PRAYING TO THE DEVIL
A little history: Prior to 1971, the JW congregation government was organized around the Congregation Servant (CS). He was considered the “sole” Elder, having attained spiritual maturity, and qualified to serve. Our CS was considered a highly respected Elder in the region. His family were long time JWs, and his dad of the pre-1935 Anointed. The CS was a Special Pioneer for many years, and was a good company man, but also practical, compassionate, exercised good common sense. He was as just and fair as any CS could be within the context of the WTS system. His wife Pioneered (120 hours at the time). Besides being a great speaker – not like the drone speakers the JWs often have today – he was well liked by the congregation. Two of the long time Anointed sisters in our Hall felt that if a need for a new Anointed one ever came up, that this CS would likely be chosen by Jehovah. That impressed me at the time. His only other drawback was that he was extremely overweight, and this bothered some.
One day, I went to see him regarding our upcoming Convention. I was assisting him in planning activities to make mass transit travel arrangements to the Convention. The old stadium we were using did not have adequate parking, so the Convention Committee strongly urged the congregations to hire bus services and/or carpool. During our meeting, he called the bus company we were contracting, and cursed out the owner because they would only provide two charter busses instead of the three he originally ordered. I was shocked by his use of Damn, Shit, and Hell, because the CS was the Elder and chief example to all. [BTW: Now I finally understood why his pet parrot occasionally said, ‘Oh Shit!’ during the most inappropriate times. I now knew where the bird was likely learning such talk.] Anyway, this at least made me feel that perhaps I was a little too uptight about many JW issues, and decided that maybe JWs were not all that rigid. Besides this one divergent act, the CS appeared to be a great example.
The Walls start to Crumble: One day, while the CS’s wife was out of town, his dad died. He was most grief stricken as he felt that he would never see his dad again. This is because he had the earthly hope verses the heavenly hope his dad held. So, his wife’s sister came to town to help the family until his wife could return home. But, when his wife got home, all was not well.
At the Service Meeting, it was announced that his wife was Disfellowshipped. It seems that a young, attractive brother accompanied her out of town, and in the course of events she got pregnant. Divorce now faced the CS while he was still grieving the death of his father. The CS took a short leave from his responsibilities to tend to all this grief.
Sometime later, I am not sure how long, it was announced that his wife’s sister, the one helping the CS was Disfellowshipped. It seemed rather odd. She was a nice looking woman, but I could not figure out how she got embroiled in all this mess and then got DF’d.
During these events I noticed that ‘experienced’ brothers from other Congregations were making frequent visits during odd times. Many of them are well known public speakers, and later on were among the first Elders in the area to be appointed under the new arrangement. These were highly respected men in the Circuit and general region. Shortly after their presence subsided, it was announced at the Service Meeting that the CS was Disfellowshipped!
In this case, there was not the level of gossip that normally goes around before a DFing. But, it was soon out that when the wife moved out and got pregnant, that the sister may have given many comforts to the CS. Maybe a few too many? After the DFings and divorces (because the wife’s sister was married as well), the CS and married his former sister-in-law sometime later. She and the daughters continued to attend meetings, but the CS was never there. Whew! As time went by, the CS was reinstated and then a few short months later he was DF’d again!
After these events I moved away and did not return for about 9 or 10 years. Upon my return and subsequent appointment as Congregation Secretary, I decided that it would be a nice part of my Shepherding responsibility to look this family up and see what gives. So, I stopped by their house, and discovered that the CS was now divorced from his second wife, and Dad was still DF’d. But his daughters still lived at home. Except that they were now young attractive ladies, and while they were nice to me because they knew me from years before, they had no interest whatsoever in Jehovah’s Witnesses.
What about Praying to the Devil? By this time, I had just picked up all the Judicial Files from the previous Secretary. And as I have mentioned before, the files were a mess, in unsealed envelopes, scattered out and about, and I had to read every last file (all 20 to 30 years worth) and determine which went where, which needed to be saved, properly labeled and sealed, and which needed destruction. It was in this review of the CS’s file I find the issue of praying to the Devil.
I happened upon the file with the name of the CS. It was a larger file, and unique in that it was mostly typed material. That made it easier to compile and reorganize. It contained a form and letter to the Society that was used when he was removed as CS. It also had the names of the highly respect men I mention above. Evidently, they were called in to help with the Judicial case because we were short a couple of members of the JC. Also, I believe that when a CS’s was removed, then more attention was given to bring in outside CS’s to assist.
