When I first questioned Watchtower doctrines, the elders accused me of apostasy. They questioned my motives and the motives of those who provided me with the information I showed them. They questioned my intelligence, my integrity and my sanity. They managed to insult every member of my family except my brother (still an ultra-loyal JW). They promised to do some research so they could answer my questions, then never did. They told me they were convening a judicial committee, then never got back to me with the date, leaving me hanging for months. They came back to start the whole process again but slithered away when confronted with the threat of legal action. No respect, no love, no decency, no concern for anything but the Watchtower's rules.
Were You Treated With Respect When Counseled By The Elders?
by minimus 49 Replies latest jw friends
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ApagaLaLuz
By the way, in my meeting they had all these Watchtower bound volumes that they kept trying to read from. I told them that I had been intensely studying the bible and didnt respect The Watchtower as divinely inspired at the moment. I asked them to answer my questions ONLY using the bible. Good lord they were pissed.
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HappyDad
When I was an elder, I hated when the rest of the "body" asked me to talk to (counsel) someone. Guess my thinking wasn't in tune with the mother ship even back then. I always felt that what a person did and why they did it was their own business. When I had to talk to them, I always tried to leave them feeling good about themselves. Come to think of it...........I never did meet the one mindset criteria. But...................I was a good elder.............was respected by most because of my non-judgemental attitude. Some of the other elders did not like my easygoingness.
But at least I can live with myself today. If I can help anyone in any capacity (don't ask for money) just let me know.
I have some real horror story's to tell from some of the jc's I was on. The horror was not the person that "sinned", but the questions asked by the other members of the jc. I think some of them really got their rocks off asking the questions they did. Guess they really wished they were the other man in the "sin".
As far as treating one with respect.......I always did that. Can't say the same for the others! It seemed to be the only power they had in their lives......being judges! Because most that I served with were pussy whipped by their wives. They weren't allowed to be men in their own homes. The only machoness they had was when they could "lord it over others".
God.........I hate that religion and many of the idiots who are in power and what it has done to so many. One of these days I expect to hear that an announcement has been made about me. DA'd or DF'd and I don't care. I am luckier than most. I have noone in the borg........my daughter is out too!
That's why I'm HappyDad
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M.J.
CHEVYSNTATS: Wow, you're one gutsy gal. Just curious. Could you give an example of a question that really irked them, or one that they had real trouble with?
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Atilla
I was only counseled once but that was enough, never went back after that. So, I guess the elders screwed it up, otherwise I might still be a dub.
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WildHorses
I can't say anything bad about the Elders who dealt with me. They were all pretty decent guys. Believe it or not we all had a few laughs in the 'back room' when I was spilling my guts. They said they never had to worry about me because if I ever did anything wrong I would tell on myself.
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minimus
Happydad, you sound like me!
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The Thinker
I was allways OK with my elders until I got involved with a sister and then all the gossip and accusations started, we were so badly treated that i finally left and went to another Congo, my wife (we got married) told me "we can't move, its out of our territory" and I told her, I can go where i like to go. I am a Volunteer and I don't volunteer to go to that congo anymore. we have being gone for 3 years. We haven't looked back. I think people forget that we are volunteers and we didn't inlist in the army.
They say that the problems follow you because you have the problem, well they haven't followed us, in fact they stay right where they were.
You don't know how much love they really have untill you need it. But then again I probably have a Bad Attitude. hehehe
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ApagaLaLuz
CHEVYSNTATS: Wow, you're one gutsy gal. Just curious. Could you give an example of a question that really irked them, or one that they had real trouble with?
Oh gosh it was a few years ago. Just going from memory though:
I was bringing my King James Bible to meetings for a while and kept pretty extensive notes regarding inconsistancies between the KJ and NWT bibles. That was one thing I asked them to address.
I also asked them to show me how to come up with the year 1914 using only the bible and no study aids. I also addressed issues such as facial hair. And why dating and marrying a "worldly" person was so stricly inforced if it was only a priciple and not a law that was set forth in the bible.
I also asked them why they choose to inforce this principle when other principles such as not braiding your hair or wearing pearls were also specifically mentioned. I asked them why in the same chapter abstaining from blood, is mentioned and also only eating what the Jews call Kosher foods are mentioned together yet they ignore that.
I also asked for an explination of Matt 24:34 regarding the signs of the times and the change of the definition of "generation". The list goes on and on.
The one that really seemed to piss them off was when I asked them about Charles Russell. I explained that if he was such an important figure in founding the Jehovah's Witnesses and organizing "God's Only Chosen People" in our day and age, to show me in the bible a prophecy of him. They could NEVER give me a valid response as to HOW he was divinely inspired to create their organization.
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minimus
Chevy---YOU are a rebel.