Moving Congregations. Am I Allowed To Read The Letter The Elders Write?

by Diogenes 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • xjwms
    xjwms

    My past experience with this is

    When a letter is recieved addressed to the body of elders, all elders read it and put their initials on it, before it goes in the file

    and if you are on a "watch list"....others will be told to get back to the body in case you say or do anything questionable.

    Number one reason I choose not to switch cong years ago.

  • willyloman
    willyloman

    Many of these letters, in fact most of the ones I read (and I've read a lot of them) over the years are purposely vague and don't say much. It used to drive me crazy trying to figure out what the letter writer was really saying.

    A woman moved in to our old congo and after a couple of meetings it was obvious she was a real whack job, plagued with personal problems, a dysfunctional personality, and antisocial tendencies. Shortly after that, we received a letter from her old congo. It read:

    "Enclosed are the cards for sister xxxx xxxxxxx. Sister xxxx has numerous personal problems and needs a great deal of encouragement. We are deighted that she has chosen to become a member of your congregation."

  • Diogenes
    Diogenes

    Thanks for the replies! I think my letter will contain a little more than that unfortunately.

    Does anyone happen to know the number for the bethel in London?

    Thanks

  • BluesBrother
    BluesBrother
    Does anyone happen to know the number for the Bethel in London?

    From a letterhead dated 2002 : 020.8906.2211

    I am racking my brain as I write because things were changing as I stood down was removed. The Data Protection Act was starting to alter procedures.

    As I recall. Letters about rank and file pubs. just enclosing the records were to say nothing of a personal nature , just passing over cards and new address if known.

    Letters of recommendation for elders and Min.Servants were to be drafted and read to the subject by the old congo, before he left - so he had no nasty surprises

    Of course things may have changed and changed back a couple of times since then., but I believe that the Data Protection Act would give you the legal right to have a copy of the letter. Why should they be different from any other organization in the UK?

  • Diogenes
    Diogenes

    Thanks BB's,

    I'll let you know if it's the correct number.

  • Forscher
    Forscher

    When my Dub son moved from one congregation to another, he asked the PO of the first congregation if he could see the letter they were sending. The PO told him that publishers do have the right to see that letter and arrainged for him to do so. When I requested to see my letter (the sending congregations were separate though in the same town, The brothers in my new congregation informed me that I was not allowed to see it. Later I told one of the elders who'd informed me of that (my notification of denial was given me by a committee of two), that I knew they'd not been truthful with me and that their denial told me what I wanted to know about that letter anyway. He sure didn't like that!

    Forscher

  • James Free
    James Free

    The letter is not covered by the DPA. It must be an 'official form' to stand any chance of disclosure. Letters between elders do not count, since they are not 'official representatives' in the legal sense of the WT incorporated companies.

    Even if you had a legal right, which you don't, the Org. would destroy the letter long before any court forced them to disclose it. If you took them to court, expect to be DF'd or considered DA'd by your actions.

    These people know the law so well they don't have to follow it themselves!

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