New “Elders Only” Watchtower book, 2010

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Watchtower has announced publication and distribution of its new book dated 2010 and titled “Shepherd the Flock of God—1 Peter 5:2”.[1]

Watchtower’s appointed elders have been told these books are for “elders only” and to be kept “secured and confidential”. Elders are further instructed that “other individuals should not have any opportunity to read the information.”[1]

These new books are soft-cover bound like other recent Watchtower publications. Some elders have expressed a preference to have these books re-bound with spiral binders. In response Watchtower has informed elders that if an elder prefers a spiral binding he may 1) have another elder do it for him, or 2) he may have a non-elder “brother” do it under his immediate supervision, but that 3) “Outside companies, unbelievers, or sisters are not permitted to do this work.”[2]

Watchtower attempting to keep presentation of information in these books from the eyes of all Jehovah’s Witnesses except elders makes no sense to me now and has never made any sense to me.

What would Watchtower have to say to its appointed elders that is not perfectly appropriate to share with everyone and anyone who wants to read it? Having read this book—and all its predecessor publications before it—I do not get it. I see every reason why Watchtower should want everyone to read this new book and no reason why it should want to keep anyone from an opportunity to read the information. Certainly all of Jehovah’s Witnesses should have ample opportunity to read the information since some of it is otherwise nowhere published by Watchtower yet pertinent to the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Particularly disturbing is Watchtower’s inappropriate gender bias against women among Jehovah’s Witnesses in relation to this new book. Women among us are part of our community and are just as trustworthy as the men. At the very least it is absurd that Watchtower treats our sisters with this disrespect. Moreover, it has all the odorous smell of nothing more than plain old gender discrimination.

Marvin Shilmer
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References:

1. Watchtower letter dated August 23, 2010 addressed to “All Bodies of Elders”

2. Watchtower letter dated October 7, 2010 addressed to “All Bodies of Elders”