That is great if those who do that, do it without flaunting how damn easy their life is in the borg. Those who don't flaunt how funny it is that they get to celebrate holidays and do other no-no's that the r & f would be 'removed' or marked for. Can he give me and my family back all the holidays and special occasions with our family over the years or even now? no. Can my jw do as he appears to be able to do because he holds authority of being an elder? no, mine would be flogged and become the congregational leper as would any low level r & f member.
If he has sat on a judicial meeting or whatever they want to call it now and let a known, admitted pedophile back into the cong and society at large knocking on my door and that said pedophile in fact molests/rapes another child then, yes, he is partially responsible and should be held accountable for allowing a pedophile to continue. Especially if he warned parents of the child not to go to the authorities because it will give a jah a bad name as was jw custom for many, many years.
The elders that had a few 'ideas' for my husband.... I hold them fully accountable for their damn ungodly stupid ideas.
You may not understand that when people like jw's or other cults manage to pull someone into their cult it does not only affect that one person. There are many involved, like spouses, children, in-laws, parents, siblings, employment and the list goes on. Not to mention the future and lost opportunities because some elder thought something might be 'bad' idea or a 'good' christian wouldn't do such a thing.
But Elderberry? he apparently can live the 'double life' my jw has talked about and despises. Even he can see the hypocrisy and find it distasteful. But being the 'good' loyal jw he is, he would never believe an elder capable of such a thing. After all, they are appointed by God Himself right? (or the Holy Spirit?) you get the point.
Is my opinion cruel? bitter? perhaps. Do the suicides, rapes, domestic abuses, disfellowshiping/removal and general abuses by jw's ever keep you up at night? they do me.
If the o.p is saying jwlight is ok now then make it ok and say so publically. Please send out the memo so even the older loyal diehards get the new 'light'. Make all our lives as nonchalant and easy breezy like his.
And if you still think I am just being harsh I suggest you read some of the suicide threads and what led up to them due to being a jw or trying to leave. Then come and have a discussion about elders who live double lives while their so called sheep and their families suffer the consequences of them being involved in this insidious cult.
What would happen if all the elders/ms stepped down at one time?