Brother made a very "unelderlike comment"

mkr32208

My older brother is the only one of my siblings still doing the witness thing. He's really doing it though! Pioneer wife he's a young go getter elder really an up and comer type thing very influential friends really plays the politic game etc... Anyway lately he seems a bit depressed, sleeps a lot, seems distracted... Now he has recently started his own business and I know that me leaving the troof has bothered him so maybe thats all there is too it but maybe not!

Ok I'll lay it out and you guys tell me what you think! The assembly was this weekend and my parents got a room in daytona and friday were feeling bad not violently ill or anything just sorta blah... So my mom calls me today in THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY and says "well were getting ready to leave for the assembly." So my response is... "ummm it's 2pm on saterday arent' you a bit late?" and she says "______ (my bro) said not to worry about it just take a leisurely trip down today and we'll all go out tonight and if we feel like it we can just go to the morning program then go do something else in the afternoon..." Now WTF is all this! This is not something that these people do! If any of you have read my post about my mom you will see this is NOT how they (or my brother) behave! This is the woman who told my wife she would rather I was a pedophile than see me leave the trof! I mean come on now! The implication was also strong that they would ALL go do "something else" in the afternoon...

On an aside I helped my brother rewire his house a month or so ago so he could get the internet but it seems awfully early for an epiphany doesn't it????

Any thoughts on this?

jula71

Sounds like he may be starting to see that not all is well in the troof. i've seen more and more starting to lose "zeal" and move away.

GetBusyLiving

Man it really sounds like your parents could be coming around! It seems strange that they would just call you in the middle of the day to tell you in a round about way that they arent really into going to all the assembly (especially since you arent active!). Maybe they are seeing the light and just want you give em a little push or something. Hope things pan out for you dude.

GBL

confusedjw

Boy that's how I started to fade.........

Quotes

It might be too early to say anyone has had an epiphany, but it is entirely possible that they (along with, hopefully, 6 million others) are continuing the slow slide to "normal religion" status.

I think I read (was it in CoC or ISoCF, perhaps?) that one likely future for Watchtowerism would be to do what many other hard-core fundamental religions do: gradually soften to the point they are not longer hard-core but are just like most other religions... at some point they stop being a high control group and are just another religion. This change would not require a remarkable epiphany or radical change of belief, rather the person would likely not recognize they had changed at all.

With so many "carrot/sticks" removed in recent years (1975, Y2K, Watch Tower Corp run by Governing Body, some blood fractions matter of conscience, alternative military service a matter of conscience) combined with a complete lack of new information (more obvious than before, with entire books reprinted with minor or no changes), I think there is very little (other than local elders fighting to maintain their little Feifdom) to convince JWs of the uniqueness of Watchtowerism.

If my analysis is correct, it raises an interesting question: at what point, exactly, do they stop being a high control group? (I have my own ideas on this).

~Quotes, of the "thinks/hopes my folks are slowing down too" class

Es

wow looks like the beginning of something wonderful!!!!!. es

Preston

I think they call it the "district convention shuffle".

Cheers!

- Preston

Lehaa

Boy that's how I started to fade.........

ditto, i did exactly the same.

Oroborus21

Greetings:

Actually I find your brother's comment VERY ELDERLY-LIKE, or at least like a good shepherd that he is supposed to be.as an Elder. Your mom (and dad?) expressed that they weren't feeling well and he basically suggested that they take it easy and not worry about all the fuss involved with sitting for hours at the assembly hall.

Again, sounds very Kind and Loving to me and that is what an Elder is supposed to be.

-Eduardo

ezekiel3

Not to dispute Eduardo but...

were feeling bad not violently ill or anything just sorta blah...

is exactly how I've felt after every CA and DC I've ever been too. The typical elder comment I would expect is "The blessing you receive from the assembly will be the best help for what you are feeling."

You might have a fissure developing in your family's "sprituality." Not shocking considering the general state of JW affairs.

Brother made a very "unelderlike comment"

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