Elders in their 20's?

by Princess Daisy Boo 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Praying4Justice
    Praying4Justice

    Please tell me what the roles are exactly for these elders, young or otherwise, when it comes to counseling. Do elders ever counsel one-on-one with women or does there always have to be at least 2 elders present? Does each congregation have periodic counseling sessions with the members for the sole purpose of seeing if anyone will confess any sins? I cringe with the thought that my daughter might get called in for a special counseling session just for the purpose of trying to get personal information from her. They know what I think about them because I personally went to the Kingdom Hall to talk with the elders to let them know I'm on to them and that I will never give up on my daughter. I know when my daughter spends time with her family (who are not JWs), they don't like it and I'm sure that they ask her questions when she gets back.

    Someone, please tell me how the counseling sessions are conducted.

    Thanks.

  • SirNose586
    SirNose586

    First off, welcome to the board, Praying4Justice. You'd better keep on praying; I don't know when true justice will hit these fools, but for what it's worth, I'll join you...

    Now, let's get to your queries....

    Please tell me what the roles are exactly for these elders, young or otherwise, when it comes to counseling. Do elders ever counsel one-on-one with women or does there always have to be at least 2 elders present?

    No, there will be two of them there. There will always be two, even when it's not a woman, mainly because with two witnesses to any incriminating statement, they can proceed with the disfellowshipping committee.

    Does each congregation have periodic counseling sessions with the members for the sole purpose of seeing if anyone will confess any sins? I cringe with the thought that my daughter might get called in for a special counseling session just for the purpose of trying to get personal information from her.

    Yes, they could instigate a witchhunt if the numbers are down, just to see who's "blocking the holy spirit," as if you were some sort of point guard swatting a shot. But this is generally rare. If you're staying out of trouble, and don't start using your brain to note the inconsistencies, nothing should happen.

    If there are only two elders grilling your kid, this is when they want to see if she'll slip up and say something incriminating. If there are three elders, watch out, because then it's a real kangaroo court trial with real consequences, most likely disfellowshipping. The first is called just a meeting, the second is a "judicial committee."

    They know what I think about them because I personally went to the Kingdom Hall to talk with the elders to let them know I'm on to them and that I will never give up on my daughter. I know when my daughter spends time with her family (who are not JWs), they don't like it and I'm sure that they ask her questions when she gets back.

    Someone, please tell me how the counseling sessions are conducted.

    Thanks

    Has your daughter been showing signs of subversion? Because they might suspect her of "apostasy"--stemming from you--this is what they will do: They will ask her to meet them upstairs to innocently chat about what's going on. No matter how they get to it, all they want to know is, "Do you think Jehovah operates through the Faithful and Discreet Slave (aka the Governing Body) as part of his universal organization?"

    If she answers yes, they will ask her to go against your wishes and continue associating and studying with them. They will prescribe a regimen of more cult literature, more praying, more field service, and a "Bible Study" with an older sister, possibly of your daughter's choice.

    If she answers no, then they've got evidence of her corrupting wickedness and can therefore initiate the Kangaroo Court to officiate the start of the shunning by congregation members, friends, and non-resident family members.

  • Princess Daisy Boo
    Princess Daisy Boo

    I can only hope that maybe in the case of my brother in law - things happen like in Tsar_Robles's case and my brother in law gets enlightened by the things happening behing closed doors and he smells I rat - but I am not holding my breath - I think that he may be as one of the poster's said "a company man" and just go with things.

  • Praying4Justice
    Praying4Justice

    Thanks SirNose for your quick response. So, their rule is no one-on-one. . .in the Kingdom Halls anyway. I know for sure that one of the elders (whose cousin is my daughter's best friend) talked with her on her cell phone at different times. During a family emergency, he kept in touch with my daughter and when I found out that she was talking to him on the phone (at night), I told her how inappropriate that was for him to be talking to her. I told her that he should be putting his wife on the phone to talk to her. That it should be woman to woman, and he never did that until he heard me tell her that while they were on the phone. Then, all of a sudden, he told her that she should be talking to his wife, and not him. This guy is sly and I don't trust him at all, but he plays like he's such a nice guy. Typical.

    My daughter got involved with the JWs because of her friend in school. None of our family is, or ever was, a Jehovah's Witness. So, I pray everyday that my daughter will see or hear something that won't sit right with her and will open her eyes. I tell her all the time, that all she has to do is walk away (from a group of mere humans, not God) and that she's so very lucky because her entire family loves her unconditionally and we are all here for her and always will be no matter what she does. She never has to fear any shunning from her family. . .only from her so-called spiritual family. I know that when that day comes and she's had enough, it's still going to be hard for her when she'll have to endure that heartbreaking shunning experience from her "friends".

    So the longer she continues to stay a Jehovah's Witness, I will be right here and continue constant contact with her. She is a loving, good-hearted person and the older and more mature she gets, I know the day will come when she will witness some kind of harsh, unloving behavior from one of them that she won't be able to ignore, and then will start to question. I pray for that day. . .everyday.

    Just a few more questions before I go. When girls reach 18 and older, do they start to push the subject of marriage? Will the elders get together to meet with these young women and start prying into their personal life with questions and/or even start to arrange meetings with JW men? And if the women show no interest in getting married, do the elders make them feel (pressure) them to think otherwise?

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