by curiousconfused 64 Replies latest members private
I agree with shepherd.
If you're an elder and the main reason for not stepping down is because you're scared of how ppl will look at you when you resign as an elder, then grow some balls. Being part of a hurtful and hypocritical religion is not a position you want to have. I don't know how you can sleep at night.
Just a little p.s. again - for the past 3 years all the evidence has mounted up to persuade me to believe that the Org is, or is soon to be, in SERIOUS financial straits. I'm sure most serving elders have more info on the 'direction' from the 'slave'.
Searcher, you can continue on in your wishful thinking, but I see the Org hitting up the R&F harder and harder for funds. Assm Hall usage fees doubled and if the pubs don't ante up, the Circuit sends invoices to the Congs and these FUNDS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO WTBTS or heads will roll when the CO drops in.
Bookstudy night being shut down so more Congs can utilize the same KH facilities, that means if contributions remain level then there is more surplus to send to WTS in NYC.
Plus, despite the downward market in Real Estate making it a bad time to sell * , everything in Brooklyn Heights is on the sale block. PRIMO properties for the wealthy in NYC, second only to Manhattan which only the Mega-Rich can afford. Three exclusive properties sold within the past 30 days. $900 Million estimated in the eventual sell off. What do you think it will cost to build the new HQ out in the cornfields of outstate New York State? $100 MIL? $200 MIL? That means LOTS of cash left over in the coffers when it's completed in the next 12- 24 months.
* Why didn't the Holy Spirit direct the spirit-directed (TM) GB to sell off all the high-rent Brooklyn Heights property 2-3 years ago BEFORE the Global Recession caused RE values to collapse?
DOC
@ DESIROUS OF CHANGE
The contribution arrangement is TOTALLY voluntary.
If it becomes COMPULSORY, then I believe people will awaken in their droves. The closures of all the Central America branches except Mexico, the selling of all the prime real estate in Brooklyn, the "amalgamation" of branches around Europe and other parts of the world, sending brothers to Hedge Fund seminars in London at a cost of thousands of dollars, geting all congregations to send their excess funds to the Society, getting all Kingdom Halls to pay for insurance through the Society, massive payments to 'silence' pedophile victims, etc. etc. etc. The chickens are coming home to roost, I think.
CouriousConfused,
I think the word you are looking to define is integrity. Some can live with very little of it and still function quite well day to day. They can preach the 10 commandments with their hand in the contribution box. Others, whose development is more mature will experience that crisis within and eventually will act until they reach their comfortable level of integrity. Hope this helps.
curiousconfused: welcome back ... I was an elder, just considered spiritually weak and in a dangerous situation by the elders at the moment ... I asked a similar question some time ago
The Searcher: Welcome. Personally, I think most of the reasons you give are accepted by most Witnesses as Jehovah simplifying and speeding things up so the end must be close. Some will wake up from such things and find the exit, as has been true since the religion's beginning, but probably many of the thinking ones who recognize the hypocrisy will be older ones who just have too much invested to walk away.
I was an elder for 7 years and resigned in November 2009. If I can help I would be happy too.
Curiousconfused, Elderelite, any other elders, once you find a way to resign, it is such a relief. It doesn't matter what a handful of kiss-ass elders think about you. Don't give them that power to make you stay. I truly understand that you have situations and think that you are not ready to change things. But work toward some way to get out of the ranks of the elders and you won't be sorry.
I resigned, honestly stating that I didn't have confidence in the Faithful Slave. In a letter, I used a bunch of WT quotes to show that everyone, especially appointed men, needs to have complete confidence in the FDS, then said how I didn't even know the names of the GB members who represented the FDS nor how they arrive at new light that I must support from the platform in the Kingdom Hall. It worked to make the elders keep their distance from me after resigning because I might drag their faith down.
It worked for me. It might have been better to use the depression method. You go see any doctor for any reason and tell the elders that you are depressed and seeing a doctor. Let's face it, knowing the real truth is depressing and even a doctor on television is "seeing a doctor" so you ddon't have to lie. If you take any vitamins or pills whatsoever, you then say that you are "on medication." Blowing a few evening meetings when you have a talk will help set up your need to "step aside." And being needy helps too. They really don't want to have to actually help someone. So when they say "Do you need anything?" try saying you need help with yardwork or painting the house or something mechanical at home.
I was being groomed to become an elder, but never did. I wouldn't back down from Biblical facts and refused to worship the Governing Body, so I was eventually considered unfit. Now, I know my congregation was actually very open-minded, when compared to others, too. My current congregation is a hotbed of Pharisees, idolaters, and blasphemers and to become an elder, one must be an exemplary example of one of these.
It's my estimation that any JW elder has sold his soul (so to speak), because he should be in a position to know better. If he doesn't, then he's just too damned lazy to read the Bible for himself or too stupid to understand what he reads and so blindly follows the WT literature because it's written on a level he can comprehend. Either way, only a self-absorbed seeker of glory before men would allow himself to be put in a position he should know full well he isn't qualified for, in the name of God.
There hasn't been an excuse for blindly following men instead of Scripture since shortly after the invention of the printing press. Maybe the JWs are full of idiots and crazies for a reason. Any thinking, rational person would recognizes this group for what it is. If you don't see it, you're probably one of them. If you do see it, you're trading your relationship with God for how men view you. There is no salvation in them, so what the hell are you trying to impress them for? JW "friends" are the worst excuse for associates possible. Even JW family have no natural affection and will turn their back on anyone over their status in the cult. If one's self-esteem is so low they need to be love bombed in a cult, then go nuts. Any other reasons claimed are pure BS.
WontLeave: come on now, say what you really mean
They really don't want to have to actually help someone. So when they say "Do you need anything?" try saying you need help with yardwork or painting the house or something mechanical at home.
OMG that's so funny cause it's sooo true!!!
