What Was Your Body of Elders Like? (page 2)

OneEyedJoe

The elder who is timid and can't say no is usually the secretary. If there is a pioneer elder he is the service overseer. The bully/ahole is usually the COBE.

You're 3/3 in describing my BOE.

In our old congregation (Gloucestershire UK) we had a sly tax inspector as a PO, a wet door mat as secretary and a few other oldies who would potter around and mostly speak nonsense in the name of 'theocratic' service.

My goodness, they were a crooked and twisted bunch.

I'm just thankful that my children won't be influenced by them at all because in the end...

I won 😜

millie210

I'm just thankful that my children won't be influenced by them at all because in the end...

I won 😜

Good for you erbie. That is my goal also.

gda

1 former policeman

1 spy that lives behind us and still spy's

1 who is a buddy w the spy always trying to catch trouble in the act

1 who sinks behind his steering wheel when he see's me driving down the street

and 1 sweetie pie I've known since I was a child from 50 plus years ago with a touch of dementia creeping on

1 who's wife is rarely seen at the meetings

about 70 in this rural cong. .....So glad I'm gone

erbie

You'll get there Millie.

Their whole belief system is structured around lies and deception and it can never sustain itself. The Internet is rapidly uncovering their once hidden past and that is good news for all of us.

One brick at a time and don't get disheartened.

leaving_quietly

I'll say what the BOE in my cong IS like. I may very well be in a cong that's an anomaly. The BOE is one of the kindest I've ever known. Not quick to DF. COBE is older, a very gentle man, whom everyone loves. Service Overseer is a pioneer, but this man lives his chosen profession. In service all the time. Lots of studies who actually come to the KH. Probably one of the only ones who generates studies like that. A nice person, in general, and someone who I like calling a friend. Secretary is a scatter-brained fellow who is always smiling. He looks out for everyone in the congregation and folks generally like him. He can be a bit abrasive at times because he doesn't realize when he's gone too far in joking. School Overseer is a kind person that the publishers generally like. We have one ex-bethelite elder who is pretty low-key. Doesn't want to do too much given his family responsibilities. In all, none of them have any hidden agenda. I served with these guys for a few years, and none of them want more power than any one else. I served with these elders, and that's one thing I liked... no one was out for power. They really just wanted to look after the congregation.

So, from a kindness and genuineness perspective, these guys really are model elders. I think, as close as possible to what elders should be. I served with a really bad elder body years ago. So, I've seen both kinds. I'll take the current BOE any day.

Apognophos

The congregation I grew up in had a well-liked elder body. They seemed like upright guys. The congregation was squeaky-clean, so it's hard for me to know if they were strict or not, because very little ever happened that warranted a JC. It's probably a large part of why it took so long for me to start seeing the cracks in the foundation of the religion, because the congregation was so pleasant. The BOE was also maybe 50% Bethelites, so everything was kept in shipshape and the brothers had a perfect orthodox understanding of all the doctrines.

Then I moved somewhere further from the headquarters, and that BOE seemed like it was 50% good old boys who didn't have much of a clue what they were doing. Any whispering among publishers to the effect that they were not doing their job properly was met with self-righteous rebukes from the elders, and at least one marking talk.

Pattytheperfectone

I don't know about the whole body of elders but one in particular always rubbed me the wrong way and I can't stand to even look at him on the rare occassion my grandma gets me to join her at 'not a church' when I visit from out of town. At the age of 21 after my 15 yr old sister sister felt obligated to clear her concious before baptism and tell the elders what my father had done to me I get a phone call from two elders asking if it was true. I had left the religion and cut off contact with my family at 19 and so the phone call was a shock but the even bigger shock was his response when I told him it was true...'well that explains you' was what he had the audacity to say to me. Wonderful person to be leading, counseling and encouraging a congregation huh? another example of his either stupidity or naivety is this...my sister left the religion at 18 and returned at 23 after having a mixed race child (my nephew is the most adorable little boy ever!). My sister also has multiple tattoos, one being a panther on the top of her foot. One of the questions this moron asked her when she returned to 'not a church' was if she got that tattoo when she joined the black panthers. i laughed my butt off when she told me they asked her that and laughed even harder when I realized it was my favorite insensitive elder.

Godsendconspirator

We had one elder that was never with a smile. He always talked positive. Not a doofus in the slightest. the smile kinda gave you the creeps after a while. I never seen him frowned.

One that was very slender and tall. Pale skin, generic haircut, glasses, no facial expressions. He was smart guy but was bland as wood. There was nothing interesting to talk to him about. Which is ironic because his wife is so full of character.

One brother that was very family oriented. All his kids in the truth. He helped the pioneers everyday. Not much to say. Just a standard elder. Pretty cool.

One brother that talked in the lowest tone you can think of for a person. He was a nice guy.

And another elder that might have been jehovah himself from how everyone treated him. Don't get me wrong, he was a great guy by all means. But since he led the body of elders everybodys been bowing before, sometimes intimidated. He knew a lot and had a way with words and metaphors and was a good guy. I hate him for constantly showing up at my door, once with the CO.

scotoma

All body No mind.

What Was Your Body of Elders Like?

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