VM, all I see is the dreaded red X.
District Overseer put out to pasture with no $$$ - sad
by Dogpatch 167 Replies latest jw friends
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ronin1
I think we ( those out of, fading, or active) on this post need to remember that we were all duped by this organization on different levels.
My late father and my mother (now 72 years old) were baptised when they were 11 and 10 years old respectively in the WTS organization. They raised their eight children, who subsequently were baptised, in the WTS organization. Were we duped? Yes.
My father served as an Elder and MS and one of my brothers as an Elder. Three of us regular pioneered and four of us (including my husband-also was a MS but stepped down after noticing several things) served on the Building construction programs for over 10 years. Were we duped? Yes.
Therefore, this DO/CO was also duped. WE all listened and believed the garbage the WTS spoon-fed us and lived and acted our lives accordingly. Were we Duped? Yes.
Remember, that this organization is one of the most sucessful generational cults of all times. I say this because my older sister's daughter is now a regular pioneer and two of my sisters are raising their young ones in the WTS.
Think about this fact: I will use my own family history:- my parents were baptised back in the years 1933 and 1934. They raised all eight of my siblings in the WTS which means this has spanned into the 1970's and 1980's. I and my husband raised our children in the WTS and our children are now 23 and 26 years old. (note: our son is from my husband's former marriage from a different country). Fast forward.........this is over 70 years of indoctrination of the WTS cultist beliefs and doctrines, etc. Well over half a century.
Therefore, we should feel sorry for this CO/DO. We were all duped, just on different organizational levels. Unfortuately, his actions probably caused more hurt and heartache for many dubs because of his position. Nevertheless, he was used by this organization for many years and tossed out like 'fodder'.
This is a 'sickening' story but one that is being repeated daily with the WTS current actions of 'downsizing'.
Just to up-date- my 72 year old mother is fully aware of the organizations' true self- we talk every week on the phone, but she lives with our younger sister and her husband that are fully active in the WTS organization, so she still attends the meetings, etc. I sure many on this post can understand her situation. My twin sister is Disfellowshiped and has no desire to return to the WTS; myself and my husband are faders and very inactive; of my three brothers- one who was an elder -he was read off as being DA even when he did not formally DA himself and because of that action my other two brothers have left the organization for good- final faders. My other three sisters are active either regular pioneering, etc. My father passed away almost ten years ago -he was a faithful member of the WTS but even he knew the problems going on and spoke out against the injustices in the congregations. When he and my mother moved to SC and he saw what was going on in their local congregation he told my mother he would never serve as an elder in that congregation. As an elder and as a person, my father always stood against injustices- as siblings we miss that in him.
Ronin1
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Mulan
We knew him too. This is so sad. He was single.
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Iforget
It is sad Mulon....he was so very kind to me during a very stressful period. I was 16 and had gone to the BOE with molestations issues. The bastards 3 uncles sat on my comittee. Yeah THAT'S fair. After an interrogation of what exactly I had done to "tease and lead him on" AT AGE 12??!!
Emshoff was kind and understand. He stepped in and for once the BOE had to shut up and back down. Although what he doesn't know is that he gave me the power to walk away. I realized just how unchristian the JW's really are.
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BluesBrother
I wonder what this man did to blot his copybook?
I had it on first hand authority that somebody visiting the London Bethel some years back, ran into an old man in his dotage that was accompanied by a younger bro. in something like a nurse uniform. The younger one said that the older one was John Blaney who was retired and being looked after at Bethel. Blaney was , in his day, a tremendous charecter and a very well known C/O and D/O. I had previously heard that he had retired and gone into the Bethel.
I am thinking that the costs of caring for all of them would be significant, after all nobody expected them to still be in this position in this system . Perhaps it is like every congregation that I have known, that care of the elderly is very sporadic , if you are in, you are in - but others get left alone.
As for sympathy for this man? Yes, without knowing the facts. After all, we all preached the bulls~~~t . I served as an elder for 24 years . For decades I exhorted the flock, delivered the public talk outlines and sat on committees - I really believed it . No doubt he did too.
To ftoth.
Your posts in this thread have made me read your profile and visit your site. You have my respect as a man with the rare courage to make such changes in the cause of truth ...
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uninformed
wonder what this man did to blot his copybook?
