Secrets of JW Elder Power (page 2)

Amazing

Hi Benext: You are quite correct. NYC, NJ Elders and other northeast areasd often are treated differently and have more access to the Society. When I traveled a lot, I visited many congregations in the east. The Elders were shocked to find out that on the west coast we were discouraged from calling the Society much, and instead instructed to call the CO or do research or write a letter ... whereas I was equally shocked that they felt very free to call Brooklyn anytime of the day ... thanks, good points.

ozziepost

Comprehensive and very true, Amazing.

So which are the most powerful influences? To me it was the "oral tradition" and W/T Letters., both out of reach to the R&F.

I can recall times when the R&F believed that the Society had one view whereas the elders with their "secret instructions" knew otherwise!

You mentioned Loose Conduct. This was a wonderful "catch all" offense that travelling overseers would love to fall back on when local bodies were having difficulty handling a particular matter. Why "Loose Conduct"? Because, despite the misconceptions of the R&F, loose conduct was made to apply to anything that the elders chose it to. The R&F might assume it referred to sexual matters, but not so! It could include any conduct that was deemed disruptive to the harmony and peace and unity of the congregation. It's not surprising that the C.O. could apply it to masturbation for it's possible to apply it to absolutely anything that the elders did not approve. ( Now about that red tie you wear, brother.....!!!!!!!!! )

Cheers, Ozzie

Edited by - ozziepost on 17 September 2002 10:22:46

Amazing

Hi Ozzie: Yep, that red tie ... or that mustache which was the hot issue of the mid 1970s ... facial hair made one a Hippie, not fit for representing Jehovah's sales organization.

ozziepost

or that mustache which was the hot issue of the mid 1970s

LOL @ Amazing! There's one BOE which measures the length of brothers' moustaches!!!! I kid you not.

Amazing

LOL Ozzie: Measuring the length of mustaches!!! Wow, I must have missed that one ... but I am not surprised. By the early 1980s, we could more openly have mustaches ... but beards were still taboo. And the BOE letter you mention would never have been seen or heard of by the average JW ... not even all Elders would have known about it if they were appointed after the letter was issued.

I knew an Elder in the late 1970s who had a thick big mustache ... and the DO told him to shave it off before he gave his part on the District Convention ... he declined by telling the DO that he had an ugly scar from an accident, and the mustache covered it up ... so the DO let him keep the mustache.

What silly people JWs have become ... things like this did partially affect my decision to leave the religion ... it was too legalistic, militaristic, unreasonable and unChristian for my tastes ...

Analysis

I do not know the date of the change, but mustaches were not allowed for white brothers in bethel in the 1970s. But, Elders & Ministerial Servants could have them in the area I lived. I know I had one. So it must have been the area you lived in.

Amazing

Hi Analysis: Yes, beards and mustaches were area specific. I knew of JWs from other nations who had beards ... and it was not considered all that troubling ... and our mustache prohibition was primarily in the north bay area (well, generally the entire bay area) near San Francisco, CA. We had a lot of association with Hippies there, with the Haight & Ashbury district in SF ... so beards and mustaches were out for a long time ... When I was an MS, I tried to grow a mustache but the Elders used the drawings from The Watchtower and Awake! to illustrate that JW men do not have mustaches ... so, I chickened out and shaved it off. It was not until the late 1970s that I finally got away with growing a mustache.

Edited by - Amazing on 17 September 2002 13:18:9

freedom96

Thanks amazing for an excellent post subject. I am tired about hearing why doctrines are wrong. I want to hear the "dirt", I want to know what happened behind closed doors. I think that is much more damning.

worf

This is a good thread Amazing.

benext: I live right in NYC in Queens. I grew up in the borg and was an elder for 7 years from 1992-1999. From what I 've experienced and observed, even here in NYC most elders will not stand up to CO's because they have no backbone even when the CO goes against what is written in letters. mags, Flock book etc.Most of the bodies of elders I know of here in NYC will cower under the CO no matter what he says. But you are right about the service dept. Some do have their cowardly contacts there.

If you are in NYC maybe we could contact each other. Maybe we know some of the same people and maybe we could share stories.

Worf

Amazing

HI Freedom96: I am thinking about reposting my "Justice" Series where I report on about 20 or more different judicial cases, some where I served on the JC and some where I had indepth knowledge, or access to the Congregation files. Also, there are some additional cases I may add. So, stay tuned for some gut wrenching information.

Secrets of JW Elder Power

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