Did The Elders Bother You or Did You Get Along With Them OK?

by minimus 13 Replies latest jw friends

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  RolRod

  I was in 4 different congregations. First 2 in NYC, I got along with great. They were mostly Bethelites. The last 2 were in Jersey. The 3rd one the Presiding Overseer hated me with a passion . He ruled by fear, the other elders and Servants were afraid of him. I wasn't, I spoke my mind while the others were all "yes men". In the end he still hated me but he respected me, because he knew I would tell him to his face how I felt.

  Rumors were circulating that I was an apostate. Someone was writing letters to everyone, and mailing out literature, Franz' book. I was like, "you think I'm gonna waste my money mailing out books to people who will just toss it away?"

  One time we were having an elders meeting, and he just lost it, he charged at me, tried to get his hands around my throat, took 3 other elders to restrain him, I just sat there with a smirk on my face. In the end, I handed in my resignation from the body, kicked the bookstudy out of my house, and a month or so later I left the congregation, for another one, that lasted 6 months before I just disappeared, never went back. Before I stepped down, I went into the file cabinet and took my files. That was 30+ years ago.
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  minimus

  Rolrod... I like it👍👍
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  Beth Sarim

  I was always a skeptic towards Eldubs. I was told when I was a lot younger (presumed to be totally brainwashed, naïve and stupid) to believe that Eldubs would give their life for me.

  As years go on, you are led to believe the contrary by their actions and ways. They will hound you, and when you are down they will throw you to the dogs when you are down.

  There are still the kind-hearted ones who you still think have your best interests at heart. But then again, watch your back. And if you don't want something repeated, don't tell anyone. Because I just know by experience that after you confide in someone who you feel comfortable with, what you told that person comes back to you through someone else.

  By in large, I could never trust any Eldub.
  
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  WTWizard

  We had one that was halfway decent and several others that were total idiots when I was in. Then the halfway decent one moved out of the congregation, leaving mostly communists there. And when I tried looking up the congregation online to see who was in charge, the lead hounder was one I remember as being total communist.

  Needless to say, if I ever have the occasion to speak with them, I will do so in German. None of them understand a word of German (most understand Spanish, though), and if pressed to speak English, more lip given to them in German. I doubt they will reply by speaking in fluent German.