I've seen elders over the years openly flaunt "the rules", butt-kiss (the CO especially), show favoritism and appoint brothers they like and not appoint brothers that should of been appointed for some trivial reason. Many lord their "power" over the friends in blatant violation of scriptures and watchowers that specifically say that they shouldn't lord themselves over the flock. They pretty much do what they want! I have yet to see a congregation not like this. Anybody disagree? Anybody have any stories backing this up?
Elders pretty much do whatever they want!
by toto555 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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lurkernomore
Totally agree!!!
This is what happened to my older brother. He was reaching out to become an MS in our hall. He was meeting all the requirements but on occasion didn't quite make the 10 hr field service quota. Needless to say others with Elders as fathers got made up rather easily, some who i knew didn't reach more than maybe 5 hrs in service.
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prologos
They are very anoyed when specific KM articles or other publications are shown to them that show how they blatantly ignored rules they are supposed to follow.
Many elders consider the Rank & File, the Congregation, their personal Fiefdom. Their kingdom. It is likely the only one they will ever inherit, and they know it.
That is why we see the excesses in power here and now. and
talking of family strings pulling worthies up: in One congregation a 'famous family' elder has been deve,oshipped for the second time after the same cycle before: appoint, disfellowdhip-.-.-.-.-.
it's all in the family.
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ruderedhead
The first congregation I was in had really nice, sincere elders. Although, as you ststed, ones whose fathers/grandfathers were elders were moved up the ladder quickly while some who seemed to be equally/better qualified, had to wait. But in that congregation, there were no jerks.
I heard stories about the second congregation, but they were things from b4 I got there, but those seemed nice enough as well. Although one or two of the wives were a bit full of themselves.
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This is my tigersuit
its absolutely positively true. i saw firsthand how much politics and BS is going on behind closed doors. being an elder for a short while really played a role in my waking up because i saw this happen. that "1o" hrs a month thing is such bull crap too, it used to make me angry when the body would use that number like a magical number. they soooo miss the point of SERVING the cong
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piztjw
Also agree!
In my location the ONLY ones who have been appointed/promoted in the last nearly twenty years are without exception either related to existing elders, or they were studied with brainwashed by an elder.
Some of the current MS don't ever show up for field serve us, are consistenly late to meetings, drug or alcohol abusers, tax cheats, liars, ad nauseum. They, the elders, are all pretty much lazy leaches on the a55 of humanity. IMO.
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Calebs Airplane
That's right. You'll do as we say...
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conflicted89
I always believed that the elders were good and responsible, and followed the "truth". Now I realise that I was blind.
How do you explain away the elder family celebrating the kids birthdays (they sent cards to eachother on the day but apparently held the presents til the following day so as to not break any rules.)
What about the MS in my old hall who celebrated Christmas but didn't hang any festive lights so he could keep it secret. Everyone knew what he was doing but he got away with it.
But if one of the "normal" people so much as sneeze...!
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AmericanCaesar
An elder is the congregation's boss, so like an entreprise, they can do anything they want, and it's ok, because this religion needs only money, not perfection or good behavior to raise and be more rich.
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James Jackson
This is so true. When I changed congregations after my deletion, the brothers put some negative information about me that was never mentioned to me and I called the CO about it and he said;"I have no control what the BOE puts in a letter".
