Is there an interview? What sort of things do they look at, or expect out of the person? Besides being a Man. Any criminal/background checks? Do they have to report the person's information to the Govern Body to get the ultimate O.K.? My dad is an elder and he is far from a leader. He takes several medications just to be strong enough to go to the meetings and "service". He is so depressed he can't sleep without Xanax. Yet he is "leading the flock". He can't even lead himself. I doubt if he would someone God would chose, and I bet there are a whole lot of crazies giving advice in elder positions. Just curious. My dad's answer was that God choses his elders, but now that I am not blind and crazy anymore I want facts not SciFI/Bible answers.
Who actually decides that a person is chosen by God to be an elder?
by brainwashed-from-birth 9 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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oompa
it is more of a boyz club thingy...but i mainly posted to say bfb in on my profile...i to was brainwashed from birth...but nearly everyone is if they are in a tite religion....i have an uncompleted book i started writing during the meetings and everyone thought i was taking great notes....i used the word envioligionism.....your religion is mainly due to your envioroment............oompa..............and welcome!
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asilentone
Just before each Circuit Overseer visit, the elders have a meeting to discuss recommendations of new Elders and MS, The PO/CBOE has a list of potentials to discuss with the body of elders, If majority of the body of elders recommends a person to be an elder or MS, then when the CO have a meeting with the body of elders, they will make some recommendations to the CO. If the CO agree with the elders, CO will mail the recommendations to the Society, The society will read each name and why he should be appointed. If they approved the recommendations, they will send it to the Secretary of the Congregation, then two elders will ask if that person wants to be an new elder or MS. If that person accept the appointment, it would be announced to the congregation within a week.
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brainwashed-from-birth
I did not know that they came to you with an offer. I thought you had to apply. That is interesting infomation. Is that correct? Did they come to my Dad with that non-sense or did my Dad have to show interest?
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asilentone
If someone apply to be MS or Elder, they would most likely not recommend him because the elders would think he is not humble enough.
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treadnh2o
Also should be noted that while the decision is ultimately from the GB, these company men know the criteria. Hours, meeeting attendance and answering. Do it long enough, don't be obnoxious, and you too can be an elder. It really is that simple. One warning, if you do these things but are not "serious", you cannot be a clown, you probably won't be appointed. Also, don't piss off any long time elders or they can find a reason not recommend you.
Reality= Good ol boys club!
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brainwashed-from-birth
CREEPY. I wonder if the the "secretly gay" elders recommend other guys due to shoe size, or how their ass shakes when they take that mic up and down the iles?
Good OL Boys Club.....I hear the Deliverance music.
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Razziel
I thought I read somewhere the GB doesn't vote on appointments anymore? That appointments are decided by the service department.
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Razziel
Off topic, but if i remember correctly, the only biblical difference in scriptural qualifications between an elder and MS is being "qualified to teach." Using that criteria, a lot of elders should be demoted.
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sir82
Any criminal/background checks?
Bwa-ha-ha-ha!
That's a good one.
Here's the "background check": After the letter comes back from the Society, saying that Brother So and So is now appointed as an elder, 2 elders will herd Brother So and So into the Kingdom Hall library.
They will ask him 2 or 3 questions, along the lines of "Is there any reason you shouldn't be appointed as an elder?" In teh past 10 years or so, they also explicitly ask if the appointee is a child molester. The whole process takes no more than 5 minutes - maybe as little as 30 seconds.
If he answers correctly, bada-bing! at the next meeting he is announced as an elder.
There's your background check. Pretty thorough, huh?
thought I read somewhere the GB doesn't vote on appointments anymore? That appointments are decided by the service department.
Correct. And really, all the Service Dept. does is run the appointee's name through their database, to make sure he hasn't been recently D-F'ed or written nasty letters to the Society, etc. If the guy's "record" is clean, they'll just rubber-stamp the recommendation of the CO & elders.