New Directives to the Congregation in the UK

by Jim Dee 30 Replies latest jw friends

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  Jim Dee

  Our latest Elders Meeting with the CO has just occurred. New things arising are:-

  1. Before an MS or Elder is appointed a specific question is asked:-

  "Has the brother ever been, or been accussed of, or alledged to be a child molester?" The next question is "are you absolutley sure, is there any hint of this?" - score one for Silent Lambs

  2 Are there any elderly who have a phone but cannot get to the meetings? If so use the congregation phone to "Hook them up" and count them as attendees!! If there are more than one then use BTs conference service, the elderlys attendance at thje meetings for spiritual food is important (ie we can count them even if they are not here!)

  3. In an elders letter to the congregation in November it highlights "attending the spiritual needs of the territory" including shopping malls, markets, town centres and old peoples homes. It suggests VERY STRONGLY approaching the owners of the mall, market etc to set up a stall to give the mags away.

  It also suggests that the owners of all local old folks homes be contacted to provide a "Free weekly bible discussion" to all elderly who want to attend in the home. This is to be a planned weekly event to increase the number of studys pioneers hold and "provide a valuable service to the community" The society expect to see Bible studies go up by 25% this year

  An elder is to be appointed to direct this work and is to communicate progress to the CO directly on a monthly basis.

  4. Any Brother, MS or Elder who is alleged to have done wrongdoing must have his status reviewed - even if this is only an allegation.

  5. Any Brother, MS or Elder who's Partner is alleged to have done wrongdoing must have his status reviewed - even if this is only an allegation as he will be deemed "Not to be presiding over his household in a fine manner

  7.A review of the item "Listening to the voice of strangers" from the last assembly was reviewed. Our CO mentioned the question of the BBC/ Hutton report - however no mention was made of the panorama program (It didn't need to be, everyone knew it anyway)

  8. MS's can be appointed if they do the average hours in a cong - even if that average is 5 (but must exclude Bible Studys)

  Thought you might like to know

  Jim
• 

  Lady Lee

  5. Any Brother, MS or Elder who's Partner is alleged to have done wrongdoing must have his status reviewed - even if this is only an allegation as he will be deemed "Not to be presiding over his household in a fine manner

  When this one gets to Canada it might be enough to know my ex off his MS pedestal
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  minimus

  This is GREAT! You see that the Society is hanging onto the elderly for all it's worth! They are willing to go to nursing homes to get them! Numbers could soar because these older ones have nobody to care for them, no one to visit or take an interest in them. Having older ones listen by phone will pump up attendance. Then at the end of a public talk they can say to the 40 people in actual attendance, that all 65 persons enjoyed the talk!
• 

  Elsewhere

  An elder is to be appointed to direct this work and is to communicate progress to the CO directly on a monthly basis.

  Oh wow! They are starting to micro-manage the elders now!

  Many of the other rules are tightening the thumb screws too!

  They just don't get it do they? They only way for them to "win" is to lighten up ALL of their rules and release ALL of their control. Being a christian has nothing to do with organization... being a christian has to do with personal faith, personal responsibility and a personal relationship with the christian god. As soon as an organization comes into play and starts making rules related to faith, they place themselves between the people and the god.
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  gitasatsangha

  Looks as if reform is happening, no matter how quiet or slowly. Good work Silent Lambs! I hope this pervents children from abuse.
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  kls

  The last i heard the jws were in denial of their people doing anything wrong. Sounds like in this letter they are admitting wrong doing. KLS
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  Lady Lee

  I wonder how many of those older people will have bank accounts for the WTS to get its paws on
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  garybuss

  Plus, the older ones die and leave wills:-)
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  Satanus

  "attending the spiritual needs of the territory"

  Spiritual is the wrong word, as jws don't know the meaning. They don't believe that people have spirits other than a mental attitude. Even animals got those, yet noone claims that they got spirits. The wt says that people do not get to keep god's spirit w themselves. It only lingers long enough to deposit some 'power', then flits off somewhere else. Mind control is the correct term. And so, "attending the mind control needs of the territory", would bring it up to the level of language of truth.

  the owners of all local old folks homes be contacted to provide a "Free weekly bible discussion" to all elderly who want to attend in the home. This is to be a planned weekly event to increase the number of studys pioneers hold and "provide a valuable service to the community"

  As ladylee said.

  SS
• 

  LittleToe

  This is a scary thread - I find myself agreeing with Elsewhere on a religious/spiritual topic

  I find the "confirmation" of the first question to be an interesting one. I wonder if that was in the script, or just a personal reinforcement by a particular CO?

  It's nice to see some of Bill's work (and that of many, many others) bearing fruit.
  We can but hope that the work of AJWRB might eventually get to make such overt reform, too (though the 2001 "Blood forms" seem to indicate a tiny shift in tolerance, however ironic the practice).