I had it on first hand authority that somebody visiting the London Bethel some years back, ran into an old man in his dotage that was accompanied by a younger bro. in something like a nurse uniform. The younger one said that the older one was John Blaney who was retired and being looked after at Bethel. Blaney was , in his day, a tremendous charecter and a very well known C/O and D/O. I had previously heard that he had retired and gone into the Bethel.
I am thinking that the costs of caring for all of them would be significant, after all nobody expected them to still be in this position in this system . Perhaps it is like every congregation that I have known, that care of the elderly is very sporadic , if you are in, you are in - but others get left alone.
As for sympathy for this man? Yes, without knowing the facts. After all, we all preached the bulls~~~t . I served as an elder for 24 years . For decades I exhorted the flock, delivered the public talk outlines and sat on committees - I really believed it . No doubt he did too.
To ftoth.
Your posts in this thread have made me read your profile and visit your site. You have my respect as a man with the rare courage to make such changes in the cause of truth ...
I really can't add much. Frank, you have my respect. You too, blues brother.
I did my 30 years as an elder and probably did my own share of damage, even though I tried to be kind and compassionate. I am suffering now and have been disfellowshipped over the UN NGO deal last May.
Glad to be gone. the suffering is because I didn't realize for 45 years that I was so gullible. What a waste of time. Tried so hard, thought I had hit life's lottery and on my way to paradise. We are all victims. I hope people close to Emshoff try to help him out. Also, I hope Frank is ok and able to have some degree of happiness. I am 60, still working, and fortunately didn't spend my time in 'full time service' but rather raised a family and did some minimal planning for the future.
My respect to you guys who did it the other way and now are having problems.
Brant
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done4good
FToth,
I believe most here would agree that we could not have expressed the accuracy of this situation any better than you did.
j
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LDH
I was an elder for most of my 40 years in "full-time service." As an elder I fully supported the organization's teachings and policies. But I know that deep down in my heart I always tried to do the right thing by everyone. I wasn't a harsh elder, and many times I went to the defense of persons who were treated harshly by other elders. That sometimes got me in hot water with a circuit or district overseer and/or with overseers at Bethel. But that didn't matter to me. I felt it my obligation to do the Christian thing, no matter what.
Toth I have always loved your posts and considered you one of the more interesting contributors on this forum.
With that said......DEEP BREATH.......to my knowledge no former elder, CO, DO has ever come on one of these boards and said, "You know what? I was a dickhead for 40 years." EVERYONE always says they weren't harsh, but supported the organizations teachings and policies, and tried to be kind, etc.
Well, newsflash, but the organization's teachings and policies are nothing short of HARSH. The Elders are a group of Overlords who love the feeling of power that this pretend 'position' gives them. This isn't to say that nice people can't get caught up in the game, because they can and do.
However, it is to say an adult has the responsiblity to be aware of his and her actions and their result. None of us as children have that burden, but as adults, yer damn skippy we do.
I hope his life serves as a lesson to every JW who knows him, but you know what? They'll find a reason to rationalize what happened to him, too, and that'll be that.
Lisa
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Robdar
I'm with Lisa on this:
However, it is to say an adult has the responsiblity to be aware of his and her actions and their result. None of us as children have that burden, but as adults, yer damn skippy we do.
I hope his life serves as a lesson to every JW who knows him, but you know what? They'll find a reason to rationalize what happened to him, too, and that'll be that.
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fjtoth
Well, newsflash, but the organization's teachings and policies are nothing short of HARSH. The Elders are a group of Overlords who love the feeling of power that this pretend 'position' gives them. This isn't to say that nice people can't get caught up in the game, because they can and do.
I really don't think this is true everywhere. I was in several congregations where I believe fathers who were not elders but were raising their kids properly had more admiration and respect than the elders, and we elders didn't mind that. Our job was no different than that of a factory foreman or line boss who kept things moving. We knew some folks were sometimes uncooperative and needed to be treated with special kindness, and we never lost patience with them. Such congregations were like happy families. Nobody got to be an elder due to being harsh or overbearing.
It was similar at Bethel. Sometimes a man was made head of a department who knew less than others already there. He didn't come in like a know-it-all dictator, and for years he consulted with others on handling problems and difficulties. We admired and even grew fond of such department heads, most of whom were Bethel elders.
On the other hand, I've been a member of congregations and Bethel departments where, yes, harshness and narrowmindedness seemed to be the rule. I'm grateful for having been there because those were the places where I began to notice the difference between the genuine Christianity taught in the Bible and the sham that's taught and promoted by the Watchtower Society in the overall picture.
Frank