It isn't exactly equal here if you all keep attributing some sort of significance to someone's being/have been an elder. That is all part of the wtbts, and I thought you all had left the wtbts behind? Elder or not, what kind of person are you now? What are you in the REAL world, not the WT world?
Just out of curiosity, how many elders (current & ex) do we have here?
by mrquik 186 Replies latest jw friends
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Apognophos
Well, it's not normally brought up, Hortensia. Nobody's being given any extra authority here because they used to be an elder. I had no idea some of these guys were elders until they asked to pipe up. That being said, I think it is significant when an ex-Witness is an ex-elder as well. Elders are supposed to be the spiritually strongest in the congregation, so for this number of them to end up here is meaningful. I think there was a consensus earlier that many of them ended up leaving the religion because they were an elder, and saw too much of the inner workings of the org. So there's definitely food for thought here -- especially for any active Witness that might be lurking and reading this.
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Virgochik
I'm finding their stories very powerful evidence that nothing has changed since I grew up an elder's daughter. There was so much backstabbing, politics and jostling for power. We had about a twenty minute ride home from the hall and I heard all the dirt my father related to my mother as he drove. Every few years he'd change congregations because he couldn't work with the BOE. There were always divisions, with competing elders drawing their own cliques. At one point I became seriously ill from the stress placed on an elder's child to be an example, and from all the backstabbing and changing halls.
My mother's an elderly widow now. She sincerely believes it's the truth and tries to encourage me to get involved again, even though my health suffered badly when I was growing up. The elders are just responding to an invitation to post; I don't see any of them acting like they're superior over the rest of us. Many have struggled with posting thir stories and it hasn't been an easy decision for them. It seems like they decided go ahead because the information they can share will be helpful to others. It means so much to me, knowing that I wasn't imagining the unloving, competitive drive of those men of my childhood years, and knowing that things haven't changed firms my belief that I don't want to get entangled again with this religion. By their fruits we will know them, and they are not Jesus' disciples.
My heart felt thanks to current and former elders and MS. I feel your pain thru what my father went through with the org, especially some nasty CO's and you can feel very alone if you're an outcast from the good old boys.
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Londo111
Didn’t know this was being tallied, but for what it’s worth, I was a MS twice in my life. I detested “taking the lead”, especially those much older than me.
Being the son and grandson of elders, my experience is very much like Virgochik's first paragraph. I always thought the problem was local until I started wakening.
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Separation of Powers
Yep, elder for almost 20 years.
Helped many. When needed, received no help in return. THAT was a defining moment for me.
SOP
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bigmac
i was nearly an elder--when the whole shebang started. i had decided to quit the religion--in 1971. i was a servant at the time--aged 23.
i went to the congregation servant---as it was called back then---and told him i wanted to quit--and the reasons.
he was surprised--but thanked me for coming forward--as he was about to put my name forward as an elder !!
so much for being appointed by holy spirit------does anyone seriously believe that bullshit--?
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bigmac
incidentally----in my fathers congregation--in birmingham, UK--when it all started----there was a wholesale dispute over who got "made up"--several servants ended up d/f'd over it.
the only one who stayed out of the rows was my father---who was most reluctant to be one. the cong servant from a neighbouring congregation was "parachuted in" to run the show. i laughed my socks off when i heard about it.
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millie210
I find great comfort in seeing elders, former elders, ministerial sevants, bethelites, (ALL of them) post.
I am the wife of a former elder, daughter of elder, sister of elder, mother of elder etc etc.
Trying to accept all the years I have wasted is hard. Trying to help family members in various states of awareness (and non awareness) is hard.
Hearing from these honest men makes them look very courageous to me.
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Saltheart Foamfollower
As an elder, I don't feel remotely equal to most of the posters here - I reckon I only get by because of the wisdom from many of their posts. I aspire to be equal to them - especially ones like Blondie whose posts I have valued over the years when I was just lurking.
The (not so) pure one
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bigmac
all these active elders on this site---just further convinces me the very idea of "holy spirit" is--of course--total nonsense.
just unpaid middle managers in a pyramid sales organisation.