Withdrawing community support in the congs

by purrpurr 65 Replies latest jw friends

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  purrpurr

  I've noticed in the past 10 years that the social support that used to be available in the congs, a shoulder to cry on, elders to help with family/marriage issues these seem to have been purposely withdrawn. Counsel is even heard from the platform that the elders are not there to help people with their problems.

  So first in the 80s-90s they take away the congregation get to getters and social events and now they seem to be going one step further in taking away the emotional support for people too.

  This will take away an aspect that I'm sure was keeping alot of people in the Borg, the community support. If that's not there and its just about meetings and ministry how many will start to get their emotional support elsewhere?
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  ToesUp

  We received zero emotional support several years ago. A real wake up call!!! The Elders couldn't even show a bit of concern for our family. I would like to personally thank them all. We wouldn't be here today (out of the cult) if it wasn't for the "loving concern from the Elder body." lol
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  OneEyedJoe

  I'd say I definitely saw some of this before I left too. I think it's a symptom of other problems/priorities, though, and not an intentional thing - essentially they prioritize other things over being supportive to the common member and it ends up showing in things like this. I may be wrong, but I thought the elimination of official congregation get-togethers was related to concerns over potential liability should there be some accident or altercation occur at these events (the cult always seems to be more concerned with money than the benefits of its adherents) and I think the observed withdraw of elder support in recent years is likely due to the fact that elders are increasingly in short supply. When you see an organization make cuts like this, you see what its true priorities are. They prioritize money over r/f JWs quality of life, and they prioritize the administrative and punitive duties that elders perform over helping and supporting individual members.
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  scratchme1010

  I've noticed in the past 10 years that the social support that used to be available in the congs, a shoulder to cry on, elders to help with family/marriage issues these seem to have been purposely withdrawn.
  

  If you ask me, that's never been there. The JWs I knew never were there for me or my family. They were constantly getting into each other's business to tell on others or to talk shit among themselves.

  I know that's not the case with all JWs, but it doesn't surprise me that their quality of Christian values is diminishing. They have larger problems to deal with.
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  Alex Bogdanov

  In one way I understand elders. They are people and they need emotional support too. But where can they get it from? From the CO and bethel. But do they help elders. No, they don't. Every elder knows that he is being used and when he won't have any energy left they will get rid of him. I remember in my first congregation one elder was really good. He was a proper Jesus example, but at one point he started to have problems with work and became quite depressed. Instead helping the brother out, being patient with him. The CO told him if can't continue his duties he can't be an elder any more. Well a few years later this former elder took all his family abroad and I never saw him. The JW organisation is one of the worst. It is run by dry, emotionless, corporation minded people. They don't care about their members nor the staff. They suck all the juices out of the people. You might ask how does it still exist? The GB knows that no matter how many years will pass by there will be thousands of people who fall into their trap. Its like scams. There are still people who give their personal information over the phone or emails. People only learn on their own mistakes. So with every new generation JWs will get more followers that they will use and throw away. After that there will be next generation and so on...😪
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  LongHairGal

  PURRPURR:

  Sorry that you are noticing that the JW religion is callous and uncaring. I was a single working woman. I was on my own and I knew it.

  There was a wise sister who had a sense of humor. She said: “Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he will not be disappointed.”

  There were people who were kind and some elderly would invite me over..I was friendly with people here and there, but the elders failed miserably and were incapable of relating to a woman who worked. They were only interested in older affluent people who invited them over for dinner.

  All the idiots elders cared about was my modesty of dress, FS hours and if they could get me to do favors for users they were friendly with..They got nowhere.. It got to a point where I wouldn’t even talk to them other than a greeting if I got one first.

  The Witness religion is filled with cliques. If you are not in with the “in” crowd you are out of luck. I was at the bottom of the scale. I stopped caring at some point and it just made it very easy for me when I started my “fade”.😊
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  sparrowdown

  I think emotional support that translated into practical support was always a bit of an illlusion. It was there but only to people considered to be of their sort. Cliques have helped each other but screw everyone else. Who is deemed worthy of the elder's "help" seems to be an arbitrary process based on connections, popularity and brownie points for the ones doing the "helping."

  They were basically a "keep warm and well fed" religion but I don't even think they bother with that hollow sentiment anymore. I hope this coldness bites them on the bum one day with people walking away but if people are getting their cold and prickly fake love from JWborgcasting now that may just be enough for them.
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  Dunedain

  I also think that certain Elders visits, and them visiting possible "spiritually weak" ones, has been tremendously backfiring on the WTBS.

  The Borg may be trying to limit certain shepherding calls because over the past 25 years, with SO MANY people learning TTATT, these Elders instead of preaching to these ones, are getting preached to themselves.

  The internet and its wealth of damning information against the Society is inundating these Elders as they visit certain "weak" ones, and shepherding calls. These "company men" may never have been shown this info, except when they try to council certain ones.

  They used to every so often re-visit and try to sit with DF'd ones from their congregation. However, they put a stop to that too, because these elders were getting quite an earful from these "apostates". Many of their minds were blown, and the tables were turned on them. Like, "Oh, you wanna talk to me about things, Nope, let me tell YOU a few things guys".

  These visits, have been planting "seeds" and waking up quite a few elders over the years, and the Borg is SCARED.

  Hence, why the Elders "duties" have been quite limited lately. The GB are afraid of what the Elders may possibly hear, or learn on these visits, and from talking to certain ones.
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  SadElder

  Just go in the door to door work and donate money too, that solves all problems.

  I don't know why the dubs are always worried about suits, other religions have picnic areas, buses, playgrounds, coffee meetups, after service meals, and so on. They don't seem to be worried about suits. Bet they take in more money too.
  
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  floridaborn

  I was told I wasn’t receiving help because I didn’t ask. I’m sorry did the sheep go tell the shepherd they were in fact lost?