I’ve heard a number of horror stories regarding elders. I have a lot of stories about elders, some funny, some not so.
Were all your experiences with elders bad?
Did you like any?
Did The Elders Bother You or Did You Get Along With Them OK?
by minimus 13 Replies latest jw friends
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wolverines
I had different ones who were the more aggressive ones come after me for not doing what I was supposed to do. Not going to as many meetings and service. I had a few hobbies some did not like. I asked a lot of questions and that made some mad. Then when I asked a few too many questions as the internet came out and shined a light on them they really came after me for being an apostate. I would never talk to more than one elder at a time. That way they could not use the two witness rule. That really peed them off. Just before I moved they were coming round in two's every six months or so. I would say things like I heard someone say this or that about the witnesses. I never said I think this or that. That way it was me just hearing things. They knew what I was doing and one of the last visits they came out and said you know why we are here why don't you just ask us to disfellowship you. I just laughed and said that is your job not mine.
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minimus
I like it. Elder teasing
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Diogenesister
They knew what I was doing and one of the last visits they came out and said you know why we are here why don't you just ask us to disfellowship you.
Hang on....I thought it was about your eternal life. Don’t they want to save your life? “Ask us to disfellowship you?”!!! All casual, like?!
They make it sound like a bloody club! Hmmm. Methinks these guys know it ain’t da twoof
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Sea Breeze
That's hilarious wolverines!
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minimus
We had a Uber righteous elder that nobody liked. On shepherding calls he would ask What foods and deserts they would be making and would spend hours eating and praying.
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Biahi
They picked on me constantly, started when I turned 13. They said I looked “too old for my age”. When pressed by me or my dad, they couldn’t name one thing wrong with my dress, was it too short, too tight, too low cut, the answer was always no. My dad mentioned in an elders meeting that I always bathed, washed and fixed my hair, took care of myself in regards to grooming, their reply was, “Maybe she shouldn’t do that.” I think maybe they should have just looked at their wives and stopped looking at me. Fuck em, most of them are dead now, or well into their eighties.
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Sea Breeze
I got along with the elders, at first. I remember in the early 90's when the child abuse stuff started to come out that I mentioned some things a little too excitedly to an elder and his wife. They said that they agreed with what I was saying but cautioned me because they had at one time known someone who had asked similar questions and sadly had to be disfellowshipped.
I was stunned. Up until that point I had no idea that you could be disfellowshipped just for asking questions. -
minimus
Once the elders get suspicious of you, it’s all a matter of time. Remember, they have wisdom and discernment so they can tell when corruption is festering
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LongHairGal
MINIMUS:
I tried to be friendly to elders early on. In time, I learned they are company men trained to look for faults!
Towards the end of my stay in the Witness religion, I wouldn’t even look at them and only greeted them if they greeted me first.
They say hindsight is 20/20. I now know that I was doomed from the start in the Jehovah’s Witness religion. For one thing, I had No intention of quitting my decent job to do housecleaning.
Secondly, the elders are looking for women to do favors. They were more likely to approach somebody who has no family there like myself rather than somebody whose parents might tell them to leave their daughter alone.. Of course, the elders got a big fat No from me.
Thirdly, I would never tolerate their intrusiveness and disrespect. They don’t respect boundaries. Also, what BIAHI says above is correct: they have serious hangups about attractive women with a nice figure.. You always have to pay attention to how ‘modest’ your outfit is. You are accused of trying to be sexy even if you are not.
Anyway, all the aggravation came to an end when I ’faded’ about twenty years ago. I was driving home before and was near the general area where the hall was... The thought occurred to me if somebody asked me if I were happy now that I was out of the religion, I would have to say Yes, much more so.