they required our SS numbers.
Cookie
I have a question at this point. Just where are the publisher's records kept? At the PO's home? the secretary's home? They can't be very safe there. There's the wives of the Elders you know. They are always very nozy. Records are not kept at the hall. Nothing is locked up at the hall.
Cookie, I have never seen SSN numbers on any Publisher Record Cards, either my own or someone else's in any of the over ten congregations I have been in. I have never been asked for it either. (I would have asked what they were going to use it for.) Birth dates (and baptism dates), yes, in fact some sisters have been "coy" about giving their real birth dates. There is a software program that duplicates the form the WTS uses out on the internet. There is no place for an SSN. That must have been a idiosyncrasy of the congregation/or circuit you lived in.
Name, Last, First, Middle Initial; Address/Phone number; DOB; Date of Baptism; Elder/MS/Baptized Brother/Reg Pio/Reg Pio/Spec Pio/Family Head; Anointed/Other Sheep
Regular and special pioneers used to have a special number assigned to them by the WTS and was on their pioneer card and the "pink" slips they used for their monthly reports.
Blondie
Where should congregation records be kept? In a locked file cabinet at the KH usually in the elders' meeting room. Only the elders should have keys. When an elder steps aside, he should turn in his key.
In practice, the box with the publishers records card is kept in the secretary's home, usually in a locked file in his office to which only he should have the key. This is done because once a month the secretary has to post the numbers from the slips turned in by the publishers to a report that he must send into the WTS no later than the 6th of the next month. That's why they start hounding the R&F so soon to turn in their time. Usually, he has to hunt down the stragglers to an "accurate" and flattering report is sent in.
I would be concerned about the letters to the elders and any judicial records.
Here are some of the directions to the elders regarding records. Of course, elders make their own rules unless the CO rides their rear to do it properly.
*** km 2/74 8 Question Box ***
Records dealing with finances are to be kept at least seven years or longer, as required by the statute of limitations in your state. This includes such records as those pertaining to magazine and literature accounts. Records on building a Kingdom Hall, major repairs, and others that may be needed or useful beyond seven years may be kept indefinitely.
After one year, copies of subscription slips, literature and handbill and magazine order forms, temporary pioneer applications and similar items may be destroyed.
Publishers Record cards should be retained showing at least the last eight years of activity for each publisher. Older cards may be destroyed. Monthly field service report slips, after being tabulated and posted on Publishers Record cards, do not have to be retained. Monthly field service records and meeting attendance records for the congregation will be kept eight years, or longer if desired.
Letters from the circuit overseer informing the congregation of circuit assemblies, his visit to the congregation, etc., may be discarded after the event that they discuss has passed. Circuit overseers reports on visits to the congregation and related correspondence will be retained at least eight years.
Material dealing with the appointment of elders, ministerial servants and those serving as regular pioneers will be kept indefinitely.
Printed letters from the Society dealing with special issues of magazines, travel to international assemblies, etc. can be disposed of after the special activity or assembly that they discuss has passed. It would be well to keep indefinitely letters of instruction, such as: How to Handle Subscriptions Properly (S-11), Instructions for Congregation Accounting (S-27), Public Meeting Talk Titles (S-99), How to Request a Territory Adjustment (S-6), Congregation Territory Assignment (S-54), and letters of instruction regarding pioneering, also current public meeting, funeral, and Memorial outlines.
Judicial matters: Confidential correspondence dealing with serious judicial matters should be kept in a safe place, accessible only to elders. It should be retained for at least five years from the date a case is handled to its completion, or longer if the elders deem it advisable in certain cases.
Blondie (a rule is meant to be broken, but only by an elder)
Blondie:you said
"There is no place for an SSN. That must have been a idiosyncrasy of the congregation/or circuit you lived in"
Your response makes me even more curious as to why anyone (our PO) would have asked us for such private information. I could kick myself for having been such a compliant fool.
Cookie
Some posts here have indicated, directly or by implication, that inactive persons will be asked a question somewhat along the lines of "do you still consider yourself one of Jehovah's Witnesses" in what appears to be an effort to 'weed out' some for possibly an eventual DA.
Edited by - rocketman on 31 December 2002 14:52:14
Regarding having a bible study again (indoctrination therapy) perhaps a good way would be to agree to a study starting with the 607bce prophecy. !!!
Then, on the understanding that this particular subject has been dealt with satisfactory to both parties (theocratically of course) you could then ask them to study with you re: the Wild Beast of Revelation etc. You know what I'm getting at - the list is endless, the time spent in answering these types of questions could qualify them as special pioneers :)
KT
