A week ago this website covered the leaking of several videos that were used during a recent “Kingdom Ministry School” – a special training event to which only elders are invited. The videos were apparently leaked by Spanish-speaking elders.
Two of the videos showed Governing Body members Anthony Morris and Stephen Lett reminding elders to be “obedient” and “decisive” in carrying out their duties.
The other 42-minute video was a dramatization showing a young man coming forward and confessing fornication to his elders before finally being disfellowshipped.
The trouble was, the disfellowshipping video had been completely dubbed over in Spanish, making it difficult for non-Spanish speakers to get a proper grasp of what was happening. As a result, a few days ago two friends of mine set to work on creating an English transcript with a view to releasing a subtitled version of the video on JWsurvey.
As much as their efforts were appreciated, you can imagine my surprise and delight when, completely out of the blue, I received an email from a Watchtower insider offering to send me the English version of the film. This person didn’t like the thought of us exerting efforts making subtitles when we could have the original.
An interesting email dialogue ensued resulting in my contact sending not just the English disfellowshipping video but also a previously unknown video instructing elders on how to go about “shepherding” a suicidal widow.
To view an ASL version of the above video, click here.
Spurred on by hypocrisy
The main reason given by my source for sending the judicial committee video was his indignation at the hypocrisy shown by the Governing Body through its judicial policies.
As my source pointed out, the Governing Body has been allowed to repeatedly make all manner of mistakes over the decades, many of which have far-reaching consequences. But they always shield themselves from the fall-out from their own errors, or from taking responsibility for their actions.
Meanwhile, if a Witness comes forward honestly confessing some indiscretion he is leapt upon and potentially given the worst possible punishment – estrangement from his family.
In the case of the disfellowshipping video, a young man named Robbie confesses to fornication in a one-night stand, blaming a “worldly” girl for having “seduced” him using, erm… her aquarium (don’t ask!).
Robbie initially covers up the fact that he has been having sex on numerous occasions with the same girl over the past two months, but this detail is later revealed following persistent questioning from the elders. It becomes obvious that the main motivation for Robbie in his concealment of the full extent of his actions is his intense fear of Watchtower’s shunning policy and its consequences on his family and friends.
The video also goes to great lengths to remind elders that any elders who can be identified as being friends with the wrongdoer are not to be considered suitable for serving on the judicial committee. The reason? Elders need to be “objective.” The idea is that if an elder is good friends with the accused he could be biased, and would likely not reach the correct decision EVEN if he is not a relative.
Watchtower doesn’t want too much mercy being shown in these situations.
It is also painfully obvious when watching the video that Watchtower values its elitist “eyes only” approach to disseminating information. Elders are shown consulting their Shepherd books while Robbie is not in the room in order to decide on his fate. Moments before Robbie is due to walk in the room they put their books away – books containing rules that he is not privy to, but which affect him profoundly.
As I pointed out in my previous article – how can secret information affecting all but available to only a privileged elite be biblically justified?
Disfellowshipping video – Part 1
Disfellowshipping video – Part 2
The above videos are likely to be removed by Watchtower, so you are welcome to download them if you wish… Judicial 1 | Judicial 2 | Shepherding
Dangerously negligent instructions
But perhaps more disturbing was another video sent to me, also utilized during the Kingdom Ministry School and replete with similarly horrendous acting. This second video depicts the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ way of shepherding a woman in the congregation who has been recently widowed.
Unfortunately, though the latter depiction is supposed to be the correct approach, thinking viewers will be horrified at the negligent way the woman is handled by her elders using the “Watchtower-approved” technique.
Two elders arrange to visit the woman named Mary after she tearfully approaches one of them at the end of the meeting. Before the visit, the elders meet together to strategize over what they will say.
The older of the two decides that the visit will be all about convincing Mary to be an “integrity keeper” (a loyal Witness), and this is exactly how the resulting discussion pans out.
At the start of the visit Mary reveals that she is so desperate following the loss of her husband, Don, that she has been contemplating suicide. She even has a plan involving asphyxiating herself in her garage using exhaust fumes.
This should set off major alarm bells for most thinking persons with one iota of common sense. If a person has sunk to such desperation that they have planned the manner of their death, surely they are urgently in need of help that only professionals can provide?
So, what advice do the elders offer?
