Elders: Born-Ins vs Recruits

by breakfast of champions 20 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  blondie

  Wasn't Morris a recruit...how else could he have been in the military?

  Rutherford wasn't a born in.
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  XBEHERE

  In my cong:

  10 Elders

  5 born in

  5 recruited most while in their 20's- prior to 1995
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  AnnOMaly

  Out of 13 elders at my old Hall, 3 are born/raised, 2 I don't know, and the rest are adult converts.
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  sir82

  In my congregation:

  7 born-ins

  4 recruited in the 70s

  1 recruited in the 90's

  1 recruited in the 00's (really a born in, but left as a teen & came back as an adult)
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  OneEyedJoe

  I don't know for sure about all in my congregation, but any of the elders that are under the age of 60 are born-in. A couple who are 60-80 are recruits but have been in the cult for well over half their lives at this point. Of the non-born ins that I know a little better, all were recruited in their late teens or early 20s.
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  Apognophos

  I don't think we should expect the ratio among elders to deviate from the general ratio among Witnesses. If 66% of Witnesses are born-ins (to make up a number), then 66% of elders should be born-ins. The way the religion works on the mind, a convert can be just as much a captive of the concept as a born-in.
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  OneEyedJoe

  I don't think we should expect the ratio among elders to deviate from the general ratio among Witnesses. If 66% of Witnesses are born-ins (to make up a number), then 66% of elders should be born-ins. The way the religion works on the mind, a convert can be just as much a captive of the concept as a born-in.

  Thinking about it, I actually wouldn't be surprised if converts where more likely to be elders, or atleast become elders early on. Often converts are recruited in a deeply vulnerable state and the cult fills some need in their life. As such, they're likely to "give back" more to it and therefore rise through the ranks pretty quickly. Born-ins on the other hand are more likely to see that being an elder is a thankless job and a huge time-suck. Born-ins are also more likely to be less zealous since the cult doesn't necessarily fill a need in their life, it's just sort of always been there. I've seen one or both of these factors cause born-ins to delay becoming an MS/Elder for many years on several occasions. I know of one that didn't become an elder until his 50s after his kids moved out - he even admitted to me once that he carefully limited his service time in order to avoid appointment. In contrast (anecdotal though it may be) the few male converts that where above the age of 30 that I've known have always risen through the ranks very quickly.
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  Apognophos

  That could be true.
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  westiebilly11

  8 elders when I last went year ago....all born ins..as were all the MS.....closed shop....elders average age about 65...
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  NewYork44M

  In my old congregation, most were recruits. I was born-in but was in the minority. Most elders were recruits. It has been a while so I can't remember the ratio.