A Concerned Elder Speaks (page 9)

MeanMrMustard

This is an interesting thread...

Question, though... if an elder has children in college, or about to start college, and the body of elders is obligated to "review" his qualifications as an elder, and further, all the elders of congregation XYZ do not like this new direction from the GB, what is to prevent them from doing a "stand up", two-minute meeting as a "review".

In other words:

Elder #1: "Brother Elder #2, your son recently started a program of study at the local college. We need to see you in the back to review your qualifications"

Elder #2: "OK"

.... they both walk back to a room filled with all the elders ...

Elder #1: "We are all here to review Elder #2's qualifications. Personally, I think he's great and should remain an elder. What do you think?"

All Elders: "Agreed".

Elder #1: "OK Elder #2, we have reviewed your qualifications and we all think you're OK."

Elder #2: "Thanks! Hey Elder #1, how about some drinks after the meeting?"

The next CO's visit:

CO: "Did someone review Elder #2's qualifications? His son is in college."

Elder #1: "Oh yes, we all reviewed him, the entire body of elders participated."

CO: "Very good. How about some drinks after the meeting?"

I mean, a "review" is a very loose term... at least to me....

Thanks,

MeanMrMustard

miseryloveselders

Mr.Mustard, that's a best case scenario of what could happen. I can't speak on them all, but there are plenty of elder bodies who are not all on the same page. There's plenty of CO's who are trouble makers, and not every elder body has enough stand up men to tell a CO where he can go and what to kiss.

Franklin Massey

Gary, took the words right out of my mouth.

Giordano, I was a child when I was baptized. I could answer the questions because I had practiced them over and over. The ones I got wrong didn't matter because the brothers asking the questions watched me grow up and thought that baptism was the best thing for me. When I got baptized I couldn't drive, didn't know about complex human emotions, had never been in love, never had a job. My point is that a child cannot fully grasp the immense proportions of a dedication such as is required at JW baptism. If I was a non-JW and was found in the ministry now, I don't know if I could do it by their rules.

Mr. Mustard, you are spot on. I'm positive that will happen in my congregation given what the other brothers are already saying about the new guidelines.

pontoon

Sorry about that blank. Anyway it will depend on how seriously the body takes themselves. I've seen bodies talk for hours about NOTHING. Hopefully a body has at least one or two reasonable bros. that are able to rein the group in.

The Finger

Giordano

I don't feel any need to join a religion to have a love for God and I never felt I was dedicated to the organization I was never a company man so to speak.

Anne Marie 1925

God may "provide," but He gave us each a brain to use and think with, and it is silly to not do what you can to take care of yourself...that's like not going to work because "Jehovah will provide."

All that preaching to the rank and file was poured out on all of us pretty heavily for YEARS, especially after the 1966 Summer Convention that launched the !975 date for Armageddon to come.

JWs were quitting their jobs, cashing in their pensions, (or giving up their pensions by quitting their jobs), cashing in their Life Insurance Policies, and selling their homes, all so that they could spend more time in the preaching work, and so that "Jehovah would find them busy in His work" when Armageddon hit. And boy, were these "examples" praised from the platform at every assembly as "the ones to follow"!!

So the very idea that any parent would even ALLOW their child to attend college, much less actually want to send them to college, was considered to be a demonstration of the grossest lack of faith, practically a declaration that they were not "loyal to Jehovah's Servant," the "Faithful and Discreet Slave," and I can tell you that the very few parents that DID allow their children to attend college were shunned by many of the brothers; it was disgusting.

And even those parents who were openly against their child attending college were shunned as not being "proper spiritual parents" if their child went against their wishes and went on to get a higher education.

And now where are we?? Now MY son, who wasn't even born until 1971, PAYS GOOD MONEY for HIS children to attend special "College Prep" classes so that they can get into a good college...

And when I mention things like this to my JW mother, lamenting to her that "If I had known that I'd live this long, I'd have gone to college, and had a decent career!!" And then I tell her how hard my brothers and I have struggled with just a High School Education, and she says that the Watchtower NEVER talked against going to college; only that one should "be careful," and that my brothers and I could have gone if we'd wanted to. Yeah, RIGHT!!

Just like the entire 1975 scare, the Watchtower keeps getting away with their lies, because the ones that are IN long enough to finally "figure it out" and leave are branded as "wicked," and as "apostates," and the newer, younger ones, who didn't live through the "old days," and who are fed an Orwellian version of Watchtower History, just don't get it.

I don't miss living a lie...

MeanMrMustard

@miseryloveselders:

I see what you mean. Do you think the elders in your area will hold serious qualification meetings because of this issue? Or do you think that the elders in your area may lean toward "reviews" like I described above?

We have some serious guys around here, but then again, they always seemed very practical. So I can see them not removing elders for such an issue.

Question: If an elder comes under review in regards to his "qualifications", and the meeting is a serious one, what would it be like? Would it be like a judicial committee? Basically like a mini-trial where the "qualifications" under review would include whether or not your kids go to college - thereby basically meaning college = removal?

Thanks,

MeanMrMustard

@miseryloveselders:

The elders around these parts (at least when I was going to meetings) used to hold really long elders meetings. I mean, the service meeting would end, and the elder's wives would go home. The elders would arrive home midnight - 1 AM. They would have these long meetings every week. I happen to think that they just wait until everyone else is gone and order some pizzas, break out the multi-player Halo and the hi-def projector, and have a party.

What exactly goes on in these after-meeting meetings?

MeanMrMustard

TD

I'll never forget it, never. The worst part of it all is that it hit me while looking at the fat mooching slob on the stage threatening us, was that this guy's entire lifestyle is supported by the contributions of working people.

Priceless!

A Concerned Elder Speaks

Share this