First, the older elder lectures Mary about Job and how this bible figure set the example as an integrity keeper. The elder insists that Job had just as many reasons to be “messed up” as Mary, and gives a perplexing illustration involving a needle going “into the red” to show the difficulty of Job’s situation.
Mary is then told to repeatedly chant “I am an integrity keeper, I am an integrity keeper” next time her suicidal thoughts surface. She is also advised to “read a little from the Psalms,” and equate suicidal ideas with immoral thoughts.
Finally the other elder bizarrely gives Mary a homework assignment, as though she is some kind of errant school child. She is told to memorize a certain verse in Jeremiah as yet another form of incantation for the next time she is feeling suicidal.
Armed with this outrageous pseudo-psychiatry, Mary excuses herself from the conversation to get some cookies for the elders. The older elder seemingly takes this as a sign that they have done their jobs well and mouths “thank you Jehovah” heavenward as the other elder looks on.
I realise the above sounds too ludicrous to be true, but this is really how the video plays out. The Governing Body seriously expects its elders to handle such delicate life-or-death matters in this way.
Elders are not to give out numbers for suicide hotlines or encourage a suicidal person to seek professional help. Instead they are to give bible-based lectures, urge the uttering of incantations, and hand out homework assignments.
These videos show only too clearly why Watchtower, so hopelessly out of touch, is having an increasing problem maintaining its organizational solidarity. As mentioned in my previous article on this matter, the Governing Body cannot claim the total loyalty and respect of elders and bethelites while a small number continue to defy them by leaking their nonsense for the world to see.
I sincerely thank my contact within the organization for following his instincts and realizing that this material needs a wider audience. Hopefully, as more damaging material seeps out of Watchtower’s porous walls, more thinking Witnesses will realize just how unworthy the Governing Body are of their blind loyalty and obedience.
Special thanks to my contact, as well as to Daniel Ward and Adriana Wolmers-Petty even though their hard work eventually wasn’t needed.
UPDATE:- As expected, on Feb 21 2014 Watchtower had its leaked instructional videos removed from this page through a complaint to Vimeo. The videos have since been re-embedded from a different third-party host. Below is a screenshot of the email received by JWsurvey for one of the videos to prove that Watchtower does NOT want the above “spiritual food” to be viewed by all Witnesses.
Further reading…
That was really a horrible video, the suicide one. The script and acting were both terrible. One thing I noticed is at 5:25 when Mary says, “Nothing can take away this pain of heart until Don and I are reunited as man and wife.” I thought Watchtower theology taught that the resurrected ones were like the Angels, in that they did not marry. Also, marriage bonds are severed at death. So what the heck? Anyway, I am glad someone on the inside is helping to expose this evil cult for what it is. Keep up the good work, John!
I noticed that too, and the teaching (as far as I know) is that resurrected ones do not marry. Maybe they put this in there as a way of saying that this isn’t the time to correct an emotional statement like that since it might make things worse. Who knows. I just want my cookies.
Perhaps we should link the recorded apostasy trial of a former Elder from Greensboro NC who later after his dis-fellowshipping committed suicide because he was so distraught over his family situation and the consequences of shunning.
Oh brother so and so touched my child? Don’t worry leave it up to the Elders.
Feeling suicidal? Don’t worry call the Elders and they will depress you more by reading from the book of Job.
Hasn’t the history of this Governing Body shown it is not qualified to give advice on such serious things in ones life?
I started to watch the suicide video, I’m 1 minute 39 seconds into it before he starts chastising her for being lonely a whole year after her husband dies.
Now I’ve lost my will to live.
But at least she winds up back in the kitchen where all JW women belong. Cookies solve everything.
Aside from the ‘canned’ banality of both videos, I was struck by the subtle message reinforced by the WT producers of these films which is to always refer to the Society’s literature to determine how matters are to be handled, regardless of whether the individual elders are qualified or have been properly trained (professionally) to handle sensitive matters such as suicide. It doesn’t get shallower than that.
These procedural instructions have become the ‘modus operandi’ for elders, as a showcase of the utter legalism, as developed and applied by the WT in the ‘elder schools’, to effectively mold and train the ‘minion’ elders.
The sad part is, once back home, these elders truly believe that they have been “trained by Jehovah” and furthermore, in delusional fashion, believe they are properly equipped for “every good [Org} work”. Wow!
