Did You Know A Lot Of Elders That Simply Weren't Too Bright? (page 6)

Lady Lee

Lady Lee it is hard to get my mind around the fact that you got df’d (I mean that in a good way). You are truly a Lady among us here.

Thank you. My gut feeling was they knew I would talk about how my husband, an elder at the time, was abusing me and our two daughters. Somehow I didn't think they wanted the news to get out that he would get angry and in a rage start kicking them. They probably wouldn't have minded if people thought I had done somethign wrong - which I had, But two kids - kicking them? - that was clearly over the line even by JW standards.

outsmartthesystem

Yes. There was (is) an elder at my old hall that literally had a 4th or 5th grade reading level. He gave AWFUL public talks. And worse yet.....they would use him every now and then as the Watchtower reader. He would stumble through paragraph after paragraph....mispronouncing words and sometimes even making up words that weren't on the page. If a word on the page was too difficult for him......he would just ignore it and move on to the next one.

undercover

My experience was that most elders were of average intelligience. Not dim witted or slow, but not exceedingly bright either. (there were exceptions but not drastically so) Most had common sense that only failed them when the indoctrination kicked in and forced them to adhere to WT policy instead of following their own mind or heart. Most were decent guys who actually meant well, but never allowed themselves to think outside the WT box. ("most", not all. There were some real dicks along the way, but they stood out in contrast to the rest)

Part of that problem is because most of them are not educated. They graduated high school and that's it. The downside to the WTS' continual demonzing of higher education is that their elder bodies are consistently made of under educated men, who are way in over their heads when they have to sit in on JC meetings dealing with situations that most people would turn to properly trained professionals for help.

oldlightnewshite

I'd say that 3/4 of my congregation elders are probably below average intelligence. 4 are worryingly dull witted. 2 are sharp as razors, and I can't quite make them out. They must recognize the BS a lot of the time. I would say that loyalty and blind obedience trumps ability and christian qualities when they make appointments.

Regarding the fecktard elders, I LOVE to watch intelligent sisters' faces during meetings when these geniuses come out with some toe-curlingly dim comments. I can only describe the expression as being like somebody being force-fed a shit sandwich. Priceless!

This thread will run forever.

LongHairGal

Minimus:

Yes, I saw a few. No offense, but even though there were a few clever ones here and there, I felt that the JW religion in general was a place where a man with no education could have a title and feel important.

While I realize that education by itself is no indication of anybody's natural intelligence, somebody in the capacity that these men are in should have professional training! Otherwise, what you have are uneducated men tampering with people's lives, sorry to say.

tiki

Two especially stand out as having been seriously developmentally challenged. (that's politically correct verbiage for "mentally retarded".....) . . . . . i personally found it very insulting and offensive to the flock to have to put up with such imbeciles as "leaders"....but then i am a brain-snob.

Ultimate Axiom

Most of the elders I knew back in the 70s were quite bright, a couple extremely so. But they had been educated before they became Witnesses, and were not averse to lively discussions (in private of course) that often veered well away from “official” WT lines. There seemed to be a lot more intellectual freedom back then, at least it appears so to me from reading posts from more recent ex-JWs. Or perhaps it was just that here in England the mental straightjacket wasn’t applied so much in those days. A few of the elders in the two congregations I served in were not too bright, and their public talks were excruciatingly boring, but I would say that all of them were decent people, and I never had any trouble with them any of them when I decided to leave. I was even invited to one of the elder’s daughter’s weddings a couple of years after I had stopped attending meetings.

mamochan13

You know, I can't help but think that perhaps certain types of leadership don't require intelligence. I was having a conversation with a coworker today (in my government job) about the politicans who run our province. The vast majority do not have any college education and many are severely lacking in the intelligence department. Yet they are in these positions of power and influence (and earn big money). Maybe it has something to do with being easier to control?

Perhaps the notion of elders not being bright appeals because it's so hard to fathom anyone with intelligence embracing the party line to the degree they do. I found most elders were of average intelligence, simply uneducated - and I agree with 00Dad. In the context of DFing, I've seen some very small, vindictive men, as LadyLee has. Those seem to me to be men who don't have the intelligence to succeed anywhere else, so they get their jollies power tripping on the lowly rank and file.

There are always exceptions. When I was young I recall one very intelligent elder who always advocated against the no-university policy and he was not very happy with DFing either. He was often on the outs with the other elders, though, and I think he'd be in trouble if he were still around today. Then there is my brother, who is extremely intelligent, yet falls into the category of "vindictive small-minded elders".

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

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