Single Ministerial Servants and Elders... (page 2)

Dark Knight

I always saw this scripture as a validation for polygamy.

Think about it. If the writer had to make a point that the elders should only have one wife. It meant that there must have been Christian husbands around with more than one wife and they would have been accepted members of the Christian community, although not ideal candidates for the role congregation elders.

Now I'm not a supporter of polygamy but I felt it was wrong of the watchtower to break up polygamous families of newly recruited members in countries where polygamy is accepted. There is no scriptural justification (that I know of) for it.

DK

WTWizard

I wonder if that's why so many obstacles against marriage and courtship. They want people to remain single so they can be single hounders and single assistant hounders. At which point, they are hounded to join the Ministerial, or Value Destroyer, Training School. After which a billion assignments await them (it used to be that they would sit and wait for something, but these days the whole Washtowel Slaveholdery is in shambles). Ultimately, they want to use these people to set off the Second Dark Ages.

Which is why I positively dread getting pulled back in physically (it's worse than getting disfellowshipped). I want no part of the organization that ruined my chances, what little they were, of getting in with the opposite sex. Let alone to help them seize the whole world and start a Second Dark Ages.

Jim_TX

I'm not sure if this thread is saying that the JWs allow fellas who are single to be Ministerial Servants or not, but I can relate something tha I know of - from years ago.

Back in the 60's - there was a fella who had been married once before - and divorced. I don't know many details of that, but he was a nice fella. He had a 'friend' who was a gal - who also was a pioneer.

Now... these two were not youngsters. He was in his mid 40's, and she was probably mid to late 20's. (As a kiddo, I was not too good at estimating ages.)

Anyway... the local gestapo pretty much told this fella that if he wanted to move up to the next rung in the organization - he would have to get married to this gal. Otherwise, he couldn't be a 'servant' - or whatever they were called back then. So he got married to her.

They were not married for very long when he was told that in order to be a servant - he needed to have children (scriptural - ya know). So... reluctantly, they had kids. I think that he was way up in years when his oldest was a teenager.

Anyway... they promoted him - and he was able to be one of the 'three' that ran the congregation.

I just can't figure out why they go this route - and then also preach from the platform that fellas should strive to be like the fella (Timothy?) in the New Testament who remained single. It gets kinda confusing to a youngster. Unless Timothy had no responsibilities in the 'congregation' of old.

Regards,

Jim TX

wha happened?

I never thought about the polygamy thing in countries where it's legal. In those countries they should be allowed to continue the relationships but not serve according to scripture

David_Rupp

" always saw this scripture as a validation for polygamy.

Think about it. If the writer had to make a point that the elders should only have one wife. It meant that there must have been Christian husbands around with more than one wife and they would have been accepted members of the Christian community, although not ideal candidates for the role congregation elders. "

Hello all. Well, you may not be aware, but there was no scriptural command in the 'old testament' or 'hebrew scriptures' that a man had to have only one wife. Polygamy was common in Arab lands and still is. A number of prominent, 'loyal' friends of God in the Old Testament had more than one wife / lover / child bearer. So, the early Christians felt it necessary to clarify this was a no-go.

BurnTheShips

I don't think the text forbids singlehood for Elders and Ministerial Servants, B_D.

It means if they are married, that it be to one woman only.

Paul extolled singlehood.

For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I. 1 Cor 7:7-8

SnakesInTheTower

bd:

I'm not sure if it's even possible to have a single elder nowadays

I was a single elder until the end of 2006 when the BOE removed me (I didnt play nicely in their sandbox)

.... it sucked to be in my 40's and still be single as a dub...maybe pathetic is the better term..

...the other elders were always trying to offload one of the mentally unstable (pscyho) sisters off on me... but if I expressed interest in one of the non-pscyho sisters, they would run interference...

FU$K$ng bastards... they ain't runnin' my life no mo'

Snakes ()

Tired of the Hypocrisy

I knew a twenty something single elder once. I also knew of some Cuban Boat-People that had a bunch of 16 year old kids that were elders in Cuba.

Single Ministerial Servants and Elders...

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