thrown for a loop by Elder

by integ 33 Replies latest social entertainment

  • freeman
    freeman

    Integ: I’m wondering; if everyone misses you so much at the hall, why don’t these caring people ring you up on the phone or perhaps drive over to your house to see how you are? Think about it.

    IMHO you have to weigh this Elders apparent goodness (I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt that he is being sincere) and the very dark things that you already know about the Tower. Does his goodness negate the fact that the Tower protects pedophiles and puts children at risk, or that they kill thousands of people every year through their unexplainable and indefensible blood policy. Trust your instincts, unless your instincts happen to tell you to return to the hall, in which case you need to seek professional help ASAP. Just my 2 cents.

    Freeman

  • Valis
    Valis

    You cannot build "A Truth" on a cornerstone of lies..

    Sincerely,

    District Overbeer

  • bittersweet
    bittersweet

    I ran into an elders wife in a store a few weeks ago. She gave me a big hug, and said how much she missed me. I thought this was kind of funny, because when I went to meetings, she pretty much ignored me. I find it irritating when people say how much I am missed, because most of thm didn't give me the time of day when I went to meetings. It just seems to me to be a way of luring you back, but once you go back, it will be just like before. They feel it is their duty to encourage you back into the fold.

    Don't fall for it!

  • Scully
    Scully

    While I think we sometimes tend to lump all JWs together in the same pile and ascribe negative traits to the entire group based on our own experiences and our knowledge of the false doctrines, scandals, etc. I also think it's a good thing to realize that there really are some wonderful and sincere people who are JWs, who are wonderful and sincere people despite everything we know about the WTS. I think many of these people would be wonderful and sincere regardless of the belief system they were affiliated with.

    Perhaps this elder was stating his true feelings, nothing more, nothing less. The fact that he offered to "be there" when you were ready, just like Jehovah would be, tends to make me think that he's just a very loving, caring person who is offering you his friendship.

    He's a rare commodity among JWs.

    Love, Scully

  • lisavegas420
    lisavegas420

    Integ,

    I have met people that seemed to illuminate with a special aura or something.

    They were people that made you feel good just being around them.

    (no elders come to mind )

    Maybe "HE" is sincere. I hope so. Only time will tell.

    Lisa

  • integ
    integ

    Thanks everyone for that "adjustment in thinking"....I guess that whole niceness thing caught me off guard. Sometimes I think too much with my heart than my head. Although even my heart tells me the Org as a whole, and it's management team, is way off base. If this board were a congregation I guess I'd be scheduled for a judicial committee meeting. And if Farkel were the presiding elder, i'd be df'd. Thanks for showing mercy,

    Integ.

  • integ
    integ

    I think ReBorn and Pistoff would can me to.(lol)

  • rocketman
    rocketman

    Integ, Actually, to me this elder you mentioned doesn't seem to quite be toeing the company line in his comments to you. His 'no pressure' comments don't fit the general elder MO.

  • mustang
    mustang

    "But be careful. If it came down to it, the WTS doesn't give a hoot what that elder says or does as long as he's attending their meetings, giving contributions, and following orders."

    Bingo!!! Nice, cheerful and even spiritual one minute; and then along comes

    Satan the CO/DO and blasts you going and coming!!! You and the kind Elder may get separate back-room visits.

    One of the things that happened as I left: I REALIZED I HAD THIS SORT OF EFFECT ON PEOPLE. I was very effective in Field Service. Then I would get chewed out in a pIONEER Meeting. So, I wondered: what was I getting other people into???

    Then it occurred to me: WHAT IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG?? That's when I started the "slow drift".

    Mustang

  • undercover
    undercover

    One elder in our hall has been genuine in his desire to "help me". He believes that the "truth" is the truth. He has called from time to time and when the sheparding visits were going on a month or so ago, he was persistant in getting together. I eventually agreed and we had a nice long chat about things. I decided to not come clean with everything I have learned about the WTS. But I did tell him I was trouble by the generation change and one other doctrine. Instead of getting defensive and questioning my faith and intentions, he actually listened, thought about it and admitted that he would have to do "some research". Now I know that his research will be confined to the WTS books only, but he very well could have forced me to make a commitment to either accepting or not accepting the teachings from the WTS. We ended on good terms, we talked of other things not relating to religion and I am waiting for him to come back with his "research". It should be interesting. But the point of my ramblings here is to say that some elders are good men, who mean the best for the congregation and try really hard to do the right thing. Not all of them, not even the majority. But there are good ones. If all elders were the same as my friend then even with the fallacies of the WTS, being a JW would not be all that bad. But he's one in a million. I was a witness for years and years and only two elders come to mind as true spiritual men, humble in spirit, caring for the flock. That's not a very good track record for the training program of the WTS, is it?

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