That does not apply in every instance. I served as an elder So you can stop serving without everyone thinking you no longer qualify.
That doesn’t apply to gb members. For an elder, i’ve already explained that he is going to meetings anyway. And giving parts in the school etc. so being an elder is not out of the way. An elder is not removed for health or old age. That can be used as a pretext but there is an underlying reason family concerns is also a pretext. You think that people view you the same. They don’t. They suspect an underlying cause, some spiritual flaw, for example like your loss of faith. As long as you qualify you are not pressured to resign. If your qualifications are in check, they tell you to step aside. I don’t believe an elder with an excuse he has health problems or family problems because he can still hold on to the title with those issues —unless he can’t come to meetings etc. In which case they will pressure him to leave so he will step down beforehand this like you did. But if you come to meetings and stay active and you step down or removed people believe there is something wrong with you. Maybe you are hiding something?
With the gb, they would let the man keep the title even if he was in hospice. If he is still working in Bethel, no excuse to resign as gb because you can also work as a gb —unless you don’t qualify as a gb. In every case elder or gb there is an underlying spiritual disqualification at the very least if not some wrong conduct.
