What Was Your Reputation In The Congregation? (page 6)

SadElder

Elder, etc., ec., etc. but tired of the s...tuff and gave it up several years ago. Now I lurk around to the dismay of many.

Badger

10-13 years old: Just a typical, precocious tween.

14-17: The congregational brain. I was made fun of by the other witness youths for being a geek (hey, it happened in the world, too), and ignored when making a point about anything (Theocratic or not) That didn't jibe with what conventional wisdom was.

18-20: The rouge cop. I pioneered and took a run at Bethel to make my father happy. Really quick to speak my mind and play devil's advocate. Got nowhere in my quest to move up...rubbed some the wrong way.

21-27: Married, but spiritually weak. Working overtime just to pay basic bills will do that.

28-now: Back to loose cannon. Had a conversation with an elder who said the separation was my fault. I decided to paraphrase from a monolouge I heard on "Any Given Sunday" (I'll post it at another time). I'm hated by the elders in the old hall, but I'm out of there now, so I'm untouchable (I think ) here. Just So-so on meeting attendance. Not sure what they think of me here...

mouthy

Sanfancis!!!! have you read the book "JIM" By June Caldwell. He suffered also same as you -he was a JW. Bit ranchy in spots -but very good reading inmo

Wolfy

Geez....Held up as an example for the other young ones to follow in the congregation. Aux. and Reg. pio. Made MS in my teens and was basically a walking encyclopedia of JW crap. Got really burned on a couple of issues with the loving elders which started my course away from the Borg.

Wolfy

simplesally

Strong sister, excellant researcher, good at field service, regular in the ministry. I was a regular pioneer for 5 years. I was regular at the meetings, always commented and went to the meetings when the spouse was not going regularly. Even when pregnant, 9 months have you, was going out in the door to door without the hubby. Was back at meetings alone, 1 week after I gave birth............ So were people shocked when I was df'd........ you betcha.

Holey_Cheeses*King_of_the juice.

Non-compliant coupled with a 'bad' attitude.

It's just that the elders had poorly developed levels of perception.

cheeses

minimus

I think that those who were "exemplary" and then left the congregation, totally befuddle the rest. They just can't grasp what happened. It also makes them wonder and "think".

Country Girl

Well-liked, but most figured I was still a "fringie." Daughter of a strong pioneer Mother. Made all the meetings, field service, etc. but asked too many questions. I was reckless and happy-go-lucky, and any "mistakes" I made were overlooked because, well, I wasn't baptized and no one took me seriously anyway. I kind of liked it like that, because when I came of age I was out of there faster than a bobcat on a turkey tail and no one was, frankly, surprised.

CG

jwbot

notperfectyet: He is asking questions for conversation purposes, and it started a good one, and he kept it going. You are contributing nothing. If he used to be an elder, why do you care? A lot of us here used to be Jehovah's Witnesses. Some of us still are... So why are you hung up on his past? I am sorry if I intrude...I just find that behavior obsessive. Trying to make fun of my screen name will not get you too far with me...it is parody, my little form of protest. So you might be the bot...who knows?

Athanasius

I was viewed as a liberal elder, the guy who spoke up when others wanted to, but were afraid. The publishers thought I was a good teacher because of the time and research that went into my talks. They also knew that when they approached me with a problem it would go no further unless they wanted other elders involved. When I resigned in 1984 many in the congregation were surprised and saddened. Later on some were shocked when they learned that I had been received into the Episcopal Church. You can't please everyone.

What Was Your Reputation In The Congregation?

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