Our records

by fairy 2 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  fairy

  I was wondering if someone wanted to see what was on their "record", the ones being held either at the kingdom hall or at bethel, whether they would be allowed to see them and if not, why not
• 

  jst2laws

  Dear Fairy,

  The answer is yes. But you will be disappointed. The only records keep on the average publisher is your field service record. Actually, an old policy requires your bookstudy conductor to go over those records with you once in a while. The congregation secretary keeps those old records up to seven years, and then destroys them, or is supposed to.

  Unless you have been before a judicial committee, or have a history of causing trouble, those are the only records they have on you. The secretary also keeps a locked file on all judicial cases which contain notes of the elders involved and related evidence used in the hearing. It is supposed to be kept in a sealed envelope which on the front has the name of the accused, the names of the elders on the committee and the date judicial action was taken. NO ONE is supposed to open that file unless a new judicial matter arises envolving the accused. Then it may be opened to see if the new accusation is a repeat offense and if the information within it can help in judging the present accusation.

  The only file the society's branch office has on an average publisher would be a S79 card if you have been disfellowshipped. It is filled in by the local judicial committee and sent to the WT service department if you are DF'd. It only contains the type of sin for which one was DF'd and a brief summary of the evidence.

  If you have written the society they keep a copy of your letter and their response in case you write again in the future.

  The Circuit Overseer seems to have kept a personal file on me but that is rather rare. I was a notorious elder and trouble maker. Unless you stir the sh*t in the pot they have no record of you other than your publisher record card.

  I hope that puts minds at ease. It is not what they know about you, but what you know about them that should disturb you.

  Steve
• 

  fairy

  thanks for the answer....i have never been a trouble maker but have been in front of the elders a couple of times and was put on private reproof once, so i am not bothered anyway. neither am i disfellowshipped - i did the fading out thing