by Gadget 22 Replies latest jw friends
There seems to be a lot of local differences between what witnesses are allowed to do and what they aren't. I'm in a situation where elders in one area are incouraging a course of action, and elders in another area are totally against it, saying it is a disfellowshipping offence. Anybody been in a situation where elders disagreed like this? How did it turn out for you?
Gadget
edited for spelling.......
I can't think of any one thing in particular but I do remember some congregations being more lenient in some things than other congregations. But never in anything that was considered a DFing offense. It was usually "gray areas" or conscience matters. Which, when you think about it, is silly. If it's a conscience matter, then shouldn't each individual make that decision based on their own conscience?
I have seen bodies of elders(in a single congregation) break off into seperate factions because they don't agree on something. It usually was due to one elder and cronies being very conservative while another elder and his cronies were more liberal minded. I remember one elder had a thing about long hair. I don't mean pony-tail long, but touching your ears/collar long. Other elders thought it was being rigtheous over much and nit-picky, but this one elder and his entourage of ass-kissers went around giving all the young brothers hell about their hair and grooming. The young brothers would run to the other elders who told em to not worry about it. Well, that lead to disagreements on the elder body, which brought out even more resentments lying under the surface, which in turn spread throughout the congregation, causing major problems as time went on. All because people just can't mind their own damn business(1Thess. 4:11)
Dear Undercover,
If I didn't know better (and I do) - I'd swear your post was written by my husband about our elders.
Same senario........except all the lenient elders/ms have left that congregation. Now it's all hard-liners and all kiss the same ol' ass they've been kissin' for about 50 years.
The CO has even brought in new elders, but it doesn't make much difference - all have been sufficiently trained in narrow-mindedness.
waiting
I can remember a JC where the elders from another congregation were interfering and telling the elders in the first congregation with the DF'ing authority how to conduct the JC and what the outcome better be (DF'd of course). The first congregation's elders went to the CO who told the second to butt out. It ended up with the person being privately reproved because the elders were so upset that the elders in the other congregation challenged their authority.
It is always good to know which elders don't like each other; and which congregations have feuds going.
I call it the "LBS" effect.
Tigers chasing their tails.
Blondie
I thought that JC matters were confidential... you know, the whole Ecclesiastical Privilege thing. The person making the "confession" can use this privilege to prevent the clergy from reveling anything he said. If this is true, then how would other elders find out what is going on in order to dispute things?
one way to cause a division and get the JC off your arse is to " divide aqnd conquer".
By that i mean, i would get an elder to see it my way, appeal to his vanity as an "older man with authority form the bible" and get him to duke it out with the elder body. So they are then off your arse, and fighting among themself. I swear it works. Even if it is a DF case, u may be repentent, and the elder body may not see it that way. Always good to have one on your side.
Hi gadget
I can remember a few years ago a sister being DF in a local cong when a number of other elders from adjoining congs disagreed. The case had spread due to the families being in several differant congs.
It eventually led to the CO being involved and he told the JC that they shouldnt have DF the sister. I seem to remember that the sister refused to acknowlege the reinstatement and for quite a long time the family drifted. Not sure what is happened in the end though.
Anglise
I used to work in this office where the majority of the employees were JWs. (God Help Me!)
The owner (non-jw) asked one of the assistants to put a shipping date on the packing slip that was not correct. The owner wanted the customer to think they shipped out the merchandise on time when they actually shipped it out a few days late.
The good little jw girl (it wasn't me) could not live with this. She went to several elders in her hall and asked for their God Given Wisdom.
One elder said it was wrong but the rest (including one Elder who worked at the same place as her) said it was ok that she shouldn't let it bother her.
The girl ended up giving notice to her employer that she would not be working there any longer. She moved congregations as well.
Though I would have just put the date on the packing slip it bothered me when I found out that the elders said there was nothing wrong with it.
What does the scripture say... something like... He that is faithful in little or least is faithful in? I cannot even remember what the scripture says anymore to finish my point. LOL
Undercover,
I didn't know you were in Oregon and went to the Stayton congregation.
I have seen bodies of elders(in a single congregation) break off into seperate factions because they don't agree on something. It usually was due to one elder and cronies being very conservative while another elder and his cronies were more liberal minded. I remember one elder had a thing about long hair. I don't mean pony-tail long, but touching your ears/collar long. Other elders thought it was being rigtheous over much and nit-picky, but this one elder and his entourage of ass-kissers went around giving all the young brothers hell about their hair and grooming. The young brothers would run to the other elders who told em to not worry about it. Well, that lead to disagreements on the elder body, which brought out even more resentments lying under the surface, which in turn spread throughout the congregation, causing major problems as time went on.
Hoyt and McMillan were sure uptight assholes, weren't they.
Tammy
If this is true, then how would other elders find out what is going on in order to dispute things?
Elsewhere, the elders are allowed to discuss it with each other in great detail but leave out the names! Even an elder that is a total idiot knows who they are talking about.
Blondie
