Did You Ever Regard The Elders As Loving Shepherds? (page 2)

DoomVoyager

I thought they were scary when I was younger. Then I discovered they were just a bunch of slobs who shovel s*** for a living but get to wield the Staff of Ultimate Power at the KH. Yay!

My first BOE....yes because my success as a devoted JW who sought Branch appointment proved them 'fine shepherds'. At the time I remember it being stressed that all JWkids dedicating themselves to Jehovah through HQ work reflected on the entire KH. Of my group; my sister, I and another girl who moved to the heinous second KH with us......are the only ones currently not serving in said planned capacity.... If I had any problems I went to the Elder who was in charge of us kids before I went to my parents! He was a kind and zealous man who while not a 'company man' by the end of the 70's/begining 80's, was a spiritual man who made a point to teach all the kids in my KH about the WTS ladder and how to climb.

Second BOE.....Spiritual weak and lacking discernment shadetree shepherds.... then and now!

troubled mind

When i was a kid there was only one Elder I thought of as a Loving shepard .He was an elderly anointed brother that was always kind to me . I was afraid of the rest of them because they were bossy and had no time for us kids . In my last congregation at one time there were eight elders and I can only say two really showed genuine love for others .

ex-nj-jw

Elder #1 - always had kids around him, he had two a girl and a boy - he slept in the room with his son not his wife, and whenever we'd spend the night his daughter (4 years older than me) always made me get dressed and undressed in her closet - I'm sure he was a perv.

Elder #2 - self righteous arsehole!

Elder #3 - always tring to get into peoples business, nosey, nosey, nosey

Elder #4 - my dad - nice to everyone except his own children

Elder #5 - his kids were the worst and he always had something to say about everyone else's kids

Thats all I can remember so no they were not loving at all. Not that I care I didn't love them either.

nj

Scarred for life

The men that I can remember serving as elders and congregation overseers- NO. There are none that I remember as loving shepherds.

There was one man and his wife that were circuit overseers. They used to always stay at our home when they visited our congregation. I do remember them as loving and shepherd-like. I have fond memories of them. And I still wonder what happened to them.

caliber

Those who begin as truly loving Shepherd's have their pure motive

sucked right out of them..through no fault of their own but by

time, pressure and circumstances. ,,,some are (were) very wonderful

upright caring persons but their hands become tied !~~~Caliber

jamiebowers

Yes, I really did believe that elders were loving shepherds. But after watching them, day after day for years counseling my abusive stepfather and husband but taking no action against them, I lost my faith in them and the organization of which they serve. After being physically abused and having my life threatened, I finally filed for divorce. I was so terrified and wanted and needed to get away and stay away from the looney tune jw husband, (yes, his psychiatrist highly recommended it), I offered to da myself to end his domination over me rather than hang around to see if he would commit adultery or murder. The loving elders told me not to bother, as they would df me instead. And they did.

Stepfather and ex-husband are still jws in good standing. Me, I'm scum of the earth, who has been shunned by my mother for 20 years. Yeah, they were and continue to be loving shepherds, all right.

minimus

When the COs are gone, wait and see the "love". Am I glad I'm out!

no more kool aid

I agree with James Woods. Many of them are genuine but totally lack skills for pastoral counseling. Then there are power hungry ones that seem to have to have others below them to feel good about themselves. Unfortunately these are usually the ones that "climb to the top" and are the most visible.

sspo

Served as elders for 22 years in 3 different states and many different congregations and honestly have to say that most of the elders are sincere and want to help and sheperd the flock.

Definetely have seen many that loved to be on stage and be praised by the "sheep" but down deep they were pricks.

Did You Ever Regard The Elders As Loving Shepherds?