The smileyfaced elder must really like cookies.
Bloody un-proffesional hypocrites!…Chant Bible verses..Seriously! To a suicidal victim. This is the epitome of the GB’s illiteracy yet they force others not to pursue higher education. The GB has failed to even reign in on its supposedly “loyal” elders who constantly leak info. The elders in my congregation recently announced that a global campaign to advertise “jw.org” as the official and most trustworthy site not only for jw’z but also for the public will kick-off in August. The auxilliary pioneering hours have also been dropped to 30 as an incentive to “the flock”.
This may be a trivial matter, but that whiteboard we see, with important dates according to Watchtower chronology … have they misdated the Flood as “2970”? (It’s written underneath a drawing of Noah’s ark.) It should be _2370_ according to standard Watchtower chronology.
John, how do we safely download these videos? I want to go through them more when I can, and share them on my FB page. There are so many things wrong here, not the least of which is that a woman doesn’t need to wait 6 weeks after sex to find out she’s pregnant. This isn’t the 1800s, she can take a pregnancy test the next day and find out. That is, if she can find time between churnin’ butter and tendin’ to the young’uns.
But seriously, how do we get our own copies? Many tx.
This is absolutely DISGUSTING….I watched half of it and that was enough for me. NEVER tell a traumatized person to basically “get over it” just because it’s been more than a year! It can take some people YEARS to heal–what utter lack of empathy and compassion–which is what a traumatized/mourning person needs v.s. 1,000 scriptures cited to her; they KNOW what the Bible says! EVERYTHING that elder did is what you DON’T do!!! That elder never even gave her the opportunity to express herself AT ALL, what was she thinking feeling, didn’t listen to her at all, nothing. WHAT A SHAME!
NEVER go into the 2nd school with a mourning sister, shut the door, be ALONE with her and touch her hand! While the power of touch can have a healing effect, it can be very dangerous too, it shocks me they don’t know any better!
HINT: If you’re concerned about the Watchtower shutting down this video, take a portable webcam and record it off of your cpu to have for yourself.
Nothing I can say will describe how disgusted I am to see this.
Thank you John. For all that you do, and for those that you do it for.
In response to Julia, I was disfellowshipped after genuinely feeling guilty and admitting my fornication. It depends on the elders, whether they like you or not sadly. I hate this cult!!
I think one or two people are missing the fact that the first part of the suicide video is NOT intended to be the correct way to handle such a situation. The video is intended to take the form of a “wrong way / right way” video. Instead, it turns out to be a “wrong way / wrong way” attempt.
I also understand not everyone can view the second half of the disfellowshipping video. It works fine on my browser, so I don’t think the video’s been taken down. Hopefully eventually I can get round to uploading it to another host or, better still, someone will upload it to YouTube and I can post that.
Finally, if you are anxious to download these videos, I can recommend the program “DownloadHelper.” It sits in your browser as an extension and detects any videos that are downloadable. Here is a link… http://www.downloadhelper.net/
Kathleen Conti is having difficulty posting and has this to say…
“Even though these videos are disturbing enough as they are presented here, like wise any one from the out side who has never been a part of this organization would no doubt be shocked and in complete disbelief that this sort of committee exists in the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion. My challenge to the the Watchtower is to produce a set of videos that show how these Judicial committees happen in real life. It would have been much more difficult to show for instance a young fourteen year old female adolescent who has been caught having sexual relations with a worldly boy friend. Case in point would be my own Judicial committee meeting while I was fourteen and in the same situation, instead of the three Elders shown in these video’s only discussing how fornication is a sin and sharing bible scriptures with this young adult male. In my case I had four Elders asking me questions about what type of sex I had, was it oral sex or vaginal intercourse, did I enjoy the sex, would I have more sex if I had the chance? Interestingly this Judicial committee was held just months after I had been molested by another Elder. Sadly the Elder body who found out about this crime against me gave instructions to keep the mater secret so as not to bring reproach upon Jehovah’s organization. I was essentially violated again by these four Elders during my Judicial committee meeting after being sexually abused by the first Elder months earlier.
