WT Squelches Congrefational Address Lists

by Room 215 16 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Room 215

  For anyone who doubts that paranoia amongst the denizens of dubdom is greater than ever, consider this: In years past JWs used to distribute copies of phone/address lists of the members of the congregation for the convenience of the friends, and these were periodically updated.

  Lately in my area, however, requests for a current list were refused, with the explanation that it would be ``imprudent to keep such a list, as it would compromise the brothers' /sisters' identities were it to fall into the wrong hands.""

  Is this ban now oganization-wide or just a local phenomenon? I would suspect the former.
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  NameWithheld

  Room, I recall seeing the same 'ban' on lists years ago, especially as PC's became popular, and lot's of people began keeping such lists on them. It was always the 'persecution' paranoia cited too. I don't know if there are other reasons to ban them, or if the service desk (who sets this policy) really buys into the persecution bit.
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  Elsewhere

  The reason they gave you is total BS... that very elder is well aware that every single congregation member has a card with his name phone number and address filed away.

  How else do you think they knew where to go to call on all of the inactive members?

  If you want a list, you can create one on your own... Just approach each person and let him/her know that you would like to have his Address and Phone number so that you will have it handy.

  Of course, soon thereafter, there might be a "special needs" talk about how important it is not to keep such lists because of the impending persecution that is Coming Any Day Now (TM)
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  Gopher

  I've been hearing since 20 years ago that these lists are "no-no's" for Jehovah's Witnesses. Yet people must WANT them, because they keep creating them! (I made my own list, it only included the people I really wanted to deal with in the congregation. )

  The reason that these might fall into the hands of persecutors during the upcoming great tribulation -- what a brilliant piece of B.S.! If you tried to argue against that reason, then you'd be viewed as having lack of faith that the great tribulation was near. See how "fear" and "groupthink" dominate even in small matters.

  One time in our congregation in Minnesota, someone converted to a different church (Seventh day adventists? I cannot recall), and used the phone list to have people from their church make uninvited telephone calls on congregation members! (The JW's didn't like getting uninvited calls, how ironic!!)
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  Room 215

  Elsewhere, your point noted. It's true anyone who cares to take the trouble probably can compile a list by painstakingly approaching each and everyone at his/her congregation. My point is that years ago, such lists, often made up by an elder in charge of the records, were freely distributed and it was considered no big deal, a way to promote closeness and a familial spirit in the congregation.

  Today, however, I reckon that anyone who made such a list would be told to destroy it, certainly not reporduce it and pass it around.
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  undercover

  I had heard from an assembly platform about not keeping the lists, but in our congregation they did it anyway. The PO was the one that compliled the list and then distributed it and updated it every 6 months.

  The whole paranoia about the list falling into the wrong hands is silly at best. Anyone who buys into that paranoia or conspiracy has to believe that the government already knows who is a JW and what role they play in the congregation. The whole piece of paper in the wrong hands is like a bad war movie.
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  cruzanheart

  Every once in a while, when my dad was an elder, I heard that we weren't supposed to keep any kind of congregation records on the computer, in case the Meanies hacked into it or confiscated it during the Great Trib.

  Just another ploy to keep the not-so-great crowd from trusting anyone except the GB.

  Nina
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  rocketman

  Yeah, I'd hear the same thing every so often - but the elders would have them printed out and distributed among themselves and the MS's and Pios anyway. They came in handy.
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  archangel01

  Hello, the names/addresses are in the wrong hands......Their at the kingdom hall
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  observador

  It's unbelievable how the same pattern repeats among JWs all over the world. In Brazil I faced once a similar situation. I needed a list not of publishers but congregations addresses and was told the same BS: persecution makes it unadvisable to make such a list, believe or not!

  Observador.