Elder's school.

ithinkisee

My father-in-law and I had a big discussion about elders and how they are NOT loving. I said this was indicative of the Society as a whole. He countered by saying, "I go to the Elder's School, and it is full of loving advice. It is people-oriented training. We learn to take each situation individually and not be so precedure-oriented. The counsel from the Society is good. It is these elders in the congregation that don't follow it." I know this is not the case based on some of the elder's school notes I read here. Does anyone have examples of ridiculous stuff they heard at their elder's school which I might be able to "remind" him of? Does anyone have links to some of the elder's school notes threads? -ithinkisee

sir82

For your viewing pleasure, Here are links to my copious notes on the school I attended:

Part 1: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/102237/1.ashx

Part 2: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/102248/1.ashx

Part 3: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/102299/1.ashx

Part 4: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/102312/1.ashx

Part 5: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/102350/1.ashx

Part 6: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/102445/1.ashx

Part 7: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/102646/1.ashx

truthsetsonefree

At my school, here were some ridiculous things mentioned:

One elder interviewed stated that in order to "Do All Things For God's Glory" he has no computer. His family doesn't need the Net. When his kid needs to use one they go to the library. This is THE EXAMPLE of what is appropiate.

Then in the part "The Superiority of Divine Education" an elder was interviewed who went to college, but never worked in his major. So this was presented as proof that college isn't worth the trouble. One guy's situation, covers all situations. I wonder if this guy gets sick, does he go to his fellow elders, or does he see a doctor who went to college AND is working in the field he majored in in college..

XBEHERE

At my school they also interviewed 2 elders who went to that "Evil" institution known as college and one of them was insisting that divine instruction is superior all the while, and I know this as a fact, he lives in a VERY prosperous area in a huge house and drives a fully loaded brand new Lexus. So how can he tell the poor sheep that he regrets going to a university when he's not only living the high life but is also an elder to boot?!?!!

dozy

"He countered by saying, "I go to the Elder's School, and it is full of loving advice. It is people-oriented training. We learn to take each situation individually and not be so precedure-oriented. The counsel from the Society is good. It is these elders in the congregation that don't follow it."

I would say that this is a fair summary of the elders schools that I have attended. There is constant emphasis on how the sheep are Jehovah's flock , love for the brothers , "hiding place from the wind" etc.

willyloman

Having attended many of these puppies, as far back as 1981, here's the deal:

1. It depends where you are and who conducts the school. Whack jobs will be whack jobs; conversely, idealistic spinmeisters will take a more lofty approach.

2. There is often a huge disconnect between what is said from the platform and what the private letters and instructions really are. In addition, there is a steady stream of conflicting information coming from "the slave." It's left to the individuals to parse the messages and figure out what to "take home." I have clear memories of schools or meetings with the CO or with the CO & DO after circuit assemblies, where brothers raised their hands to ask clarification on instructions from "Mother" that contradicted accumulated knowledge and practice, only to be tbe blown off. The typical answer was, "Let me read it to you again, brother." Followed by a smirk, or sometimes an explanation like, "Let's not go beyond the things that are written."

Thus it's possible to attend a KS school expecting to get clarity on a number of shifting points and to come away more confused than before. It's all about "you'll understand in time," a common tactic used with new studies who question shaky doctrines.

So, your dad is right, as far as it goes. He no doubt (as has "dozy," apparently) been inspired by some of the idealistic goal-setting and role-playing he's seen at the KS. Unfortunately, little of this translates into action at the KH level, because of the disconnect mentioned above.

XBEHERE

Willyloman very insightful and accurate.

stillajwexelder

ask him what portion of each elders schools is spent on Teaching, evangelizing, judicial and shepherding - and how much training is given to shepherding - and I would argue that only shepherding here is the real people skill

XBEHERE

Actually Stilla the last one had several parts on shepherding. I just dont think the elders are doing it. Besides I mean honestly, is there really time to do shepherding calls the way they tell you to do it? I know I dont have time between working 40+ hrs a week, 3 meetings a wk, F/S on the weekends, and spending time w. wife and kids.

The whole system doesnt work, this is the reason why it says in 1 Cor.. or somewhere that "some will be given as teachers, some as shepherds, some as evangilizers" not every single elder or publisher for that matter is qualified to do all of it and yet that is what's expected of elders by the WTS. It cant be done.... P.S that and also its a destructive cult.

sir82

The typical answer was, "Let me read it to you again, brother."

it's possible to attend a KS school expecting to get clarity on a number of shifting points and to come away more confused than before.

I clearly remember the school in late 2000. This was after the June 15 & October 15, 2000 Watchtowers, which basically reversed 40 years of blood transfusion teachings by saying that any and all fractions, aside from the "4 major components", of blood were now acceptable.

I was still rather naive, not the cynical @#%^& I've become today. As I looked at the program for the first day, I saw a half-hour part on exactly that topic, the new understanding on blood. "A-ha!", I thought. "My prayers have been answered! We will get a better explanation of this confusing policy, and we'll be better able to understand and explain why, for example, hemoglobin is now acceptable while plasma is not."

And do you know what the half-hour part was?

The CO reading the entire June 15 Watchtower blood article again, word-for-word, re-a-a-a-l slow, like the reason we didn't understand it the first time was that we were reading it too fast, or English wasn't our native language.

This was one more straw on the camel's back, as it were...

Elder's school.

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