Most experts on the subject of childhood rape and abuse highly recommend for the best interest of the child’s mental health to get the help of a professional therapist for what could take many months of intense to help the child heal from this terrible event. It would be mentally devastating for any abuse victim who has already been sexually abused to be then asked graphic sexually related questions by four grown Elders at a Judicial committee meeting. All you are doing is re abusing the victim.
My question to the Watchtower Society is two fold, have you finally done an investigation on my perpetrator (the name I gave you during a deposition in 2011) making sure he is not sexually abusing more Jehovah’s Witness children? And have you tuned over all the documented files of this abuser you have in your position at the Watchtower Headquarters, to the proper authorities?
Try making a video about that.”
The video files are now apparently available on these links…
http://www.mediafire.com/watch/cb2xwk771qh3076/Judicial_Committee_instructions_-_part_1.avi
http://www.mediafire.com/watch/41dep2z560jvycl/Judicial_Committee_demonstration_Direct-_part_2.avi
http://www.mediafire.com/watch/cvas6fcrc9zca94/Shepherding_instructional_Suicidal_Widow.avi
This is painful to watch. In realty, during one of the actual regular shepherding call I had, not once did the elders quoted from the Scriptures. These videos are mere propaganda and in realty, it is much worst.
I can’t even watch the whole thing, it makes me sick. All of the false humility, the cult/new personality, the common persona that every Witness seems to have, it is repugnant to me now. And to think that I was completely drawn in by this not too long ago!!!
I was so scared to leave because I was afraid to lose all of my friends and contacts. Now they couldn’t entice me back, not even for one meeting.
When I see how the ‘Elders’ are instructed to look after people that are heart broken over a mistake or someone who is suicidal, I realize how absolutely dangerous they really are.
Could the WT Organization be sued over this material? I think someone should try, if they have been adversely affected by JW decisions or advice.
Wow-Shocking!
With Mary giving a shout for help – not once was she advised to seek professional help. Not once – and that is the first thing that came to my mind.
Further analysis…
Keep in mind that everything the society writes or teaches has the agenda to deal with problems in the organization. This means that Suicide is evidently a major problem in the organization. The treadmill of more meetings, more study, more field service is wearing people out.
When she first walks out of the hall, the brother who tries to console here does not once touch her (God forbid), which is the message the GB sends out-but I find it cold and clinical. He also (well meaning, but not professional) says she should not be mourning – because it has been ONE YEAR already and she has the resurrection hope! after which he starts quoting scriptures.
This instruction is dead wrong, cold, clinical and unprofessional.
On the JC-video- Forget the “loving and concerned elders” for a minute. What I found shocking is that he was recommended to break it off, while there was a baby on the way. So Lucy and her Child can just stuff it. Can you feel the compassion?
I am so glad not to be associated with this loveless Pharisee Cult – and therewith no longer accountable for what they do. Revelation 18:4 applies to the WTBTS.
One has to be impressed by the HIGHLY creative (re-)application of scripture that unfolds here. The story of Ananias and Sapphira, about them holding back part of the money they got after selling a field, is recycled as an argument why the “offender” must not hold back any information from the elders! Instead, he must let them interrogate him about the most intimate details of his private life and willingly surrender all and any information that will “incriminate” himself.
Yeah, we all remember what the loving and tender Jehovah did to Ananias and Sapphira when they failed to hand over all their money, don’t we?
This being an international video, it’s possible that no mention was made of professional help since some countries may not have such resources available but I think Cedars will “love” the following citation and possibly verify it for us:
w05 9/15 pp.8-9:
Others are led to the earthly part of Jehovah’s organization as a result of their quest for meaning and purpose. Seeking therapy for her own emotional problems, a psychiatrist in Zagreb, Croatia, visited a famous colleague. To her surprise, the doctor gave her the phone number of the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Zagreb, as well as the name of a Witness he knew. “Look,” he said, “I think these people can help you. If I send you to the church, you will find only lifeless statues—nobody is speaking, and everything is dark. I don’t think the church can help you. I have sent other patients to Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I think it would be the best for you too.” Obligingly, the Witnesses visited her and soon started a Bible study with her. In a few weeks, that psychiatrist joyfully declared that knowledge of God’s purpose had given meaning to her life.—Ecclesiastes 12:13.
Cedars,
Thank you for posting this, and a HUGE THANK YOU to the brave elder that sent these to you.
