Difference between Elders and "Bethel Elders"

JK666

Does anyone here know the exact diferences between these two positions? I cannot find it in any literature for the R&F. JK

Honesty

Jesus Cano is a good example of just how more spiritual Bethel elders are.

I have no written proof of this, but I know that "Bethel" elders were a direct consequence of maintaining (or, shall we better say, instituting!) control over the misbehavior of Bethelites (particularly, drinking excesses and sexual deviations).

It was a floor-by-floor program, with unannounced room searches pre-approved (the Bethel cleaning ladies were a particularly useful source of leads).

Craig (of the I-was-there class)

JK666

In other words, it was just "approved narc status?" Nothing more? JK

onacruse

Essentially, yes.

Of course, with it came the accolades of being yet another "class" level within the organization...somewhere between being "darn close to the anointed" (ordinary Bethelites), and "really darn close to the anointed" (Bethel elders), which were all, of course, just a notch better than the rank & file congregations that were of the blessed-to-be-served-by-any-Bethelite class.

But the bethel elders class was, stand alone, nothing compared to the Service Department class...and the SD class was always vying for equality with the WD (writing department) class, and then...and then...

Euphemism

The Bethel Elders were also used for various 'spiritual' tasks, e.g. as guest speakers at assemblies across the country.

I also seem to recall hearing that when Bethelites got in trouble, their judicial committee was made up of Bethel Elders rather than elders from their local congregations, but I'm not certain of that.

onacruse

Hello Euph!

You are correct. Everything was handled "in-house"...Bethel elders trumped local elders.

---What happens here, stays here---

searching4truth

Yep any bethelite that is df is df from bethel not there local cong. To be a bethel elder you have to be a cong. elder for I think five years but it might be three. Bethel elders are comissioned with the spiritual welfare of the bethelites. Each bethelite has a Bethel elder group which usually consists of bethel elders that he works with or under, like his overseers or some times crew leaders. Basically it's all set up so that things that happen at bethel stay at bethel.

VM44

Remember though, the Jehovah's Witnesses have no "clergy class"! --VM44

Odrade

Did I read somewhere that the "Bethel Elder Arrangement" was ended? So they're all just "regular" elders now?

Difference between Elders and "Bethel Elders"

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