When one of my three kids was DF'd, just after his real mother committed suicide (and he spiraled out of control a little bit), the other elders met and decided I could stay on as an elder. I had three teens living with me at the time. So, usually one down out of three is okay. This is when personal vendettas can come into the picture. Or the very opposite, some body's of elders don't want the extra work and will keep you on as long as they can. It's amazing how often it boils down to politics.
That elder must have had a few enemies. Either that or he mishandled the situation pretty badly.
But this is what we are talking about here. "Count your time" giving a dead man's talk, yet sincere and compassionate men are removed because they are not getting the right quotas. The very structured, repetitive programs of Jehovah's Witnesses, the emphasis on numerical reports and figures, the need for regular meeting attendance and ministry participation etc etc. chokes out the more important features of a Christian in my opinion. That of love, mercy, compassion, justice and other warm, decent human qualities.
It happens all the time. Just put all this on that same pile of other WT problems...
Elder lost privilages due to 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Why?
by RULES & REGULATIONS 26 Replies latest jw friends
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Vinny
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choosing life
They must have been looking for an excuse to get rid of him. I have seen elders remain in their positions after all five of their children left the religion with two of them being disfellowshipped. It all depends if they have the right connections or are part of the good old boy's club.
Another elder I know has two disfellowshipped sons, one openly gay and the other abusive to his wife and an adulterer. He is still the PO of the congregation. They certainly do play favorites, don't they?
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Bonnie_Clyde
I remember a part at a district assembly many years ago call, "Do not go beyond the things that are written." One of the points was the question if a brother should be removed from being a servant if he had a rebellious teenager. The answer was "no." The argument was that even Jehovah had rebellious sons, and that certainly didn't reflect on him.
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stillajwexelder
There have been changes instigated in the last 5 years , also discussed at KM school - when an elders children/wives do wrong they have to at least be questioned by fellow elders. They are not automatically removed. But they can and are removed. If the congregation is ver ysmall and there are only 3 eldesr that will affect the decision. If an elder is wealthy and contributes that wil laffect the decision. If an elder is not a yes man tha twill affect the decision. I know of at least 3 elders removed for not presiding in a fine manner.
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HappyDad
Way back.......in the prehisterical times of the 1980's and 1990's when I was an elder......the instructions on this were.......
If your kid was still under your roof and was df'd then you weren't doing your scriptural parental duties. You were to be removed. If the kid was out on his/her own and was df'd, then you were still a good ol boy.
HappyDad (of the resigned as an elder because of all the BS class)
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OnTheWayOut
He is probably better off, better to concentrate on his family no matter what other feel or think about him.
True. If I were still a believing JW, I would resign to help a family member.
If it's done right, the elders are supposed to meet w/o the parent present,
discuss his qualifications. They would try to determine if he did all that a
parent should do for the teen (and his other children, so it don't happen to
them)- did he drag them to meetings and service, encourage them to get
baptized, limit their association with the world, monitor any dating, discourage
college, encourage pioneering? Really- it's all fair game. The Body will try to
gang up on someone they want to get rid of, and find loopholes for someone
they want to keep. Nobody can stand up to the body decision if they want to
get rid of you, except maybe Jesus. -
carla
So does that mean a jw with an unbelieving family can never attain the coveted elder position?
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RULES & REGULATIONS
Would you know if the Elders in the congregation make the decision to make another Elder loose his privileges? Or is the CO and PO called on the matter?
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OnTheWayOut
So does that mean a jw with an unbelieving family can never attain the coveted elder position?
NO, but as a believing JW, I didn't believe that he should be an elder.
He has enough problems at home without that added burden.He could still be presiding over his household in a fine manner, but
the elders would normally say that he would not be well spoken of,
he would not be a good example of the "presiding" without the cong.
seeing his wife in subjection.Most BOE would never appoint him. Maybe a Body with a desperate
need could overlook the family. -
Alligator Wisdom
So does that mean a jw with an unbelieving family can never attain the coveted elder position?
No. They still can become an elder. In my former congregation, one brother was appointed an elder even though his wife is still a Catholic. His wife was never opposed to the JW's (as far as I know) and was always hospitable and kind to the members in the congregation. She never studied nor even thought of even becoming a JW, although she would occasionally attend meetings, such as the Memorial or when the CO came for his visits. Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother NOT Exerting Vigorously by WTS standards)