Are their " wishy, washy" congregations...

by The Rebel 12 Replies latest jw friends

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  The Rebel

  It may be an amazing thought for many but I am sure " wishy, washy" congregations exist. I am referring to congregations where the elders are idle in enforcing the G.Bs guidelines on control.

  i mean let's face it the organisation is an authoritarian regime, that works only if the elders enforce complete obedience to Watchtower policies. Sadly in the congregations I was associated with the elders excelled at enforcing loyalty and obedience.

  However with age, people mellow, elders can become more compassionate, even assume the voice of reason? When this happens Watchtower " hatred" will become repressed in that congregation,

  So in conclusion:-

  A) Has anybody been associated with a congregation where elders haven't stood down, but have seen the error of their ways?

  B) Are their congregations that believe in reason and discussion where members aren't controlled by emotional blackmail?
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  Drearyweather

  Around 4 years back, I belonged to a congregation where the elders were much complacent. Shunning was practiced, but only theoretically. Everyone spoke with them in private.

  A disfellowshipped young guy regularly drove the ex-presiding overseer and his wife (both very old- in their late 80's) to the Kingdom hall and back. Funnily, due to some miscommunication, once he ended up picking up a branch committee member and his wife from the airport who had come for a local convention as a speaker. No one made a fuss about this.

  Another unrelated incident:

  A year later, a Special Pioneer (16 years a SP) was assigned to our congregation. (His photo appeared in one of the JW literature, dont remember which) He managed to put things up and with his influence around a dozen or so started pioneering. A year later, with reasons unknown to me that time, he suddenly stopped coming to meetings altogether and mailed a one liner disassociation letter to the elders. Come what may, he flatly refused to meet the elders and even the CO and the DO. Last I heard, he had joined another weird cultic group he had become fascinated with. This was a jolt to the entire congregation. Till now, he regularly comes to all JW funerals wearing all white which makes him look more weird.
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  joe134cd

  Yup I know of one very wealthy beach side congregation. Where the average hours was in single digits. It was notorious for teenager drunken parties. Hence all the young ones from that area are now gone.
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  UnshackleTheChains

  I was part of a very small Cong in another country. It was quite wishy washy I suppose. The elders were totally normal. Some in the Cong were very eccentric. The ministry was a not forced on you. There wasnt much going on socially and the isolation 're bad association' eventually led to a period of depression. The low point of my life.

  I was young and new to the religion and only finding my feet. I had no idea about the shunning practice/policy that breaks up families. Just thought it was a quaint benign little religious group back then. Like so many, I didn't realise I was allowing myself to be shackled and chained to a powerful controlling publishing corporation 🙄
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  ToesUp

  It's all about who you know and who you are. $$$$ talks as well.
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  The Rebel

  Thanks for the replies.

  UnshackledTheChains:- that was an informative post, sadly " wishy washy" congregations can " shackle and chain" outsiders to a " powerful controlling publishing corporation"

  Actually that's the way most " interested one's" become part of a controlling publishing corporation. The other way is sadly those " men" who see the hate in the organisation, the position of power they can obtain, and they quickly become " company men" ministerial servants quickly promoted to elders. Sheep in wolves clothing.
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  snowbird

  I'm sure there are wishy-washy congregations.

  Syritherous, too.

  Sylvia
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  DesirousOfChange

  I think a Cong reflects the attitude of the Alpha Males elders. If they are hard line Cult members, the Cong will also be dogmatic.

  If they are less rigid and like to live on the fringe and are trying to enjoy life but "keep their foot in the door" just in case Armageddon comes, the rest of the Cong will do the same.
  
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  blondie

  If the elders were so obedient everywhere, I wondered why the COs checked up on them in so many ways. I know they could have the CO in their pocket for 3 years. Nothing is worse in the WTS opinion, than elders who step out of line regarding WTS policies and make the WTS look bad or don't pay the due to the WTS.
  
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  Phizzy

  One C.O who had moved on after his 3 year stint told me that other C.O's had told him they hated coming to "my" Congregation.

  It was full of people who did not take any crap from the JW Org, and nearly all the Elders were the same, two out of the ten or so were Brown Nosers, C.O's were not only not feared, but not actually respected very much.

  The funny thing was this very same Congregation had more Pioneers and more people volunteering for K.Hall building etc than any other in the Circuit. Far from Wish-washy in the sense of not doing the "work".

  It was an easy going, liberal and rule ignoring Congregation which is why I stayed in for so long I guess.