by Farmer Jim1 27 Replies latest jw friends
There were a group of Elders who were notorious drinkers one crashed his car while drunk.
We went to a restaurant on night and saw an Elder drunk as,
he was going to the toilet by felling his way down the wall till he got to the door that he fell through.
Karter.
I do but can't remember
"no--this was about 7 years before the elders idea was copied from the mormons."
That's interesting. I knew that the elders' "arrangement" was new in the early seventies. Was it really pinched from the Mormons?
That's interesting. I knew that the elders' "arrangement" was new in the early seventies. Was it really pinched from the Mormons?
Ive honestly no idea--but the Mormons used the term before.
I cant think of a worse idea than young men being called elders.
I always saw these fresh faced youths with their "Elder So and So" badge on, and I'd think "You're not an elder, you're a youngster!" 🙄
At a time when I was a pretty conflicted elder I went out with work-mates for a lunch time drink with work mates. Ahem, it happened to be late December at the time. That evening there was am elder's refresher/school type meeting as was common at that time. I turned up reeking of mints and alcohol trying to blend in. I could hardly speak at the "bun fight" half way through.
The conductor, a senior CO then asked me to read a long scripture. I could hardly see it let alone read properly. I sat and slurred my way through it. I've no idea how I got away with that one.
What a hypocrite I was, I put it down to cognitive dissonance.
I cant think of a worse idea than young men being called elders.
I always saw these fresh faced youths with their "Elder So and So" badge on, and I'd think "You're not an elder, you're a youngster!"
I agree. It doesn't matter how 'mature' you may be as a person, if you're under 30 you don't have the life experience and miles on the clock to be considered an 'elder' who ought be 'counselling' husbands and wives, parents, retired or elderly ones, etc.
Out of curiosity, how quickly could someone who is new in the faith become a JW elder? The Bible says not to quickly elevate a new person in the faith into leadership. Could a talented, enthusiastic newbie be fast tracked?
And of course there is Simony: can a person who is generous with his wealth in all the right ways simply buy his way into an eldership? WT actually did an article on Simony, saying that "real Christians don't", which meant that exactly that was happening in some congregations. Does it still happen?
