I've been away from my computer for a few days due to a death in my wife's family. When I got home and checked the contact emails for Ex-JW.com I had a complaint from a reader. In his email, he stated that several articles misrepresented the control that the WT and the GB have over local congregations. He stated that each group of elders decide what processes are used within each congregation, following the guidelines provided in the Watchtower magazines, the KM, and direction by Holy Spirit. Quote: "The idea that the Governing Body uses the Watchtower and the Service Department to tell each group of elders how to run their Kingdom Hall is ludicrous. There are thousands of Kingdom Halls with 100 or more publishers attending. Your assertions that the elders have to check with the Service Desk everytime they have to make a tough decision is absurd. They'd have to have a staff of thousands of "customer service" personnel to handle all the calls. You are trying so hard to prove your claim that the Watchtower Society is all about control. That is simply not true. Everything that is done within each Kingdom Hall is well known to all the baptized publishers, especially those who are active in the preaching work. It's not like there is some secret manual that the elders use that tells them how to run every little thing they do. If there was, we'd all know about it. They are guided by the Bible, Jehovah's spirit, and common sense."
I sent back a reply email: "While it is true that I have not personally been associated with the JW brothers for many years, and have only attended Kingdom Halls in connection with the funerals of JW family members - it is also true that I have followed the activities and processes of the Society almost continually since the early 1980s. My question to you is why has the Society became more controlling in every facet of the work? My guess is to keep the flock very tightly under control - especially since the scandals connected with the exposure of all the high-ranking pedophiles in both local congregations and in higher positions within the branches. Oh, and yes there is a "secret manual." There's been one used since at least 1991 and a new one was just recently issued under very tight guidelines. If you are not an elder, or at least some kind of ministerial servant, you won't be allowed to see it. That book tells them "how to run every little thing they do," to borrow your phrase. If you don't believe me, go ask your COBOE to show you his copy, along with any addenda and letters. If he denies it, he's lying. If he won't show it to you, then my point has been proven. The only legitimate way you will see a copy is if you become an elder or MS. Check it out and let me know what happens."
Today, he (I think it's a "he" - but it could be a sister) emailed a reply: "I asked my COBOE just as you suggested. His response was the he does not know of any such book and that the elders do not keep secrets from the other publishers except for personal information in connection with a judicial meeting. He told me that everything they do is completely transparent, and the only guidebooks they have are the Bible and the publications that all active publishers receive. Then he asked me how I heard of such a thing? I'm afraid that he might find out that I communicated with an apostate like you. I knew you were all liars. Please do not contact me again. I'm done with your lies and your evil words."
I don't know what to make of this. It could just be someone pulling my chain. But if it is legitimate, it does illustrate how ignorant the rank & file are of the backroom politics and the depth of the control mechanisms in place.
Sorry again for this being so long, but I wanted to share the whole story with you folks.
