I've got a scan of that letter!

by SirNose586 64 Replies latest jw friends

  • AK - Jeff
    AK - Jeff

    Thanx Nose - but I can only open it in paint and it takes so much memory it does not load entirely - is there a better way to look at this letter?

    Jeff

  • SirNose586
    SirNose586
    The sneaky basturds probly have equipment to sweep for stuff like that or they have it being watched with sneaky cameras hidden . You can put it right next to their device , maybe they won't tell the difference .LOL

    Heathen, I think you give them too much credit. No one would have the money or the desire to set up a hidden camera to watch a room that no one cares about.

    Thanx Nose - but I can only open it in paint and it takes so much memory it does not load entirely - is there a better way to look at this letter?

    Jeff

    Well, for one it sounds like you could use a more powerful computer! .tif files open in Microsoft Office Document Imaging, so you might want to get that first....

  • AK - Jeff
    AK - Jeff

    oK

    Opened it in fax viewer and it was fine.

    Jeff

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere

    I have converted the TIF image into a PDF with text that can be cut and pasted. The new PDF is also only 223K instead of 17MB.

    http://elsewhereishere.com/jw/BoE_letter_WT_change.pdf

  • jwfacts
    jwfacts

    This is quite shocking. This has been done to increase the brainwashing. Brainwashing incorporates "loaded language" and this letter shows that they want an uncensored private edition for followers that is filled with loaded language and pointed advice. Suck newly interested in through soft public edition Watchtowers, and then once hooked enough for meetings let the hardcore mindcontrol begin.

    In regards to the Awake they say that circulation continues to increase, and that it has Jehovahs blessing. This is misleading, the single issue of the Awake may have increased, but the total number of Awake printed per year will be almost half what it used to be.

    At least they show that the they don't really believe the end will come in 2007, as the change does not take place until 2008.

  • willyloman
    willyloman

    I think OnTheWayOut has it right... the average dub won't need twice as many WTs as before to get thru the month. The placements will be the same. The difference will be in how many magazines stack up in the dub's closet or bookshelf, ultimately to be tossed in the fire or trash. I actually applaud the dubs for this decision; it will cut back on paper useage and save a few trees. What really cracked me up was this from SirNose:

    after I read the letter, the hall burst into spontaneous applause.

    This is the mindset we are up against if we expect reform from within.

  • V
    V

    Here is the text of the letter:


    Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses
    2821 Route 22, Patterson, NY 12563-2237 Phone: (845) 306-1100

    February 9, 2007

    TO ALL CONGREGATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

    Re: Adjusted format of The Watchtower

    Dear Brothers:

    The year 2006 saw a major change in publishing the Awake! magazine. In January of that year the magazine became monthly instead of semimonthly and the contents were given a more Scriptural slant than previously. In the months since then, Jehovah's blessing has been seen on the arrangement and the circulation of Awake! continues to increase.

    Now, we are pleased to announce that the Governing Body has approved changes to the format of The Watchtower. The Watchtower will continue to be published semimonthly, but it will have two different editions. In the issue that is dated the 1 st of each month, all the material will be directed to the public. It will have no study articles. That issue will be known as the public edition. The Watchtower that is dated the 15th of each month will be solely for the Christian brotherhood. It will not be offered to the public. It will contain all the study articles for one month and secondary articles that are appropriate for dedicated servants of Jehovah. That edition will be known as the study edition.

    The advantages of this change will be quickly evident. At the moment, each issue of The Watchtower contains material both for the public and the brotherhood. So, even in the study articles, we have to explain terms like "pioneer" in ways that the public can understand. After this new arrangement goes into effect, everything in the study edition will be expressly for dedicated individuals and Bible students who are making spiritual progress. Hence, information can be more pointed and more beneficial. Material in the public edition will be designed to educate the public. That does not mean that we as dedicated Christians will not enjoy reading the information. But the information published will be of such a nature that a non-Witness will be able to read the magazine from cover to cover without encountering material that has been especially prepared for Jehovah's Witnesses.

    An additional advantage of this new arrangement , is that each month we will offer in the field service just one Watchtower with one Awake! Thus, we will not have to adjust our presentation halfway through the month in order to accommodate the latest issue of The Watchtower.

