Did You Know A Lot Of Elders That Simply Weren't Too Bright? (page 3)

Theocratic Sedition

Yeah I know one. Stupidest jackass to ever walk the earth. Me.

AnnOMaly

Plenty. However, to be fair, I've known elders who were bright but their intellects were squashed into the WTS mindset.

elderelite

Hmmmmmm........... Same one follows you to huh TS....

Most religions would require their leaders to understand and explain church teachings. The educational component would be important. They lose half of their talent by excluding women despite Pauls' express references to women ministers as his companions and leaders of churches he established.

Being an idiot seems to be me their preferred status for elders. We had no respect for them. Although the rank and file were decent people, the leaders had superior attitudes. My father, male relatives, most women, and men excluded from power for questioning any little things were clearly more cognizant of WT doctrine and history. I truly believe that the upper level powers wanted no competition.

I wish I more creative b/c I believe I could write a sitcom about these dolts wtihout being overcritical of the entire org.

Band on the Run

I am now an Anglican. B/c of my college studies and personal research, I ask hard questions. The universal response is I don't know. They acknowledge the limits of human intelligence and the paucity of accurate info concerning Jesus and the early church. I read a lot of the creeds and policy statements in the Book of Common Prayer, esp. when I am bored during a sermon- even Athansius' creed. When I ask for specifics, they say it was purposely written to be an wide umbrella. They may their share own views but always preferece bind the entire church.

The contrast with JW elders with no true study of the Bible and theology is amazing. They know so many details that are not even in the Bible. Surmise is reported as absolute, hard fact. My JW upbringing always shows through b/c I keep asking for details. I don't share the basic response of born-in Anglicans. Anglicans would rather fold as many believers into their org. rather than insist on any purity.

So there is not only an intelligence, worldly savvy factor but very different world views.

I sit in church and just look around and think of the contrast with the JWs, enforcing uniformity concerning "crazY' beliefs not based on scripture. One contrast is that priests will freely acknowledge that many matters are not determined by the Bible. When I speak to them about the Trinith doctrine, no priest of Seminary prof. has ever suggested that the Trinity is biblical. Rather, they say it is an extropolitan from the Bible. The nontrinitarian viewpoint is not Biblical, only an extrapolition, too. They clearly distinguish between what the Bible says and what is church tradition. Witnesses cannot do this. Few has ever read the Bible, verse after verse rather than WT commentary telling them what to think. Most don't even know what the actual reads or its relationship to other scriptures.

They say politics is not about ideology as much as a lifestyle choice. I feel religion is also primarily a lifestyle choice. Do we defer to a bunch of unnamed secret WT writers or do we try to approach it with our brains and read a variety of viewpoints.

Lady Lee

If you had asked me this 30 years ago I would have said that out of the 7 we had one was losing his hearing so didn't catch much of what you said. Another was deaf and used sign language. He liked to puff himself up, stick his chest out and make demands. But the rest were nice guys - well except my hisband who was nice to everyone who didn't live with him.

When I was DFed I saw a whole other side of 2 of them and when I asked about going back five years later I saw a hard, nasty and crule man of those last 2. I never would have thought it of him as I sat and watched him lie to my face. But damn he made sure I would never go back so it worked out well in the end

cofty

Being an idiot seems to be me their preferred status for elders. We had no respect for them. - BOTR

Just to bring some balance I also knew a minority of elders who were intelligent and compassionate.

mercedes_29

We had one named Jose. He was the book study conductor and couldn't read to save his life. He also had no time management skills so we would never get through the required paragraphs. He had an awful memory too, couldn't remember what he ate for breakfast but he was supposed to tell you how to raise your kids, save your marraige, stay faithful blah blah blah. Had another one that went 25 minutes over his 15 minute KM part due to stuttering. Anyone with boy parts became an elder regardless of intellect, public speaking skills or leadership skills.

We did have two extremely intelligent and faithful elders. In the end they stepped down in their 80's and went home to wait to die. Both were discouraged and disgusted by what they saw in the KH.

minimus

Shirley, was he a black elder in Massachusetts?

jam

Well I have to admit I was one of those elders, but a funny

thing happen. After I left my brain started working. I could read

but had a hard time understanding Jehovah.

Did You Know A Lot Of Elders That Simply Weren't Too Bright?

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