How many times were you told, "You Just Don't Qualify Yet to be an Elder"

by John Aquila 30 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  John Aquila

  You think it's the Holy Spirit that appoints the Elders, at least that's what new JW males are told.

  The culture within the organization dictates to all young male Jehovah's Witnesses that unless you are an elder, you will not get the sultry, passionate- brunette, the voluptuous, curvaceous,- blond, or the seductive, erotic, red headed-vamp.

  So unaware of the social forces that are shaping your mind, you succumb to the dictum issued by the Governing Body to conform to the structure already in place- if you want to be successful. To do otherwise is a sure way to be labeled by all members in your hall, as a spiritual weak person barely hanging on the threads of "Mother's theocratic skirts.

  So you start the vicious cycle of reaching out but not qualifying, then reaching out again and not qualifying again.

  It never seems to be enough!

  How many times were you told, "You Just Don't Qualify Yet"
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  ToesUp

  John. I never even made it to M.S. Status. I was told numerous times I needed to get more F.S. Hours. I was 6 - 8 hrs per month, they said I needed at least the national avg. Shorty after that meeting, due my work. I could only make 3 - 5 hrs per month. I was no longer good enough to even handle a mic!
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  DATA-DOG

  I was told that I need to molest children to qualify.

  ( Edit ) The constant cycle of never being good enough, coupled with the guilt inducing WTBTS propaganda, made me want to kill myself. When I finally noticed the effect this cycle was having on good people, I spoke up about the legalism of "visible service."

  3-4 meeting later and I no longer qualified for anything, although I can clean bathrooms and give money.

  DD
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  Witness My Fury

  I was led this not so merry dance for several years, then they wondered why i stopped trying altogether and coudnt give a fuck about it. Well, duh... i wonder why that might have been?

  I had the "chat" with an elder plenty of times and it was always just out of reach and try again in 6 months (CO visit).. talk about discouraging, especially when ungifted but married to elders daughter ass kissers got made up at top speed. I wasnt ever enough of a yes man I guess.

  Background: I was an accidental MS at 23 (because i'd dobbed the double lifers in with the elders icn the POs golden boy son who i thought was my best friend and found i didnt really now him at all) and immediately regretted it and was nearly taken off a few times as i made little effort at the time, then about 27 I got my finger out and made lots of effort and actually believed it all and it showed, 29 i took the watchtower when the elders at the school and was about 6 months away from being an elder (i was told this) then i moved away to work and quite fancied a break so didnt get made an MS in the new cong, then about a year later i moved back to my old cong age 30 and wanted very much to take up where i left off and to be an MS asap and then quickly an elder, ..or so i thought. Absolutely no fricken way was it going to happen. The PO had it in for me (because all those years before his son got his wrist slapped because of me) despite a warm welcome back from him and blocked me at every turn, year in and year out. Then when he pissed off to Ireland the new PO took a similar view and basically if you werent related to him then you had many many extra hoops to jump thru. So off and on about 8 years of mind games and disappointment. I quit at 40.

  i wasnt alone in this kind of game, it was mostly about power. obviously any change in the body or the MS pool had consequences for that power that the holy trinity (PO / SO / Sec) wielded. they guarded that power with extreme and petty jealousy.

  Glad about it now though. maybe if they hadnt pissed me off so much my head wouldnt have been even open to testing my religion.
  
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  tiki

  hahhaahha - good one Data Dog!

  actually - lacking the proper male instrument this was never an issue for me......but I think it is pretty clear that it is basically dependent on the family into which you were born.............
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  OrphanCrow

  Witnessmyfury: I wasnt ever enough of a yes man I guess.

  Nah. You probably just didn't give enough money.

  I don't think that elder appointments are made on the basis of 'spiritual' merit. They are done on the basis of financial merit.

  It has been many, many years since I stepped foot in a Kingdom Hall, but from what I remember, the men who were in the top positions in the congregations from the area I grew up in, were always the men who were the most financially successful. The ones with the most money had the most power. And those who were connected to that money (like being married to the elder's daughter) were the ones who advanced the fastest.
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  _Morpheus

  A lot. The COBE (PO at the time) wasnt my biggest fan. All political...
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  John Aquila

  ToesUp

  John. I never even made it to M.S. Status. I was told numerous times I needed to get more F.S. Hours. I was 6 - 8 hrs per month, they said I needed at least the national avg. Shorty after that meeting, due my work. I could only make 3 - 5 hrs per month. I was no longer good enough to even handle a mic!

  
  

  Those scum-suckers!!!
  
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  hoser

  I was an ms years ago. I stepped down because basically the PO was bullying me. I didn't recognize it at the time though.

  Ive been asked twice since then to be an ms but turned them down both times.

  Now I really don't attend that regularly and don't do much field service so they don't ask anymore.
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  ToesUp

  John, I got to the point were I figured. If they do not want me to help, handling mics, sound, M.S., etc... Then they could do ALL the work themselves! This included cleaning the toilets! Oh, my field service time was always good enough to clean the bathrooms. I am very glad I was never made a servant. It made our fade much easier to do.