How many MS & ex-MS are here or lurking?

Dismembered

How many MS or ex-MS are here?

Dismembered <--------- 14 years (could not keep mouth shut so no advancement made)

Dismembered

Edited by - Dismembered on 7 October 2002 10:4:0

Max Divergent

Yeah - for about 4 years in two congos. Getting appointed had been my main preoccupation for years before. Fancy needing somthing like that to boost your esteem!

Saw enough in that time to decide that if CO/DO's were representative of the Society, then the Society stank; and if Elders were God's Gifts in Men, then God was both rotten at selecting gifts and a poor judge of men's character.

I'm no hypocrite and couldn't teach what I belived to be false to people I had regard for and I think had regard for me. I stepped-down using health as an excuse, went to the meeting where it was announced and felt good about it. Went on a planned vacation for a month and never returned. I was 3rd Gen JW.

I feel sad now that I left without a word to people I'd known since being small, but I concluded that they set the rules of their own association and I'd respect that while at the same time avoid runing the gauntlett of DF/DA myself. Makes me feel like a selfish prick. It was a self-defence at the time.

That was 4 years ago in December.

Cheers, Max

NotBlind

Count me in...

It's pretty awful being in an organization where it's considered a "privilege" to take out the trash, mow the lawn, carry around a microphone on a stick, or play a tape of pre-recorded piano music. For someone who has a college degree, being a MS can be pretty mind-numbing.

And if you're not good enough at brown-nosing, MS is where you'll be for life. Where I live, (KY/TN area) most of the elders are related to each other. So it was pretty obvious who would get appointed when the CO came around.

For me, the worst part of being a MS was being just good enough to do all the work in the congregation, but not good enough to socialize with anybody...

TR

MS at the Hillyard cong in Spokane, Wa. for a couple years. Being groomed for eldership, and actually gave a Sunday public talk as an MS! Assistant book study conductor, accounts servant, mics, music, various and sundry last minute fill-in talks, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc. Burned out and bailed out.

TR

Intuit39

Yup...4 years of biting my tongue as incompetent janitors and pin-stripers made foolish mistakes and f**ked up other people's lives.

I never did develop the taste for butt-kissing!

In one small Kentucky congregation, there was a bumbling dolt, a confessed masturbator that loved to shake hands (yecch!), a child molestor, a drunken misogynist, and an adulterer all on the same elder body...nobody respected any one else!

In a larger city congregation, there were lying slumlords and all kind of sleazy businessmen, but, Hey, they were all loyal 'theocrats' so whatever....

If the average Witness got a good look at the ridiculous politics that goes on behind the scenes, they would have to question their allegiance to the Watchtower idol.

rwagoner

They were in the process of appointing me when I finally stopped leading a double life and made it known that I didn't believe. Close but no cigar...

Matty

Current Jdub, not a MS at the moment but was in previous congregation.

undercover

I was an MS on two different occasions. Both times I was removed. First time, my time was slipping, I wasn't "into" my duties as much. No counsel, or comfort. No upbuilding talks from the PO. No one asked if I had problems. Just, "we've deciced to remove you." Second time was by the CO. I wasn't residing over my household in a fine manner. A member of my family was privately reproved, but the elders let me remain a MS. When the CO made his visit, reviewed the situation, he had me removed instantly. Because our family study was irregular, that contributed to my family members wrong conduct, thus it was partly my fault, even after the elders said I was not to blame. Go figure.

One thing happened in an elders/MS meeting during one of the CO's visit that has stuck with me. This was before I had doubts or questions. This may be one of the early indications or revelations as to my starting to doubt: He was reading from his prepared outline from the Society and had us read something from the Organization book. The scripture he used and the quote from the Org book was taken completely out of context. What the book was talking about had nothing to do with what the subject of the outline was. It was very obvious to several of us, for after the MSs were excused we discussed it in the parking lot. This and the general way in which the CO treated some of the elders and MSs was so rude. In front of the congregation he was this sweet, nice guy. Tried to be anyway. I thought him to be condescending and fake. But in the elders/MS meetings, he was a real jerk. But I have to thank him. He helped me to open my eyes to the hypocrisy.

jst2laws

Hello Dismembered,

Here is what I had from my post. You are getting quite a reponse here.

Zev 10 yrt	[email protected]
morrisamb 7yr	[email protected]
Qwerty	[email protected]
Disengaged	[email protected]

Jst2laws

Dismembered

Hey All

Thanks for the replies so far! Sounds like we all had different degrees of the same BS.

you too jst2laws

Edited by - Dismembered on 7 October 2002 16:16:14

How many MS & ex-MS are here or lurking?

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