why dont more elders leave? (page 2)

jam

My baby brother (elder). Me and my other two brothers (non JW) have

travel the world. They (older brothers) served in the Navy, me in

the Army.. Baby brother, never been to a foreign country. Me and

my older brothers have worked in different jobs over the years, we were

athletes in high school, baby brother couldn't make the team in high school.

Baby brother first job, box boy in a supermarket, he retired form

the supermarket as a cashier. Don't get me wrong, he was a A student.

The WT got to him at an early age, he made his mark there. The power,

prestige and etc. He is no longer "what's the younger brother name".

He will never leave, he made a name for himself in Jehovah's world.

Bye bye birdie

When you become an elder I imagine you become very invested in the "cause"

There could be a number of reasons, I was an elder for about 10 years. I felt I wasn't doing it right as I had doubts, thus the guilt trip. Then other times I was doing so much I had little time to think for myself. I would agree that for many its a power trip also, but there are some who genuinely believe they are there to serve and either are too busy or squash out the doubts until they can't do it anymore.

bafh

Many people have pointed to the reason I think people stay - status. When you are discouraged from being educated, or pursuing your talent, or being ambitious - then the only way for a man to gain status that is normally obtained in those other ways is to gain a title: MS, Elder, CO, DO, Bethlite, Bethel Elder, etc....even aux pioneer, pioneer, special pioneer, missionary - all status titles. And of course, women have no status in the organization apart from men, so if a husband gains a status, the wife will benefit and want that position as well.

I think that if people were able to meet those needs for ego fulfillment in ordinary ways, we would see less abuse of the flock because then the MS, Elders, etc. would be men drawn out of a want to serve, and not to fill a personal need.

jam

For me I wanted to make it to the top (elder) as soon as possible,

I wanted to know what was going on. Made it in three years and

begain my doubts, didn't care for the idea that friends (RF) govern

their lives around what I told them. Should I allow my baby daughter(2 mos)

to receive blood, that did it for me..The child died...

stuckinarut2

Great reasoning bafh!

Ocean1111

I think a certain percentage of the whole congregational strata has left internally. Some feel, in my opinion, hanging out is ok out of curiosity. Other feel they know it is more than even JW critics are revealing the parts of, the whole operation at Bethel is greater than the sum of it's parts, and some may feel they can aid JWs internally when Bethel hits the fan.

Some are in early stages of awareness, and so are in a personal cross roads. In reality the org can easily be in a 5% declination in growth merely covered up by growth in other sectors, and the bare minimum 1-2% growth stat cover up. The org may also be below 7 million, because there is a cushion available to run a deception, beg for more money, while liquidating billions in global assets right under JW noses, for the true growth rate does not require the 1970 resources, the contraction is manageable, it is in the final massive milking stage to pillage the org. They even have JWs with no HQ now.

So we are seeing the "writing on the wall" and since it is not rocket science many in the org must be seeing it as well, but due to mental isolationism, quarantine and Bethel's mythologies a large percentage of JWs are still in the perpetual 1980 JW mental la-la land. That has to be by design as well, as the Web tsunami of Bethel scandals is the straw that is piled on the pin of what is actually going on: The Classic Apostasy of Bethel, and it's final coup and multi-billion dollar organized pillage, the "harvest" of the real Bethel operation in action, the sum of all the corruption and racketeering.

The more people look into it, the harder it will be to stay, so a time lag is in effect in my opinion, and no one has access to the true Bethel statistics as lying and "smooth words" is their art form and science. Only Bethel lawless kingpins know the true accurate information of Bethel's true state. The magnitude of the lie allows it to be hidden in plain sight and be "unbelievable" as to what it basically really is to many JWs.

villagegirl

What would they do with all those suits and ties ?

They would be all dressed up with no place to go.

Manual laborers don't wear suits and ties.

And where else would they be able to act like big shots?

They get to stand up on stage and admonish a crowd of

people, they get to tell others what to do with their

personal lives. Its an old boys club and the nepotism

is so thick you can gag on it.

nugget

To become an elder you have to be fairly conditioned in the first place. The requirements that you are regular at meetings and taking the lead in field service over a number of years mean that by the time you get it you are so focused on the requirements and the task that you don't raise your head to look at the bigger picture.

The society is also very good at reinforcing the idea that deletion is shameful and humiliating even if you step down for good reasons there is a slightly sordid feel that you have done something wrong.

Some people who realise TTATT feel that they can make a difference and be a mitigating force for good. This is often misguided but a common misconception.

Whatever the reasons everyone makes their own personal journey.

jwfacts

Their cognitive dissonance is some of the strongest. Many elders relish the power and realise they would be nothing if they left the religion.

why dont more elders leave?

jam