Witnesses say that elders are appointed by holy spirit. The bible is the product of HS and when the body prays and uses the bible’s qualifications for older men in the context of the perspective candidate HS is involved in his approval or disapproval. Then when the CO passes the recommendation on the GB (or who ever actually makes the decision) these spirit appointed men are influenced by HS.
All well and good, the only problem is, it does not work. I can use myself as an example of this. By all accounts I looked like a fine upstanding brother. I spent lots of hours in the ministry, good teacher, even tempered, and a hard worker in the congregation. As a pioneer I was appointed as a servant at 17 and an elder at 27. So far so good eh? Not quite.
1. At the time, privately I drank too much.
2. I did some naughty things with girl friends.
3. I was/am much involved in meditation.
4. Never liked the Society telling me what to do.
5. Couldn’t get my mind wrapped around non existence at death.
6. Cheated on my field service time.
7. Had used tobacco, and the elders didnt know.
I could probably go on, but you get the point, I don’t think Jehovah would have cared to have me in a position of responsibility if he was in charge of the decision.
With all these marks against me, how’d I slip through the cracks and get even circuit and district organization responsibilities? HS is not involved in the appointments of elders.
Most of you have probably had experience with bad apple elders. Did they turn bad after their appointment? Probably not. Any other ex or current elders with a similar experience?