Jehovah's Witnesses: Elders' Manual
Tuesday August 3, 2004
Jehovah's Witnesses have "elders" who are each given a manual that tells them how to manage their flocks and fulfill their administrative duties. These manuals aren't supposed to get out, but a few have and they are available on the web.
Two are available at Deceived By the Light and Hedningsamfunn. Named "Pay Attention To Yourselves And To All The Flock,” it says among other things:
A copy of this textbook is issued to each appointed elder, and he may retain it as long as he continues to serve as an elder in any congregation. At such time as he should cease to serve in that capacity, his copy of the book must be handed over to the Congregation Service Committee, since this publication is congregation property. No copies are to be made of any part of this publication.
And:
If the wrongdoer is a married woman, it would be best to meet with her and her believing husband. He is her head, and his efforts to restore her and direct her can be very helpful.
So, a woman should be dealt with in the context of her husband... because she doesn’t really have an existence outside of him? Fun marriages...
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Comments
This sadly is true, for instance a black female member of the jehovah’s witnesses congregtion in norway was verbally abused and bullied by a white once hippie type, turned watchtower missionary, turned circuit/district overseer visiting her congregation, intmidated (with the help of other elders) her white husband into revealing confidential communication between her and her husband that he then used to take action to further abuse his authority toward her, along with other elders followed his lead.
Within this structure many have experienced ( My active pioneer friends, missionaries have witnessed cases like these) been abused, spiritually, emotionally, psychologicallly. And most appear fearful to speak out about this as they have been told (ambigously) that the authority of elders are not to be questioned dpending on who you talk to( althought watchtower claims there does not exist any clergy-laity) yet when some deviant,narccistic elders destroy individuals, they are defended with ‘they are only human’??????