As I read through the file and getting it organized, I was also trying to understand how I might find a way to help this man who was now DF’d for well over 9 years. Strangely, I did not see anything about the divorces, or anything concerning adultery with the wife’s sister. There was mention of him having her live in his home after she was DF’d, which was a Big No-No at the time to have a DF’d person in the house. Then, I saw that one of the allegations was that he had been praying to the Devil! I could not tell for sure whether he was having regular prayer sessions with the Devil, but the flavor of the material suggested that might have been the case. I could not determine just how this matter was brought about, or why the JC would have made the allegation. The JC were also trying to get the CS to tell ‘ALL’ and accused him of holding back information. They said that since he was ‘praying to the Devil, that he needed to come clean with everything before Jehovah.’ I felt uncomfortable reading this stuff, and put the file away as soon as I was able to recompile all of the related documents.
Over time, I made several attempts to find him at home and see if there was a way to help him get reinstated. I was not sure of any repentance on his part, but, the Society had encouraged that Elders reach out to some DF’d people to see if there was hope to help them return to the organization. He was always not at home, however, or at least that is what his daughters said. So, I gave up for a while. But then one day, ...
I happen to go into an old ‘Used Book’ store. It used to be a Drug Store and Soda Fountain in the 1940s through the 1960s. I had many a malt ice cream there when I was in high school. But now it was a dirty old bookstore. I was rummaging around when I looked up and saw the CS sitting at the former Soda Counter drinking coffee and reading. He had lost a ton of weight and looked really good.
I sat down next to him. His first reaction was a normal surprise accompanied with a pleased look on his face, as though for a moment the JW-DF issue was not there. He kindly acknowledged me, and reminded me that he was still DF’d. I said that it was okay, because as an Elder, I could talk with him and try to be of help. [I was relying on some WT articles and other material shared with Elders that permitted some limited shepherding to those DF’d.]
He was very open and kind, but did not seem in a hurry to return to the organization. As we talked, I asked about some of the past issues, and shyly mentioned the issue of praying to the Devil. He laughed and said that he never prayed to the Devil as alleged. It was the kind of reaction you get when you find out that something you thought to be true is lacking in any foundation. He also commented that he felt that the JC members at the time were stretching matters. I held back from pushing into this issue more because I did not want to embarrass him. I was hoping to eventually get him to volunteer some more details, but I never really got the pieces to the puzzle about how the issue of praying to the Devil came up during his JC sessions.
Somehow, deep inside, I felt that there was likely serious misunderstandings during heated JC sessions. So, I just smiled and let him know that if he decided to make a move back into the organization, to feel free to call me, and I would get the ball rolling. During the discussion, he mentioned that the bookstore was his, and that business took a long time to grow, but that it was doing quite well. So, I looked around and found some old books I liked and bought a couple. We parted with a handshake and on good terms.
Some Understanding: Going back in time, it was said shortly after his first DFing that the Congregation had a serious demon problem that was deep rooted. Given this allegation, I was then able to better understand why that rumor floated around about demon problems, and how he was alleged to be a real bad egg who caused a serious hindrance to the flow of Jehovah’s spirit. Today, I see all this as just the life and times of JW fantasy religion, and how it warps people’s perceptions. And more painfully, how allegations can get twisted out of shape and cause strange and unfounded gossip.
But, I also saw a man whose life was quickly destroyed by many circumstance he could not control, his wife leaving and getting pregnant, father dying, etc. I saw a man who was once among the highly respected men in the region, an excellent speaker often used to give convention talks, and a person who was now greatly humbled and down to earth.
What to make of the allegation about praying to the Devil?: I have no idea why this issue was brought into his JC sessions. Was he having chat discussions with Satan? Or did he say something that was later taken out of context, and used against him? But, looking back today, I think that it is a wrong to intrude into peoples lives and dig out some personal moment where their emotions are out of synch, embellish some event, and then use that to brow beat them into confessing to a more serious charge.
Another VERY important issue for all to consider. Everything stated in JC files may not be accurate, or at least not totally reflect the real state of mind that people are in when they do commit some act that is not in harmony with the religious structure. Not everything in a JC file necessarily reflects the truth of what a person may have done or failed to do. But, the JC files also tell us that Jehovah’s Witnesses are very human, and submit to a very inhumane system. No wonder they do kinky things at times, and maybe engage in extraordinary acts, because they appear very frustrated and held to rigid and abnormal standards. Sometimes, drinking, masturbating, smoking, swearing are their only outlets short of committing more serious anti-social acts.
This does not suggest that everything done is socially acceptable, or that people are not responsible for their actions, but it does suggest that if Jehovah’s Witnesses could live normal lives, that the frustrations and weakness they have would be greatly reduced, and their lives would be much happier. – Amazing