A Point About Traitors To Consider

by metatron 3 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  metatron

  It's interesting to consider the problems the Society has had
  with outright traitors over the years. The latest Awake brought
  this to my recollection, page 30 (May22) has a "From Our
  Readers" letter that refers to "Two 'elders'[who] gave details of our
  work to the secret police". I recall that when persecution broke
  out in Liberia over the flag salute, many years ago, appointed
  congregation servants avoided the rifle butts by openly compromising.
  Also, if you check the Gestapo records over at the watchtower
  observer, you can see some pretty sick business that explains in
  part why so many Witnesses were caught and sent to concentration
  camps - the leadership turned them in!(a lot of German brothers
  disliked each other, I gather)

  If you think this is unbelieveable, consider this: I have known
  many elders over the years, often in neighboring congregations,
  who quietly hate each other. The jealousy and resentment used
  to shock me, when it boiled over on occasion. (I was naive for
  a long time!). Anyway, it seems VERY CREDIBLE TO ME, that many of them
  would eagerly betray each other or the congregation to benefit
  themselves, as long as it was reasonably secret.

  Heck, who do you think they betray by covering up abused kids?

  metatron
• 

  joelbear

  When our congregation in south Georgia integrated in 1972 there was an incredible amount of strife. White elders and black elders refusing to meet with each other. Lots of whispering among "the friends". I saw the bigotry of my own parents during this time and it wasn't pretty.

  My best friend at the time was a white brother who started dating a black sister, whooey.

  Doesn't surprise me that other countries and places have "brothers" who don't like each other.

  hugs

  Joel
• 

  nojw86

  Check this out, when hubby and I started studying, it was with one of the anointed. He explained that many bros. in the cong. did have views on the bible as he did, so things were strained with him within the cong. with the elders. He was not used as much in the cong. as he should have been. Yes sometimes you see and feel the hate, and yes it was shocking to see that take place there. nojw
• 

  Had Enough

  It's amazing to me now to remember the things that went on in different congregations I associated in.

  All I ever wanted to acknowledge was the standards the org. was supposed to have. All I wanted to see was the love, the no racial prejudice, the total unity worldwide that was supposed to identify us. I pushed to the back of my memory, the pettiness, the cliques, the times when some would actually get up and go to the washroom when a certain elder would be on the platform, the favouratism for certain young ones over others for association, privileges etc.

  I too remember the jealously among elders or that some elders felt for a particularly charismatic C.O.

  Many times I would think: What if we were being persecuted right now? Would these ones who don't like each other be faithful and actually give their lives for each other? But then I would whitewash everything over and keep telling myself ... "we're in the only right religion. Of course we'll have the same experiences of the concentration camp loyalty we're always told about. We're privileged, we're blessed."

  What a crock! I feel so duped! The only thing that keeps my anger at bay is the memories I have of a few true, blue, totally honest ones I knew.

  Had Enough