Are Elders who "step down" different?

Cautious

I have a query regarding elders. Nothing derogatory, it is just something that I have been wondering about for years.

It has seemed to me for a while that the elders are a little like politicians. They can have all the good intentions in the world, but the systems will get to them anyway. They either become corrupted by the system or they leave it.

We had family friends become elders, men who seemed to me to be caring people, who seemed to me to really want to help people. Most of them “stepped down” eventually. We had other friends who were appointed elders, and they seemed to change personality, become just like the other established elders and, and treat their old friends as mere acquaintances.

I realise that I am looking at this as an outsider, neither my father nor my husband were ever elders, which is the closest a good subjective female JW seems to get to this issue. I also realise that my experiences is limited to a few congregations. However, I genuinely would like to know if there is any truth in this observation.

Thanks
Cautious

Amazing

Hi Cautious: What you observe is true in some cases. It all depends on each individual Elder, their personality, and what their situation is. Some are deeply committed to the WTS system and believe everything the WTS says, and they merely enforce policy. Some become aloof because their personal feelings for other people are not as strong as they may have been at one time. Some try to stay on as Elders and work with the system, believing as I did, that the WTS system was okay, but they human misunderstanding misapplied the WTS policies. Those of us that resign come to realize that the system is the problem, or at least the main problem. We soon realize that we cannot hope to help, and our only reccourse is to get ourselves and families out. Some Elders resign because they have personal problems, but they stll believe in the WTS system. Other resign, because they know the system is seriously flawed or totally false, but their family and/or business is too conected to leave the religion, so they just become nice guy average JWs. - Amazing

ozziepost

And still they use that term "stepping down". Where from? Where to?
It gives the impression that they have been in an elevated state. Perhaps it's all the time they spend on the platform!!! When they "step down" they can't climb up on to the platform again, eh?

Cheers,
Ozzie

"Truth persuades by teaching, but does not teach by persuading."
TERTULLIAN, Adversus Valentinianos

JT

OZZIEPOST

And still they use that term "stepping down". Where from? Where to?
It gives the impression that they have been in an elevated state. Perhaps it's all the time they spend on the platform!!! When they "step down" they can't climb up on to the platform again, eh?

YOU ARE correct AND THAT is why the Proper Term is no longer Stepping Down, but "Stepping Aside"

don't you just love it

i saw a DO correct a brother one day backstage when he refered to an elder as STEPPING DOWN and he stated the exact thing you did

bro it makes it appear that he was up HIGH .etc

DON'T you just love the wt word game

james

slipnslidemaster

So then after reading some of these posts, unless there is a really obvious reason (sick, family, etc.) for stepping "aside" , you as an elder are looked upon with suspicion?

Slipnslidemaster: "You can pretend to be serious; you can't pretend to be witty."
- Sacha Guitry

Cautious

Amazingthanks for the reply. It confirms that at least some elders do realise that there are problems in the system.

OzziepostGood point. I personally don't like the term "stepping down" either, I only used it because that is what I remember being used.

JT - thanks for the update, I guess I'm a little out of date, haven't been to the meetings for a while.

slipnslidemaster wouldn't that be a form of gossiping? The JWs don't do that![8>]

Thanks all
Cautious - who edited this because she still hasn't got the syntax right

slipnslidemaster

I bet it gets added to your file and you are now "watched" by the other elders.

Once appointed, you are an elder for life unless you have a damn good reason to step aside. Hmmmm, just another way to trap some poor dub.

Slipnslidemaster: "You can pretend to be serious; you can't pretend to be witty."
- Sacha Guitry

reagan_oconnor

slip wrote:

Once appointed, you are an elder for life unless you have a damn good reason to step aside.

I agree. When I found out that Dad had been appointed the P.O., my heart absolutely sank. He isn't going anywhere. Neither is Mom.

My ex father-in-law "stepped down" b/c of the antics of my 16-year-old ex sister-in-law. When my mother and I were still speaking somewhat regularly, she advised me that he'd been "forced to step down." That's interesting. I never recall, in all my years as a JW, anyone being "removed" or "deleted" as an elder (announced from the platform), only "stepping down." (They've changed it to "stepping aside" in the past five years, I'm guessing. Pls. correct if I'm wrong on this.)

--Reagan

"I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul."

slipnslidemaster

Nope, PO and your the king of your own little pond.

We have had a couple elders "forced" to step aside. Kids out of control. But it actually took the second child getting knocked up to have them do it for one.

Switch congo's and bam!! He's an elder again.

Slipnslidemaster: "The truth is more important than the facts."
- Frank Lloyd Wright

hmmmmm...where have I heard that before?

betweenworlds

And still they use that term "stepping down". Where from? Where to?
It gives the impression that they have been in an elevated state. Perhaps it's all the time they spend on the platform!!! When they "step down" they can't climb up on to the platform again, eh?

I think they should change it to "Gettin' out while the gettin's good"

Are Elders who "step down" different?

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