Same thing happened to me being announced as an MS too - bundled into the back of a car a few mins before the meeting started, with no idea why they were asking me questions.
stupid statement in watchtower about appointments of elders
by hoser 31 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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pronomono
Like JWFacts, I was too embarrassed to turn it down too. I just had gotten through looking at dial-up soft porn - Kitana Baker was so fine! Just after disconnecting, my PO called and asked if there was any reason I couldn't be appointed.
"Ummmm, no?"
"Okay, great. We're going to announce you this coming Tuesday night.
At my last hall, they pulled me in right before the meeting started and asked me. Same thing. No porn this time, but my wife and I had gotten to know each other very well before we were married. I was too embarrassed to tell them that.
And this was about the time that I realized that we weren't appointed by holy spirit. Before that, I rationalized that Jehovah saw my heart and knew that my heart was in the right place despite my shortcomings. I figured that he was appointing me to give me the support I needed to hold an upright course. But the more the GB talked about how a MS was appointed and the qualifications found in the scriptures, I realized I didn't live up to any of that, but with their blinders, they thought I did. They just needed another body to fill a job and looked past all the obvious evidence that I wasn't where the GB said I needed to be spiritually.
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jgnat
Elders in a traditional native community become so by community consensus. The position can't be applied for, and nobody appoints.
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snakeface
I remember, it was common practice for the elders to meet together and "recommend" a brother for appointment, without that brother's knowledge. The elders would have the circuit overseer sign the letter, which would be sent to the society. Then the society would send a letter back saying that they have appointed the particualr brother. After that, an elder would apporach the brother to say he has been appointed, is it OK for them to announce it at this meeting or is there any reason he cannot serve.
That's how it worked in my own case too, except that I knew that the elders and circuit overseer had sent in the letter; they had told me so.
Therefore, a few weeks after the circuit overseer visit when one elder approached me this way, saying that I had been appointed and asking if there was any reason I would be unable or unqualified to serve. (Of course I said No.) I took it to mean, "Are there any disqualifying factors that may have been overlooked," or, "Has anything in your life changed since we drafted the letter to the society that would disqualify you?"
However, if something had been overlooked, or changed, would the holy spirit notice anyway? Duh!
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NeonMadman
I was appointed twice as a MS, in two different congregations. In both cases, I found out about it when they read the announcement of appointment. Nobody asked me beforehand if I was qualified, or even if I wanted the position.
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Apognophos
Wow, I never knew the appointments were done so brusquely. That's not cool. I would have straight-up freaked out if they did that to me. Fortunately I wasn't good MS material with my crappy hours.
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bats in the belfry
As was always suspected, Holy Spirit got nothing to do with appointments.
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9. Deletions during a regular visit to a congregation:
Recommendations for deletion because of poor judgment not of a judicial nature are usually best considered with the elders during the visit of the circuit overseer.
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BOE 2014-07-13 - Appointment and deletion of elders and ministerial servants
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NeonMadman
As was always suspected, Holy Spirit got nothing to do with appointments.
9. Deletions during a regular visit to a congregation:
Recommendations for deletion because of poor judgment not of a judicial nature are usually best considered with the elders during the visit of the circuit overseer.
I think this is referring to poor judgment on the part of the one being deleted, not poor judgment in his being appointed.
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bats in the belfry
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Who knows of the shortest time between appointment and deletion of an elder?
In my memory of ample happenings I recall in one case a 16 day period in between those two events.