Posted by Harold [harold] on March 29, 1999 at 13:02:14 {dt40fI85yMc2.VivLBskMW361p6sL3HUs}:
In Reply to: *Re: Elder's manual posted by Friend on March 29, 1999 at 08:32:49:
Friend,
Thanks for your response. I remember when I was an active JW hearing about this 'manual', but I, as other 'regular publishers' (with no position as elder or ministerial servant, ect.) were never privy to the contents of this
book. Not long ago I downloaded this document and was able to read the whole thing in it's entirety. I didn't find anything in it that would be considered 'surprising' to the average JW, as like you said, most of what is in it could be
garnered in one way or another from other publications. That is what puzzles me. I remember being told by an elder that this book was not to be read by anyone other than elders.
There is one interesting thing that I found in it,
however. It has to do with how d'fed family members are to be treated. According to the manual, at least the impression that I got, was that immediate family members who are d'fed can have a 'normal' relationship with their families, as
long as doctrine is not discussed. By contrast, most JWs feel they are obligated to treat d'fed members of their family very coldly and have as little contact with them as possible.
Aside from that, do you think making this book
available to ALL JWs would serve as a reference to which the elders could be gauged with by the rank and file? This would allow for closer scrutiny of the elders by the 'flock'. Maybe the elders wouldn't appreciate that.
What do you
think?
Harold