Comparing the old elder's handbook to the new...

by undercover 37 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  undercover

  As I've read through the new elder's book, something kept nagging at me about it. Then I went to compare one passage in the new book to the old and it hit me. I've mentioned it on a couple of posts, but I wanted to start a thread on it...

  What hit me was that the new book was like an instruction manual to supervisors in a plant. "Here are the procedures in how to run the machinery" "The instructions for when the machine breaks down" or maybe like a collection of inter-office memos on company policies. What is acceptable and not acceptable for employees to do, wear, say, on the job and when to call Human Resources (WT lingo: The Branch).

  Now, despite it's faults, the old book was typical WT propaganda. It actually tried to envelop the elders into the 'good ole boys club' by encouraging them and extolling the virtues of the their difficult task.

  Then I decided to compare chapter titles. And that right there said it all. The so-called "loving provision" from the Governing Body is now a "legal handbook" from the Legal Department.

  So I give you:

  The OLD book chapter (unit) titles:

  Imitate Jehovah, the Shepard and Overseer of our Souls

  Loving Overseers Working With the Congregation

  How Overseers Teach

  Teaching at Congregation Meetings

  Be Whole Souled in the Evangelizing Work

  Help Your Brothers to Reach All by Evangelizing

  How the Elders Work Together as a Body

  Our Lovingly Heavenly Overseer Provide Counsel and Discipline for All

  Overseers 'Ruling for Justice Itself'

  Sharing on a Judicial Committee

  Handling Cases of Wrongdoing With Wisdom and Mercy

  Jehovah's People Theocratically Organized for His Hame

  Under the Law of the Christ

  And now,

  The NEW book chapter titles:

  Shepard the Flock of God

  How Elders Work Together as a Body

  Appointment and Deletion of Ministerial Servants

  Assisting Those Who Are Weak

  Determining Whether a Judicial Committee Should Be Formed

  Preparing for the Judicial Hearing

  Judicial Hearing Procedure

  Appeal Hearing Procedure

  Implications of Disassociation

  Matters Relatedto Disfellowshipped and Disassociated Ones

  Reinstatement Committee Procedure

  Clarifications and Guidelines on Handling Certain Matters
• 

  leavingwt

  "A publishing corporation, evolving to SURVIVE." <------ Once you realize this, their game is mostly unsurprising.
• 

  laverite

  Is there an equivalent manual for COs and POs?
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  Mickey mouse

  Wow, that is striking.
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  cult classic

  So many chapters outlining judging procedures.
• 

  sd-7

  "The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away."

  Ice runs through the veins of the Thought Police as never before. And I thought the changes to the songbook were bad....and they still are...but this is even worse.

  -sd-7
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  undercover

  I hope that some elders that recieve this book are disappointed in the format and the level of bureaucratic BS.

  There's not much about "sheparding the flock" in the new book. It's a "how to" manual. Rules and regulations.

  It might as well be the Rules of Golf for all of it's talk of sheparding and caring for the people instead of upholding the rules. "Don't ground that club in the sandtrap, Brother... it'll cost you two days in paradise".
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  Doubting Bro

  Yeah, but the only sections that were ever used in the old book were the rules and regs anyway. No one really paid attention to the other sections.
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  EndofMysteries

  ADDED::::::::::Taking to court any 'organization' whose owners are all JW's is grounds for disfellowshipping!

  They added that, in the JC committee, my defense would be that isn't the WT a 'legal' entity, and not really the faithful slave or anything. none of that holds up to scriptures anyway.
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  Lady Viola

  Feel the LOVE!!!