    This new arrangement for publishing The Watchtower will take effect in January 2008. Hence, the January 1, 2008, Watchtower will be a public edition and the January 15, 2008, Watchtower will be a study edition.

    We pray that Jehovah's rich blessing will be on this new arrangement with The Watchtower just as it has been on Awake!

    Your brothers,
    Christain Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

    PS to presiding overseer:

    Please arrange for this letter to be read to the congregation at the first Service Meeting after its receipt. Thereafter, it should be posted on the information board.

  • pseudoxristos
    pseudoxristos

    Here is a plain text version of the letter.

    pseudo

    [The following is a plain text copy of the letter "TO ALL CONGREGATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES" dated February 9, 2007. The actual text begins with the date "February 9, 2007". The text that appears prior to the date is the text of the letter head]

    Christian Congregation
    of Jehovah’s Witnesses
    2821 Route 22, Patterson, NY 12563-2237 Phone: (845) 306-1100

    February 9, 2007

    TO ALL CONGREGATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

    Re: Adjusted format of The Watchtower

    Dear Brothers:

    The year 2006 saw a major change in publishing the Awake! Magazine. In January of that year the magazine became monthly instead of semimonthly and the contents were given a more Scriptural slant than previously. In the months since then, Jehovah’s blessing has been seen on the arrangement and the circulation of Awake! continues to increase.

    Now, we are pleased to announce that the Governing Body has approved changes to the format of The Watchtower. The Watchtower will continue to be published semimonthly, but it will have two different editions. In the issue that is dated the 1st of each month, all the material will be directed to the public. It will have no study articles. That issue will be known as the public edition. The Watchtower that is dated the 15th of each month will be solely for the Christian brotherhood. It will not be offered to the public. It will contain all the study articles for one month and secondary articles that are appropriate for dedicated servants of Jehovah. That edition will be known as the study edition.

    The advantages of this change will be quickly evident. At the moment, each issue of The Watchtower contains material both for the public and the brotherhood. So, even in the study articles, we have to explain terms like "pioneer" in ways that the public can understand. After this new arrangement goes into effect, everything in the study edition will be expressly for dedicated individuals and Bible students who are making spiritual progress. Hence, information can be more pointed and more beneficial. Material in the public edition will be designed to educate the public. That does not mean that we as dedicated Christians will not enjoy reading the information. But the information published will be of such a nature that a non-Witness will be able to read the magazine from cover to cover without encountering material that has been especially prepared for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

    An additional advantage of this new arrangement is that each month we will offer in the field service just one Watchtower with one Awake! Thus, we will not have to adjust our presentation halfway through the month in order to accommodate the latest issue of The Watchtower.

    This new arrangement for publishing The Watchtower will take effect in January 2008. Hence, the January 1, 2008, Watchtower will be a public edition and the January 15, 2008, Watchtower will be a study edition.

    We pray that Jehovah’s rich blessing will be on this new arrangement with The Watchtower just as it has been on Awake!

    Your brothers,

    Christian Congregation
    of Jehovah’s Witnesses

    PS to presiding overseer:

    Please arrange for this letter to be read to the congregation at the first Service Meeting after its receipt. Thereafter, it should be posted on the information board.

  • SirNose586
    SirNose586

    Elsewhere, good looking out on the .pdf. I was given three file choices for the scan: .tif, .jpg, .png, and .bmp. Tiffs are faithful recreations, but huge. Plus, I chose 600 DPI instead of the regular 150 DPI because the default looks craptacular. I tried to edit the original post, but it kept giving me an error message.

    This is the mindset we are up against if we expect reform from within.

    Sad, huh? Winston Smith wondered if the proles would be the ones to initiate the revolution...and the answer was no....

  • exwitless
    exwitless

    Thanks to everyone who reposted this so I could read it.

    Since when have they had "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses" as their letterhead? They seem to be more and more trying to publicly look like they fit in with mainstream Christianity.

    I'm surprized that they didn't already warn publishers NOT to distribute the "study edition" to worldly people. I suppose that will come in a KM as the time gets closer.

    It was hard enough for me to have to read the WT when it contained both study articles and non-study ones; gives me a headache just thinking of reading a WT full of only study articles, "discipline from Jehovah", "loving reminders", and admonition to "obey" Jehovah's "organization.

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