A minor point. What the WTBTS does is ALIENATE families by their shunning policy. Estrangement is somewhat different.
You may want to review this article on the difference between “alienation” and “estrangement.”
http://divorcesupport.about.com/od/childrenanddivorce/qt/The-Difference-Between-Estrangement-And-Parental-Alienation-Syndrome.htm
Chanting scriptures…..yeah…..
At least I finally know why it took 3 BOE’s month’s to make decisions on lightbulbs and paint colors, and which lawnmower to buy. They are utterly clueless and unqualified for their positions.
Seriously, no offense to past or present Elders who know TTATT. The whole “STARS” of Revelation and “Dukes” teaching is incorrect. The Elders themselves are victimized in a way. They are duped into believing a lie about themselves and their abilities. They walk around exposed like the Emperor with his new clothes.
Now matter how nice they may be as individuals, they are ultimately dangerous because they tow the party line at all costs. This quite simply means that they CANNOT be trusted to do the right thing. Once they say “Amen” in the back room, the cult masks are put on and the gloves come off.
Parents, please do what I did. Tell your child that they can approach you with anything, and that you will still love them. Also let them know that you will NEVER take them to the Elders. There is no problem that you and your child cannot handle if you have love and trust. The Elders are a hindrance to the relationship that should naturally exist between parent and child. A child should never live in fear of their parent turning them in to the Elders.
Funny story about the Sister’s reference to being reunited with her husband. In my area of the world, we had a drama at a DC. In the drama, Job and his wife are together again. They JW actors portraying Job and his wife are actual husband and wife, of course.. Ahem…
So Job and his wife are holding hands on stage. WHAT???? So this creates a shockwave that eventually reaches the Branch. The Elder in charge of the drama is told that under no circumstances are Job and his wife to hold hands. Why? The friends were starting to wonder if Job and his wife were married in the Paradise.. True story, I know the Elder and all his family. Crazy!!
All i can say is WOW!
Who do these people think they are?
When that woman finally succombs to her depression and takes her life, those men will be bloodguilty.
They really believe their own BS
John, can you get these videos to AAWA? Will certainly help them with the shunning petition and followup with government agencies. Thanks for sharing the ‘leaks’ with us, hope we can get so many copies out there that WT will never be able to recover them.
BTW, how can I download the video directly off this site? Thanks again for your brave work!
I feel like I am watching One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest with Jack Nicholson!
watching this video got me so worked up like many others who have also commented, and the fakeness of these elders handling the judicial committee reminds me of how fake the “concern” of the elders really is, they want to make you feel like you have to be completely hones, because God is watching and they are the one with the authority to “help us” get back on the “right path”. i am so glad I left, I never got DF’ed but I know of many people who just kept their stuff hidden or just walked out when faced in a position like this young man was and live life. The widow reminded me of many sisters who’s husbands had passed and I was emotional hearing them sing the Song, but the fact that they didn’t even think to take her to 5150 or the ER to get mental/medical help and that their “spiritual counsel” was enough are the thoughts of a mad person.
C M
Dear Cedars,
Once more an awesome article my friend!
Please, would you mind sending the spanish or english subtitles for this video and the last one about Robbie, and also with Lett and Morris to my mailbox?
I absolutely have to make public all this stuff in French!
Take care
Nicodeme
They think he’s trying to get ahead of it by openly confessing. He got the woman pregnant and he knows he’s going to be busted, so he’s preemtively confessing so he seems forthright. That’s probably what was going on. I would know, I did such a thing myself and got away with it. :-)
They don’t care about the mother or the baby. I have a family member who was in the exact same circumstance and they told him he had to cut off all communication with her if he wanted to be reinstated. Being a good and true man, he married her and hasn’t looked back.
Great Job once again. One things found odd about suicide Video was the fact that in the funeral they were mostly wearing black what orgins is wearing black clothing –
“It is said to have originated from a time when people believed that when a loved one passed away, that the souls of the dead would leave that body any enter the body of a mourning loved one. So people started wearing black robes to hide their faces so that the lost soul would not find them and continue on to the after life. As years went by it transformed into a showing of respect for the dead.
So it could be view as a pagan.
On the part A and Part B, both ways are dealt with incorectly a profesional could allways help more then talk about made up Story about Job.
