The elders serving whose interests?

by greendawn 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  greendawn

  The WTS claims that the elders are an arrangement by jehovah to lovingly take care of his flock. This is a typically misleading statement by the FDS using the usual smooth talking and references to a divine connection to deceive the R&F. Neither the elders are jehovah's arrangement nor the JWs are jehovah's flock. Let alone that a real Christian religion should be talking of Christ's arrangements and flock and not jehovah's, that is best left to the Jews who abide by the Old Testament.

  When closely scrutinised everything the elders do is in the interests of the WTS and never of the individual JW. They broadcast their propaganda and mind condition the R&F, watch like hawks and swiftly punish anyone who they perceive is seeking to undermine the authority or status of the FDS ie the WTS corporation owners or at least the manifest ones (who knows who could be hiding behind them) and will always goad on anyone falling behind with working for the org ie selling the org's products to get back to it.

  They will never help anyone for his/her own sake if the interests of the org are not in some way involved.

  What do you all think?
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  darth frosty

  This has been posted before but I just was thinking about eph 4:8 Where the NWT renders it gifts [in] men while most other bible render it gift's to men. I just looked this scripture up in the kindom interlinear and sure enough, it renders the greek as 'gifts to the men'.
  
  
  You have got to love the balls that this cult has. I mean its not like the words 'to' and 'in' are synonymous, how can they jutify such a change that radically alters the meaning of scripture and thus open the way for false interpretation.
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  LongHairGal

  Greendawn:

  You are right. They are serving the organization's interests. This is about an institution perpetuating itself and has nothing to do with the welfare of the average person. In fact, the average person is something to be sacrificed, as far as they are concerned.

  The biggest lesson I learned from my association with this religion is that religions/organizations/governments are first and foremost about perpetuating their own existence and preserving their status-quo. What may have started with a sincere or deluded person or two has grown into nightmarish proportions. Of course, many are along for the ride. Some are not knowing or caring what, if anything, is based on real bible truth.

  It is simply about men looking to get or to trick other men into following them. This, sadly, is the oldest story in the book and this is why I feel all religions have to go down.

  LHG
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  greendawn

  If they are self serving then it's up to the members to leave. Nothing binds them in the cult but the mind conditioning they have undergone that is what keeps them there otherwise why be in an org that demands a lot and gives little if anything in return?

  Of course promises of a future paradise, which has little if any Biblical support since all faithful are clearly destined for heavens and there is no mention of an earthly class, and rewards by jehovah for those labouring for the org are the carrot on the stick.

  If the org really cared it would have paid to set up full time professional shepards that would genuinely look after the flock helping even where the org's interests are not involved.
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  exwitless

  The elders are in place as "big brother". Their purpose is to keep the "flock" in line. Of course they are to operate under the asssumption that the "sheep" are inherently immoral and without good judgement on their own. The only way for the sheep to retain Jehovah's approval is for "big brother" to cattle-prod anyone who looks like they might make any slight misstep. They aren't there to help anyone. They are simply glorified prison guards.
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  greendawn

  They aren't there to help anyone. They are simply glorified prison guards.

  Well put that is precisely what they are, the basis of an authoritarian organisation. I wonder why they don't see it and the R&F too, that the elders are anything but an arrangement to look after their spiritual interests.

  They are there as the local agents of the FDS. Even the public talks they give are always prepared by the GB.
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  RollerDave

  As the enforcers of unity at all costs, they are the servants of whoever defines that unity.

  The power to define what is 'unified' and what is not has been usurped by the GB, so it stands to reason the elders serve the GB's interests.

  When you see real people with real feelings, thoughts, hopes, and dreams getting crushed under the wheels and molesters getting protected to avoid 'bringing reproach' on the society, it is clear that the GB's interests are being served EXCLUSIVELY and that when a R&F member's interests collide with the GB's interests, the GB must win out every time.

  There ARE elders who don't fit this mold, but I would think they wind up being marginalized or drummed out in the end, and the wheels roll on.

  Roller (of the 'tire slashing' sheep class)
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  PinTail

  Yup you hit that on the button. Just go behind closed doors of the elders and see how the whole scheme is set up to protect the GB not the humble witness.
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  emptywords

  The elders are getting younger and born in the truths with no experience with experience to help anyone, so many are just society men with ego's and the love of being in control over others, I have seen that with quiet a few the past few years.
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  DocBob

  Realizing that a lot of the training I was receiving as an elder was more geared toward supporting and defending the WTS that it was about helping people was one of the things that started me on my journey out of the org.