We always had the same elders growing up, they are still in position today. I recall very little turnover. I know there were new additions, but I rarely remember elders leaving or stepping down. it is there claim to fame, why would they walk away from that?? They are like the Paris Hilton of the Kingdom Hall.
Do you agree with this statement?
by JW_Researcher 21 Replies latest watchtower bible
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greendawn
Above all no one becomes an elder unless he is a company yes man who obeys all the numerous man made rules produced by the GB in addition to the Biblical ones. Everything said at the KHs has to be approved by the central HQs.
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JWdaughter
In the 15 years I was in, I don't remember any changes except new guys becoming MS. The same guys were elders forever. I imagine that is different in some areas, but there were certainly other men in the cong. that were at least as well qualified(insofar as that goes!)
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JeffT
That quoted paragraph sounds like what I THOUGHT I was getting into when I first became a witness: like minded people coming together to discuss the bible. Nice image but off 180 degrees from reality.
What the writer doesn't realize is that discussion and participation are limited to regurgitating the answers provided by the WTBS. As far as elders go, they may shuffle assignements from time to time, but it was my experience that actual turnover was almost nonexistent. The hope of attaining some sort of leadership position is held out, but it is only given to those that kiss enough ass. Promotion is not from within, it is controlled by the local elders, and approved by Brooklyn.
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ferret
dido;
I do remember back in the 70's when the elders did rotate and each year you had a new presiding overseer. I know because I was one of them.
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chiddy
the only thing I could think he means is the foreign speaking congs where there is such a short supply of elders and servants that even newly baptized ones have the chance to progress up the wts ladder
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JW_Researcher
the only thing I could think he means is the foreign speaking congs where there is such a short supply of elders and servants that even newly baptized ones have the chance to progress up the wts ladder
The short supply of Elders is somewhat addressed also:
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Witnesses no longer operate underground there. Table 3 shows their growth in the nations of the former Soviet Union since 1990-they have been growing at the remarkable rate of about 30% per year. The Yearbook (1996: 51) reports that there was only one congregation in Moscow in 1990, compared with 40 in 1995. Moreover, these congregations are far larger than the Witnesses prefer, as the Yearbook
explained "almost all of these could be divided into 2 or 3 congregations if more elders were available". The Yearbook noted that in Murmansk, a congregation having 800 publishers cannot be divided "because there is only one elder". This is because no one else has been a member for more than a year and the Witnesses are reluctant to place leadership responsibilities on someone with so little experience. -
Mysterious
The only routine shuffling here was perhaps of duties. But then again the old guard typically stayed in their roles for a long time such as school overseer, literature servant etc. I certainly did not notice a huge turn over and when someone did step down it was a shocking announcement.
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dido
ferret- i thought they did, as i can remember thinking what a good idea at the time, as it stopped any one elder getting too big for his boots, not sure what the exact reason for it was tho`.
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LongHairGal
GaryBuss:
I never connected it (stupid me) but your last sentence is true about how uneducated JWs work for other JWs with businesses. So, it suits them if the average JW is semi-literate because they hope to get them to work for a pittance - as opposed to getting a more skilled, educated non-JW who they would have to pay more.
The sad thing is that the JW who works for the JW with a business probably feels it is a "blessing".
LHG