by flipper 60 Replies latest jw friends
This article creates/perpetuates a WT policy that allows abuse of power by elders with absolutely no means of recourse by those abused. How short-sighted! This is terrible.
The more I think about it, the more it bothers me. It's just so wrong, really wrong.
As our circuit overseer Steve Lett once Illustrated it this way:
'The elders announce that the kingdom hall needs painting. In order to involve as many publishers as possible they have decided that everyone is going to use only 1 inch paint brushes. Now you and I both know there are faster and better ways to paint a kingdom hall than with 1 inch paintbrushes. What will you do? question the elders? refuse to take part because you know a better way? murmer and complain to others?
Ask yourself, how does jehovah feel about it? Really, jehovah doesn't care how the kingdom hall gets painted, but he does care about how we support the elders.'
RUBBISH.
We are being told to ignore the fact we have a brain and Romans 12:1, 2- Suppress your power of reason. Oh, and while you're at it, Dont prove ANYTHING to yourself. Especially the "good and and acceptable and perfect will of God." We'll tell you what to think, how to reason, how to connect the dots and what to feel. We'll do the thinking for you. Just do as you're told. And quickly. Your willingness to accept what you're told is a reflection of your spirituality, blah, blah, blah...
"Consequently I entreat YOU by the compassions of God, brothers, to present YOUR bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with YOUR power of reason. 2 And quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making YOUR mind over, that YOU may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God." -Romans 12 1,2
I'm also a little surprised they didn't use 1 Cor 13:5 as it is translated in some Bibles "love does not insist on its rights..."
The more I read from the current magazines the more fed-up I get.
Give me a break. If people can't won't see this kind of stuff as the consolidation of power it is they quit thinking a long time ago.
Oh...this is awesome! the people near me at the coffee shop are discussing Prince (Brother Prince) and how he has apparently changed his tune in the past few years. hahaha...
oh...and who could forget this gem:
" One short sentence in the 15 November, 1986, Watchtower was all that was needed. "Of course, elders usually are not qualified to act as physicians or to employ the concepts and terminology of psychiatry. To do so would be immodest and perhaps dangerous." "
thank you rory-ks for using it on the "shun your family" thread...
seriously? who vetts articles like this???
SOLOMON- I do hope your friend is able to reason on things and escape the elders harassment by eventually exiting the JW cult. I agree, there needs to be a recall or check system in place that insures elders are doing their jobs of counseling correctly.
I told this to my long time elder dad back in 2003 when I stopped attending meetings due to unjust treatment from elders. I was given personal opinions by elders as counsel that was errant counsel and I asked my dad, " Isn't there a check system in place when thr Circuit Overseer comes to visit elders every 6 months ? don't elders keep a record of WHAT has been said to publishers in JC meetings so that a Circuit Overseer could read what went down at a JC meeting to see if proper procedures were being followed at these meetings with publishers ? " My dad just went, " No. " I said, " So all they do is discuss the congregation publishers records and worry about how much time is reported , meeting attendance, or how regular publishers are ? " He said, " Yeah, that's pretty much it. " So that told me for a fact there is NO check system in place to keep track of what is said in the way of counsel from elders to publishers. It's so ridiculous it goes without saying !
00DAD- I agree with you. The more I think about it, the madder I get too. I mean think about how many JW lives get screwed up because they follow dickhead counsel from some of these elders ? And like you stated, there is no recourse for the normal rank & file publisher they just have to accept it - even if it's an elders private opinions or personal feelings on a matter. Really weird there is no check system in place. You'd think with all the WT legal paranoia they would cover this issue better fearing lawsuits or something. They just don't care. Typical huge corporate attitude.
FED-UP- What an idiotic quote from Steve Lett ! JW's are REALLY in trouble with 8 guys like him running the WT society ! Good lord. WT leaders just want brain dead, mind controlled drones who will NOT use their critical thinking ability. It's easier to control them that way ! That one quote about it being dangerous for elders to be doctors or psychiatrists. Boy- they got THAT right ! It's dangerous enough for some of these guys to be elders ! Let alone them being doctors or shrinks ! I can't even fathom the damage that would occur
I wonder if the Elders even know they are being abusive. The ones I had in my meeting were hard to read. 2 seemed to agree with everything I said but didn't have the balls to play bad cop about some of my recent letters concerning non-biblical rules. Then one particular Elder is a complete psychopath in my opinion, seriously. I think he was the one pushing the other brothers to call me back in. I had a total of 8 witnesses that proved I had done nothing wrong, still this one Elder insisted on more " information gathering " meetings. Then the others were just ignorant, pick on scripture and take it out of context, whatever the slave says types. I am sure some Elders know they are controlling, but what the heck, we are stars in Jesus' hand! One thing was for sure, I had no rights and there was no reasoning with them. I did record it all, I am just having problems getting it from the source to the computer for editing.
Data-dog: I wonder if the Elders even know they are being abusive.
Interesting question. I'm convinced some do and get off on it. Others are merely tools of WT policies. They might as well not exist apart from being projections of the will of the GB.
Hi Mr Flipper!
I know the false analogy of elder committee - medical treatment has been well addressed, but there is another aspect.
It deliberately reinforces the idea that the brother or sister asked to attend a meeting with elders is sick and in need of help, without ever having to make a case for this. Great way to erode self confidence and build fear!
Retro
...you guys DO see the irony in your discussion here right?...
...i can just picture you all raising your hands and being called on by today's conductor, Flipper...
...you MIGHT just convince me yet that the wt has some potent mind control programmes in place...here are their greatest dissidents reading the newest WT study article, breaking down each paragraph sentence by sentence, adding well prepared secondary comments, not to mention timely references from the vast WT library...
...Flipper, i suggest you recommed looking up a scripture right...about...now...
Please explain in minute detail what the irony is cuz you've lost me.
...i can just picture you all raising your hands and being called on by today's conductor, Flipper...
Really appreciate your making this point, Elephant! Here people can use their critical thinking skills rather than parroting the answer to a set question. What a difference!
Retro
