Going after publishers for the way they dressed in service and persecuting some families because their teenage daughter's dress was a little too short.
Too many to mention.
Former Elders? What did you not like about serving as an elder?
by JakeM2012 22 Replies latest jw friends
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DesirousOfChange
The politics.
Doc
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Giordano
Since I was active in the early 1960's we did not have Elders at that time. I was pioneering where the need was great and was appointed the assistant presiding minister, the KM school servant and Bible study servant (until we found someone else to serve as bible study servant) I guess I would have been an Elder though I was 20 at the time .
We never met in meetings...casual asides was it and in all honesty there wasn't anything to discuss.
We met in a store front and if we had 20 to 25 people attending that was pretty good.
The Winter's in NW Pa were brutal and since we only had a gas heater we often had our coats on until you had to give a talk or conduct something..
In that day we were called 'Servants" not Overseer's. And I think that speaks more to the mind set then anything else.
I attended one JC a study of mine a young man who was still a boy in most things. He got baptized and then a month later joined the Army. We met and DA him because that’s how the WT handled Military issues.
With only one or two persons in power positions it all came down to personalities.
I was out by the time people were appointed Elders but thought it would be a good idea (getting away from having one presiding minister who could be a train wreck). Didn’t think about it at all until I landed on this site. Now I think the old servant way was a better arrangement however nothing the WTBTS does is ever Human Resource friendly. Plus the quality of todays witness seems less then ideal but then again the belief construct is also less then ideal.
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no lies please
Serving on those sanctimonious and self-righteous judicial committees! Hated it.
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RayPublisher
Late night meetings...one after another for a good while since there was only three of us elders on the body and well over 100 publishers. (I was in on easily 200 JCs in my estimate)
Having to learn the sordid details of these publisher's private lives and then counsel them, and sometimes DF them...it killed me, especially at first and although I never said a word about any of those cases to my wife and she never asked, I would sometimes get home at midnight, completely wrung out emotionally, and just cry on her shoulder after slipping into bed. I HATED that.
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mrquik
Having to put up with the assertive elders by playing politics. As a kid, we met at one elder's house for the "Babylon the Great" book study. ( Remember that gem?) He heated with wood. The house was at least 90 degrees at every study. He had a Volkswagon sedan we took out in service in the winter. Froze my ass right off. God, how I miss field service, meetings, committees, assemblies, the arrogance, the deceit, the fear.....
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XBEHERE
I haaated when the PO/CoBE Secretary and SO would met and make decisions and then tell the rest of the "body" they went ahead and made the decision.
I hated when people would talk about an issue before coming to the meeting and form an aliance to get there view across
This must be an issue on every single body of elders. lol
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Dagney
Reading this shows why guys are here at this place. You have heart, courage, empathy, and love for justice and what is right. We are glad you all made it out and made it here.
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snare&racket
Sounds so human, so worldly and so unjust and for no reason at all, so secretive. It is a side I never saw and can't understand the mindset of those that do. Bethel gave me one huge signpost and it read "This is ALL very human and it stinks." These descriptions sound similar.
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Kool Jo
My dad is an elder and dislikes the following:
- Expected to cover costs where there was a shortfall in donations because he's not a window-washer
- Expected to do carry home folks after meeting and FS because he could afford it "more" than the other brothers who had vehicles
- He wasn't happy with some of the petty stuff that was discussed at the elders meeting
- Expected to the the longest parts on the service meeting
I was so glad when I sent my dad outside the country for a couple months break, so he could just relax!
Peace
Kool Jo