This tickles me in a very satisfying way.
Secret Elders Book? Bwahahaha!
by NotFormer 32 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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Vidiot
Save it for the ladies, Nate. 😏
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TonusOH
Does it need to be a 'secret' book? If the instruction comes from the Bible, they shouldn't worry that the rank and file might read it.
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FFGhost
Does it need to be a 'secret' book? If the instruction comes from the Bible, they shouldn't worry that the rank and file might read it.
The reason they want it kept secret is that someone who has access to it prior to meeting with a judicial committee would pretty quickly learn the "tricks" needed to not be DF'ed.
One of the sections is all about "how to tell if repentance is genuine" or some such. There is a series of 15 or 20 questions that elders are supposed to use to determine how "genuine" is the repentance expressed by the "sinner".
Basically, the key is more or less wailing and gnashing your teeth over how you have "damaged your relationship with Jehovah". Embarrassment, shame, bad consequences, etc. all have to take a back seat to how absolutely gut-wrenchingly broken up you are about "bringing reproach on Jehovah's name".
If you put on a good show about how soul-achingly devastated you are about the "pain you have caused Jehovah", there's a better than 90% chance you'll get off with mere "reproof" and not be DF'ed.
If everyone knows in advance what the key to be judged as "genuinely repentant" is, everyone would do it and they wouldn't be able to DF anyone.
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Beth Sarim
It must just drive the Borg nuts how apostates and general public knows about the Shepherd book before the eldubs know about it.
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Journeyman
Does it need to be a 'secret' book? If the instruction comes from the Bible, they shouldn't worry that the rank and file might read it.
Well said. Whether you believe it's inspired or not, at least all the laws and procedures originally given to Israel are openly in the scriptures, as are the instructions from Jesus to his disciples.
It was bodies of men forming 'clergy' classes that later made up their own internal procedures and rules in Judaism and Christendom, and - surprise, surprise - the org has copied the same pattern with their 'secret' elders book and branch letters.
But it all comes out in the end... "For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light." (Mark 4:22, NLT)
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Beth Sarim
This secret elders manual is already being torn apart by 'activists' even before the elders have their new versions of it.
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punkofnice
I remember after the local Elders(tm) disassociated(tm) me. I wasn't at that meeting, I was at a friends house playing guitar and writing songs.
Shortly after, a new fleece the flock book was released. I obtained a PDF copy before the local elders(tm).
Then I seem to remember that as a result of the Australian Royal Commission, a copy of the fleece the flock book was available on their site.
..and does anyone recall when there was a letter sent to elders(tm) telling them that if they had the book bound, a sister mustn't do the leatherwork?
I no longer give a monkeys about the Watchtower corporation(tm) and don't have a great deal of interest these days. I come on here out of morbid fascination to see what my relatives are being indoctrinated with.
I have long come to realise that the JWs are NOT a real religion, they are being suckered by a ruthless money oriented big corporation.
It's all a sham. Such a pity the jobots can't see it like we do.
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Beth Sarim
Punkofnice,,,you couldn't have said it better.
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NotFormer
Punkofnice: "I have long come to realise that the JWs are NOT a real religion, they are being suckered by a ruthless money oriented big corporation."
In a different thread I recently made the assertion that the WT was a door to door sales organisation and that Kingdom Halls were not for "Christian meetings", but were distribution centres/warehouses where the unpaid sales staff picked up their merchandise and got their instructions.