Anyone With Major Judicial/Service Department Experience?

by A question 27 Replies latest jw friends

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  A question

  Is there anyone on the board with a large amount of experience with judicial matters or (preferably) with the Service Department of the Society or perhaps even worked on the Service Department? If so, I would appreciate the answers to at least some of the following questions:

  Does the Society ever take the initiative to remove elders, and if so, how do they do it? What prompts them to do so? Do you know of any examples? Have entire bodies of elders ever been removed? Is it true that the Society sends in "troubleshooters" to certain problem areas? Can anyone give examples of why they have done so? Are these troubleshooters Bethelites or local brothers? How long do they stay?

  Thanks in advance for any answers.
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  Alfred

  Sounds like your congregation is not meeting the goals set by the CO due to mediocre elders that need a swift kick in their butts to get the numbers up and a corporate auditor bethelite has started attending your congregation... Am I right?
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  Wasanelder Once

  I know of one group of elders that was removed. It was the work of the local CO. I've known elders, local elders, who have been assigned to congregations to clean up messes. As far as being sent "from Bethel" I can't say. I do know that happens near Bethel when there are problems but I don't know of any sent by Bethel to out of state congregations. Others may know if it. I'm in CA so maybe that has something to do with it.
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  metatron

  Have entire elder bodies been removed - yes Why? Massive immorality like wife swapping or gambling trips to Vegas or (yes!) even the racial prejudice of the C.O. ( named P. Green in the '70's)

  Can they send in troubleshooters? - yes

  Who are they and how long do they stay? Depends on how long it takes to clean up the mess.

  I'll give an example (without being too specific). You have a Circuit Overseer who is a headstrong sociopath. He creates one disaster after another and removes elders like it was nothing and df's people on exaggerated grounds. They send in an older Bethelite who tells the congregation not to ask questions or get too curious - just go with the reversals ( !!!!!!!!!!!) Being Witless Zombies, they obey. Subject closed and Jehovah's Chariot moves on.

  metatron
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  A question

  Alfred: This isn't my congregation, it is some research for my own use. Research involves speaking to those with experience in the matter being discussed.

  Wasanelder Once: Thanks for the answer. If I may ask, Why was the whole body removed? What kind of messes needed cleaning up?

  metatron: Even if some elders commit immorality why would ALL of the elders be removed for the mess ups of a few?

  Thanks for all the responses so far. I would also appreciate if posters state how much direct personal experience they have in this area, either participating in it or witnessing it, so I can distinguish what is more likely hearsay and what is more likely firsthand.
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  pontoon

  I've seen the CO request a brother to move to a problem congregation. Not a bethelite, bethel wants a problem cleaned up locally, (and I am very near the Wat. Farm.) There's always a "cover story," for the rank and file. Like your meeting scheduals work better for my family, or we always wanted to live in ........ This brother has whatever power the CO is willing to give him. In a short time one or more elders will be identified as problems and will be removed as elders. Not necessarily DF'd or reproved, just removed from serving. Usually some rearrangement of major assignments,--secretary, FS overseer...... Bro headhunter will continue in cong. for a couple more months, acting as if he had nothing to do with what happened, but at the same time enjoying his status that he knows everybody knows that he has. He and his family are the current cong. superstars, and get a lot of invitations because everyone is trying to show him how spiritual they are. Then the big going away party, headhunter packs up his possessions and family and moves 35 miles back down the road where he came from. Remaining elders breathe a sigh of relief and wonder how they "made it."
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  A question

  pontoon: Thanks for the reply. If I may ask, what was the problem in the problem congregation?
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  wobble

  A q,

  A C.O told me that he was on his first visit (on his own, he had accompanied an experienced C.O) as newly qualified C.O, when he had to remove a whole body of elders.

  He worried about it, and phoned bethel for advice, but they said ,yes, he had no choice.

  He did not spell it out to me, but I gather it involved paedophilia, the B.O.E had covered it up. Possibly one or more of their members were involved, I do not know, but he said to me they were all not fit to serve because of not dealing with a sin.
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  the-illuminator81

  When an entire body is removed it is because they all knew of the wrongdoing and didn't inform Bethel or the CO about it. I've seen it happen because they rescheduled the tuesday evening meeting for a soccer match. Sometimes the whistleblowers can stay, if there are any. It can take years for the congregation to recover.
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  baltar447

  Sometimes they will remove a whole body if they just don't get along too. I've heard of that too. No wrongdoing, just elder bodies that bicker among themselves.