Hey everyone!! Happy friday!!! its been a while since I have started a topic so here it goes..... When I joined the org I came in knowing that I would never go to the elders for advice or to confess any wrong doings. I have noticed that a lot of witnesses feel compelled to spill their guts to the elders. I never understood this. So for you ex and current witnesses why did you or why would you go to elders with your issues? By doing this you are giving them and the org power over you. In my opinion if less witnesses went to the elders this would decrease the hold they have over their members.
why give the elders power over your lives?
by dawntodaylight 12 Replies latest jw friends
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Girlie
Hindsight is 20/20. Looking back, I should have adopted ur view. But when you wanted to be a "faithful obedient sheep" you did what was always drummed into you from the meetings to report concerns and sins to an elder so that you can receive the "spiritual help" to readjust your thinking. At least, that's how I saw it at the time. Now, I do not have to worry myself over it as I do not have any kind of communication with any of the elders to care.
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mrsjones5
I think it's a great question and have often wondered why folks do that to themselves.
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ShirleyW
It's called indoctrination, doing the right thing to "please Jah and keep his organization clean" !
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dogisgod
Being indoctrinated from birth is a huge disadvantage at being able to access common sense. You just accept each layer of indoctrination as you age and that phrase when I first heard it "cognitive dissonence" rang true and loud. At some level you know something isn't right but you don't have the shovel to dig thru the crap. I went to the elders (it's just what you do) when you face a brick wall and things are so black and white you just do it. You are trained to do it. Pavlov's dog. You think they actually have some secret knowlege and secret answers they get at elder's schools. What a crock.
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Kensei01
The bottom line was fear. Fear of displeasing God and not getting into the new system. Funnny thing; and of course I didn't invent this concept; if there is no afterlife, no hell, just nothingness, then how could you miss not being in the new system? Ouch, try that one with an elder and look at the confusion on their face. The "ability" bar is so low now that most elders are unread and uneducated buffoons who don't even know how to construct a logical argument let alone help someone who has approached them for sprititual healing.
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leavingwt
I never understood this.
Those guilty of secret, unconfessed sins will die at Armageddon, according to WT theology.
I was a true believer, so I wanted to survive Armageddon, and this made confession mandatory.
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cptkirk
yea i would reverse your question back on to you. if you're going to do something why not go all the way? i dont understand the mentality of saying ok i'm a jw, but im suspicious of the elders....how does that logic even work? you're taught that they are appointed directly by god himself, thats what they say. so i'm asking you, how does that half assed mentality even work? you are in THE TRUTH (absolutism), listen to our instructions or you are apostate, because this is absolute. so you ignore them? your leaders? and yet stay content that you are in the truth? i may be revealing some horrific character flaw that i possess, but that logic doesn't make sense to me.
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TotallyADD
When I was a elder I notice many who came to the elders and confessed some wrong doing were people who was emotional weak. I am not saying all was like that but many were. For some they really wanted someone else to tell them what to do they really wanted someone else to control them. Then for the rest they are thinking people and because of the teachings they felt they needed to confess. But there are many others that see through it and never say a thing and for the most part get away with it. Every year there is always a WT study that trys to prick the friends conscience who may be hidding something to go to the elders and confess. You know make it right with Jehovah. True mind control at it's best. I must have been the exception not the rule. I always wanted to help these folks not punish them. Totally ADD
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cptkirk
whether you goto them or not, you're giving them a degree of power over your life by just being baptized. my only thought was how do you conform to that society while sort of laughing at the elders at the same time? yea cognitive dissonance.