The following is taken from Ray Franz's book, Crisis of Conscience, pages 341-344. This letter, sent out to all traveling representatives, Circuit Overseers, by the Service Department of the international headquarters, shows the Society's demand for comformity no matter the cost to the rank and file.
JW Lurkers: please read carefully. The portion of the letter in blue is of particular interest, and Franz's comments nails the Governing Body's intent.
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WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC.
117 ADAMS STREET, BOOKLYN, NEW YORK 11201, U.S.A. PHONE (212) 625-1240
SCG:SSF September 1, 1980
TO ALL CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT OVERSEERS
Dear Brothers:
Me know that you and your wives benefitted greatly from the "Divine Love" District Conventions. They impressively brought to our attention why love is the most beneficial quality that we can develop. (1 Cor. 13:13) Love enables us to remain united in spite of the limitations and shortcomings we manifest. ?Col. 3:12-14.
You can be sure that by your loving example, the brothers you serve will be uplifted and strengthened in the faith. We have received a number of letters informing us of the love you brothers and your wives have displayed. One body of elders wrote concerning their circuit overseen "(He) is truly devoted to do Jehovah's will . . . being of spiritual assistance to all . . . approachable in discussing any matter. (He) has a listening ear, showing empathy for the brothers. Such brothers we can rely upon when future problems we know will come, set in."
You can be confident that the brothers treasure your friendship, association and love when you "genuinely care for the things pertaining to them." (Phil. 2:19-23,29) Therefore, continue exerting yourselves to deal lovingly with them. Never pressure them or scold them. Lead them, work hard with them, exhort them in accord with their needs. Be patient if their progress appears slow. Such loving, patient treatment will refresh the brothers.--Matt. 11:28-30.
PROTECTING THE FLOCK
A major responsibility of an overseer as he 'shepherds the flock of God in his care" is to protect it from dangers. (Acts 20:28) Acts 20:29,30 indicates that one of those dangers can be men who apostatize. There is a fine study of this subject in the August 1, 1980, Watchtower. All of you want to get thoroughly familiar with the contents of the study articles. Encourage all of the elders and ministerial servants, especially, to do likewise. Include key points in your "Continue in the Things You Have Learned" program.
Help the elders discern between one who is a trouble-making apostate and a Christian who becomes weak in faith and has doubts. (2 Peter 2; Jude 22, 23) The former one should be dealt with decisively after extended efforts put forth to readjust him. (2 John 7-10) On the other hand, one weak should be patiently and lovingly assisted to get the accurate knowledge solidify his faith.
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Keep in mind that to be disfellowshiped, an apostate does not have to be a promoter of apostate views. As mentioned in paragraph two, page 17 of the August 1, 1980, Watchtower, "The word 'apostasy' comes from a Greek term that means 'a standing away from,' 'a falling away, defection,' 'rebellion, abandonment. Therefore, if a baptized Christian abandons the teachings of Jehovah, as presented by the faithful and discreet slave, and persists in believing other doctrine despite Scriptural reproof, then he is apostatizing. Extended, kindly efforts should be put forth to readjust his thinking. However, if, after such extended efforts have been put forth to readjust his thinking, he continues to believe the apostate ideas and rejects what he has been provided through the 'slave class, then appropriate judicial action should be taken.
This is not to say that you or the elders should go on 'witch hunts,' as it were, inquiring into the personal beliefs of your brothers. Rather, if something reasonably substantial comes to the attention of the elders along this line, it would be appropriate to make a kindly, discreet inquiry so as to protect the flock. We cannot overemphasize the need to be cautious, discreet and kindly as such situations are dealt with.?James 1:19, 20. . . .
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Ray Franz?s Comments:
The letter presents an official policy. It actually says that a person's believing?not promoting, but simply believing? something that differs from the teachings of the organization is grounds for taking judicial action against him as an "apostate"!
The letter makes no qualifying statements limiting such differences of belief to fundamental teachings of God's Word, such as the coming of God's Son as a man, the ransom, faith in Christ's shed blood as the basis for salvation, the resurrection, or similar basic Bible doctrines. It does not even say that the person necessarily disagrees with the Bible, the Word of God. Rather, he disagrees with "the teachings of Jehovah, as presented by the faithful and discreet slave." Which is something like saying that a man's accepting and obeying a King's written message is no guarantee that he is loyal; it is his accepting and obeying what a slave messenger claims the ruler meant that decides this!
The symbol at the top of the September 1, 1980 letter ("SCG") identifies the composer of it as Leon Weaver. But it should not be thought that this "thought-control" policy was the thinking of one individual,-nor was it some momentary off-the-cuff expression of extremism which a person might make and afterward feel ashamed of as a rash, harsh and utterly unchristian position to take. The composer was a member of the Service Department Committee whose members, such as Harley Miller, David Olson, Joel Adams, Charles Woody and Leon Weaver, were all longtime representatives of the organization, with decades of experience behind them. They were agents of the Governing Body in supervising the activity of about 10,000 congregations and the activity of all the elders, Circuit and District Overseers in the United States, where nearly one million Jehovah's Witnesses live. They were in regular contact with the Service Committee of the Governing Body and were supposed to be thoroughly familiar with the Governing Body policies, attuned to its thinking and viewpoint and spirit.
But this only adds to the appalling aspect of the position the letter took. As I know from years on the Service Committee, any letter of this importance must be submitted to the Governing Body Service Committee for approval before being sent out. 1 Objection by even one member of that Committee would have resulted in the letter's going before the entire Governing Body for discussion.
Whatever the case, the letter and its policy?which evokes memories of the position of religious authorities in the Inquisition- had to have been approved by a number of headquarters representatives, including several Governing Body members. Since people's friendships, family relationships, personal honor and other life interests were all at stake, it should be presumed that these men gave long, careful thought to that statement of September 1, 1980, before approving it as an official expression from the "faithful and discreet slave" of Jesus Christ. What they there said was no light matter to be explained away later by saying, "Well, we really didn't mean it exactly the way it sounded." As the facts show, people, many persons, were actually disfellowshiped and continue to be disfellowshiped solely on the basis of this very thought-control policy sent out. The denigrating label of "apostate" is placed on their name simply because in their own hearts, they cannot accept all of the Society's interpretations.
1 The members at that time were Ted Jaracz (Coordinator), Milton Henschel, Albert Schroeder, William Jackson and Martin Poetzinger.
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My Thoughts
It has been my personal experience and the experience of most everyone on this board that elders in the congregation who are charged with shepherding the flock cannot differentiate between those with doubts and those who do not believe WT doctrine. If you are a JW still in the organization and you are here because of doubts, I bid you go to your elders or some other loud mouth JW and express these doubts out loud and see what happens. Ray Franz hit the nail on the head with his firsthand evaluation ot the Society's tactics and demand for comformity.