Dear Jcarvin,
Thanks for your good point of view about the mother and the baby. It’s nice to see that on this earth there are still people who want to behave like a “good and true man”, as you quoted. I am still suffering today from the repeated improper interference of the “sheperds and dukes’ class” in my own family, something to vomit that I prefer not to talk about.
All the best and thanks again.
I had a moment to watch thoroughly the DF’ship video. At some point I felt like I couldn’t breath, so upset I was …
It made me so upset when they keep saying “we understand that ….”, and the remaining part of the sentence echoed in my head “but we’ll disfellowship you anyway, so you can kiss your dad goodbye” …
Another point that made me furious is they keep saying about “your relationship with Jehovah …”, if I was the young guy, I’d say “yes, it’s MY relationship with Jehovah, who on earth YOU are ?” …
I am quite astonished to see that a good percentage of people love keeping others in submission, and another good percentage of people love being dominated.
I am a 58 yr old male – former elder/DC Speaker etc who went into and I suppose technically am still, in Chronic [Dark] Depression. I tried to hang myself – Besides the fact that NOT ONE of my fellow elders came to my aid, it was only after intense professional assistance including the use of Serotonin stabilising meds [Venlafaxine / Effexor ] in my case that I could get my life back. Point being ……..I did the “Chanting / Praying” gig for 3 years with no success – and if it is so that they equate Suicidal thoughts with “evil” they are giving out incredibly dangerous mis-information. Rule #1 – You get to know of a person ideating Suicide – you get them medical assistance IMMEDIATELY ! Rule #2 – Repeat Rule #1. Fact…..: The incidence of depression within the JW Org. is very high. Fact…..The number of members of the Bethal Families being treated for depression is very high [source: family members who were Bethalites].
Just how do you truly “read” repentance?? I have sat on many JC’s …….to this day I still replay many of the cases in my mind………It is so easy to let go of that stone which crushes……
Doesnt the corny voices of the elders just set off an instant case of Piles in one !!
The elders are dangerous; here is proof.
She has mentioned suicide in previous talks with them, and they don’t recommend she get professional help.
Instead, chanting and praying.
Depression is a serious condition, not to be taken lightly or treated with prayer.
Kathleen Conti,
In March 2008, My wife and I faced a judicial committee. My wife was the first to interrogate, it took about 3 hours!!
When it was my turn, they called me in. Face to face with the judicial committee, an Elder started with “Your wife told us that…” No! I cannot say it. I was completely destroyed. I got angry and ask them “did my wife told you that? from now on, is she my wife or yours? Traumatized, my family did not stand the emotional torture.
Elders hijacked the wife emotional and use her to destroy me without sparing her. What she told them binds her to him in a way difficult to say. She is now their prisoner and whenever I tried to help her escape, I had to pay the price…
The cult is the most crook people I have known!!
Suicides are probably increasing among them for the GB to make such a demo video. Depression must be increasing as they come down from the WT “high” of “end times.” Many are aging, getting critically sick, and dying. Their “bubble” must be fizzing out. Their “overlapping generation” is too confusing (to stomach or swallow) for most.
There’s a cry of desperation from among them.
p.s. In the demo where the elder raises his eyes to ‘thank’ god,,as if they got a quick fix at that moment there for the young woman; so, so unrealistic.
Oh man, as others have said – these jerks have no qualifications (or hearts) to be giving advice on any matter to others.
One dealing with suicidal thoughts does not simply go ‘oh, I feel great now! on with living!’ after some lame chat about reciting scriptures and basically being told to “get over it”.
As for these crooked elders on the JC meetings, I have heard of quite a few experiences where ones who have been disfellowshipped have later heard how an elder on their JC had been reproved for immoral behavior. Grrr, they’re such a bunch of judgmental hypocrites.
What about the recent murder-suicide you reported last month Cedars? I guess that all could have been prevented by repeating “I’m an integrity keeper.” This makes me really upset.
An older sister from our area committed Suicide about six months ago. She was the matriarch of a large j-dub family. She had lost her husband a few years back in a car accident.
I wonder if it would of helped her if she had received some counseling beyond what the elders offered.
probably counseling would help in most, but the GB have clouded too many in her circumstance to sort it through. We can only hope that her next generation would be able to re-evaluate and re-sort to balance.