Those on JWN still serving as elders...What if? (page 9)

harleybear

Silence: Saw the Missouri: are you BB fan. sorry about the team not making it. My neighbors are Missouri fans. They are in a state of morning. CU as in Colorado lost to Baylor I can't stand Pro BB but love college. We in CO just got Manning. NOt sure how that will go. Take care HB

TheSilence

I will assume you are referring to basketball? If so the answer is no, not a fan. I support the Cardinals but only enough to root for them if I actually go to a game at the stadium, not enough to actually watch a game on tv. Beyond that if it's a sport I most likely tune it out.

elderelite

I greatly appreciated billy's and doubtings thoughts too. It can be hard to cover every angle and convey every thought when adressing these issues and i agree with all they say. Consider too that as an elder spreads seeds of doubt he does so with the mantle of approval from the org itself.

But BP raises the issue that makes me refrain from commenting or clicking on these threads in first place.... The call of hypocite and the like.... And, to my orginal point, all because i didnt make the same decision she did, to run when i first had doubts. No tolorance or room for individual growth. No reconision of potential good that can be done.... Just vile and evil hypocites who are serving a vile and evil master....

Broken Promises

EE,

No one's said that you had to leave the religion. I was commenting on those who hold the position of elder. I can see a difference between being an elder and being a rank and file JW. Maybe you can't but I was in congregations where elders did step down for one reason or another so I've seen it happen, including my immediate family. I might be a mere ex-sister but I'm not completely ignorant.

elderelite

Lol.... Bp, i wasnt trying to be offensive... Far from it. You and i have always been friendly and i have deeply appreciated your personal concern for me when i expressed depression and emotional termoil.... I have also never denigrated you because "you are a sister". I value women as i do men and take everyone on their merit, best as i can anyway..

However, you called me a hypocite. I understand and accept you are entittled to your pov. But dont be hurt if i feel unfairly judged. You havent walked a step in my shoes, nor i in yours. Dont expect me to live by your standards. Thats why we all left the org dear. To live as we see fit.

Phizzy

One poster on here was an Elder when I first joined, I PM'd him to ask how on earth he could do it. He kindly explained that he was working on getting his family out, and he could only do that slowly.

A few months later he let me know of his success !

I did not, after he had explained, see his stance as hypocritical, just pragmatic, and it worked !

Good luck to all who are trying to free their loved ones, however you choose to do it !

mind blown

Not that anyone cares what I think, but I would like to clear something up. I am not a JW opposer, many of you believe the WTS to be true and some not. You are doing what you believe to be true and others have their own personal stuggles. However, I am a militant GB opposer, until they can prove me wrong.

Being molested by a JW brother who went on to molest other JW children and set free? GB rules. Not speaking to my mother for 20 years (due to me being a hard line JW along with other JW family members), only later to find my mother living in a runned down shack stuggling with Alzhimers? GB rules. And who's taking care of her now or even coming to visit her in this condition? Her JW sister? Her JW siste-in-law? NEVER, not even once, the so called Apostate (me) is watching out for my mothers needs. One even advised me not to feel guility if I left my mom that way. Not even an animal deserves that kind of treatment. GB rules. Having suicide on the brian at 8 years old because of not understanding why I was living in crazy JW land, GB rules.

mind blown

sorry double post..

Crisis of Conscience

@ Phizzy -

C.O.B.E.Beef

When I woke up to the cold hard truth about the org I was an elder. The first thing I wanted to is resign, but Im glad I didnt. I had a legitimate health concern that I used to ask the BOE to gradually reduce my responsibilities. To resign quickly would have raised alot of eyebrows in my case.

Im married to the women of my dreams who was born in like me and has been a zealous JW her entire life, and we have 3 small children. This complicates my exit strategy. I really wanted to test the waters of doubt with my wife but had to be very careful. So I decided to do so while still serving as an elder. My thought was that as a Witness, she has been taught that elders are spiritual men who have an "extra portion" of holy spirit. That may sound stupid but I figured if it helped at all to be an elder while introducing doubt, then it was worth it.

As time went on, my wife had noticed that something was troubling me, but I told her I didnt want to talk about it, which was difficult because we are very close. When the time felt right, I told her that my conscience was bothering me.In a nutshell, I told her that one of our beliefs seemed to lack scriptural merit. After much study on the matter, I still was not satisfied that it was something Jehovah approves of. I let her know that I truly felt like being an elder and supporting that doctrine was hurting my real relationship with Jehovah. Looking back, telling her that may have been foolishly hasty, but I have a hard time being dishonest with her.

My wife replied that she had a feeling thats what was going on with me. I was stunned by what she said next. She said I should not be ashamed, that what I disagreed with is a mans interpretation of the bible!! She even indicated her own lack of certainty in that particular doctrine. She supported me in my decision to resign and we wrote the letter together, making no mention of any doubts.

Now we share each others secret. I dont know where this will lead, but I am going to take the high road for awhile and hope she might be compelled to confide in me again.

Anyway, I highly respect those who have just flushed the whole pile down all at once, I wish I could do that.

As for those who feel trapped by family or position, I feel alot of pity.

Hypocrites? Ive spent the first several decades of my life being judgemental, Im done with it.

Those on JWN still serving as elders...What if?

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