This thread is about elder stories. It's about how elders impacted your life.The good and the bad elders. The ones that seemed to care and those that didn't give a hoot.......Let me give a short elder's story. I knew of an elder that was appointed after making many major changes in his life. He was a very tough, violent man. He had a number of children, it seemed every year or two. He became an elder after working very hard on his temper and his negative outlook. Not long after being, finally appointed, his wife told the awful truth about their family life. He beat his wife regularly and abused his boys and girls, sexually, for years. He was deleted as an elder. His wife left him. And his children are either in therapy or believing they are going to heaven. This man left the area and moved approximately 50 miles away A few years later, the elders in his new Hall wanted to recommend this man as an elder, again. The formers elders got involved and expressed details of their meetings with him and his accusers. Some elders in the new congregation could not believe that this man could do all that he was accused of. They still wanted to recommend this man to once again, be an elder. After much correspondence, it was decided that this man should not be given any responsibilities in the congregation. He is still not an elder.
ELDER STORIES
by minimus 11 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
Phil
What is the point?
-
SheilaM
I guess I'm confused. WHY IS HE NOT IN JAIL he PHYSICALLY AND SEXUALLY ABUSED people. AM I missing something
-
shamus
I always have bad elder stories, so I guess it's time for a good elder story... the only one....
We got along really good - we used to go into service together and talk about old monty-python shows,,,,,
That's the end of my good elder stories. Believe it or not, that's IT!
-
minimus
I do not know the specifics of the charges. I was not an elder in that congregation. I know this guy didn't go to jail. I know that the elders in cong.#1 believed the accounts of the children. The story surfaced at least 10 years ago in another congregation. You know, that at that time the elders would have surely buried the situation if they could. Most of the children are out of the organization, nearly all were in therapy.All of the family members are scarred. Most of these kids are in their 20's and 30's now.
-
freedom96
I knew a very powerful elder ( district convention chairman) who also attended my hall (yea for me) who was once caught sneaking booze from his desk at the convention.
Only wish it was me who caught him.
Oh, of course no one found out about it, and he is still very powerful.
-
minimus
Yes Freedom, and his name was J.F.Rutherford.
-
little witch
Tee hee hee ( little witch cackles with delight)
-
minimus
Here's another elder story. I knew of 2 elders that reproved or disfellowshipped over 50 people in the congregation over a 2 to 3 year period of time because they considered these people to be "wicked". If ANYONE questioned themor their authority, they were judicially charged with "causing divisions" or "apostasy". Eventually, scores of people wrote letters to the Society and Circuit Overseer about these 2 elders and they were both deleted after a "special commitee" convened and interviewed those the complained about them. Those 2 elders were probably the worst men that ever "shepherded" a congregation.
-
Prisca
I knew an elder that was good friends with our family. His wife was a like a second mum to me, especially after my real mum died.
When my mum was in her last days in hospital, they'd come to sit with her, to give my dad a break to go home, have a shower and get some sleep. His wife particularly, would spend hours on end sitting with my mum.
The elder's wife confided in me once that her husband used to cry at night, stressed over the wrong-doings that were going on in the cong at the time. He was the PO, and was involved in many JC meetings. Shows that not all elders have hearts of stone.
When my family were having problems with my step-mother, he spent alot of time trying to help us. Unfortunately my father felt there weren't any problems that he needed to work on, so the problems got worse. When I was kicked out of home, this particular elder was the first person I spoke to. He and his wife gave me much needed support.
I really appreciated their help, and I always will.