i've been lurking here for many months.
i served as an elder for many years, and regular pioneer for much longer until recently.
i'm also a mts grad and was used extensively on the circuit and district level.
Welcome NLP!! Your description of grieving was exactly my feelings as well. You will likely progress through all the phases (denial,anger,bargining, depression, and finally acceptance). Glad to hear that you don't have family in. That will be a major help!
The ride will be bumpy but this board is a great place to vent.
for any brother who is a jehovah's witness, the goal is put before them to reach out for the privilege of being an elder.
i can only speak for myself, but being born into the religion, i wanted to be an elder since i was 5. i would have much rather wanted to be a doctor or engineer, but those are the breaks..... i'll skip the part about what it takes to reach out, all the crap you have to put up with as a ministerial servant to get appointed, and go straight to the reality.. i know many elders who sincerely just wanted to be shepherds.
i did want the spotlight.
ATJ,
Your post brings back memories for me. I was 29 when appointed and did about 10 years or so. I never dealt with a pedofile but many of your experiences are similar to mine. I was an a$$hole for at least the first few years too. I cringe over some of the things I said and thought.I know I should continue to beat myself up over it, but it still saddens and disappoints me.
Being an elder was nothing like I thought it was going to be. Being a company man sucked even worse.
Exactly!
And, the political games that I noticed in multiple congregations and at the circuit and district level were enough to allow me to just consider for a moment that "apostates" actually had legitimate points. I honestly can't imagine that there are many elders who actually think holy spirit is guiding them, at least at the local level.
at our 2 day circuit assembly this weekend they made an announcement for those interested in attending the ministerial training school to meet with the do & co at 9:20 behind the stage this morning.
they said that there is a new revised age requirement, and it is 62 or older.
he again clarified 62 or older, single, and a ministerial servant or an elder.. do you think they feel they've put enough young brothers through the school and now they want old retired individuals who they can send anywhere?
I'm sure it's 62 or younger. I have a friend who just started MTS and he's in his mid-40s. They've expanded from 50 to 62.
the "priscilla" deliberations.. gb subcommittees now re-considering role of women in the organization.. example of phoebe as "diakonos" revisited.. could women be appointed to ministerial servant positions in view of the need in congregations?.
what's your take on latest rumors?
http://www.extjforo.com/foro/showthread.php?t=14821.
I call BS on this one. Lots of examples of local congregations using women in roles traditionally reserved for men in the borg, but there's no way they are going to give these ladies a title. As Blues Brother brought out, they just released a QFR which requires women to wear head coverings when signing for the deaf. Now, they're going to allow women to be promoted to MS? It just doesn't fit into what we all know about the WTS.
kingdom song 149.
"it is impossible for god to lie".
http://www.mediafire.com/?jk2kyyrljnr.
I wonder if this is one of the songs cut from the new song book.
a brother who's a friend of mine introduces me...but i have no "keep on the watch" badge so he stares at me...then where the badge should be...then back at me...turns to the brother with me ignoring me and says "who's this guy?
is he a study.." he had a smug ass#ole look on his face.
like people without badges can't talk.
@lm - welcome to the board! The same thing happened to me on a business trip. Only I forgot my jacket but had my books. One of the elders in the hall approach me and I told him I was an elder visiting from another state. He told me the hall wasn't friendly (he had just moved there) and spoke with me both before and after. The rest ignored me. And I even commented several times!! I was really shocked. What if I had been an interested person. Man, they didn't even do "lovebombing" correctly.
One time I was on vacation and went to the memorial at another hall. I was completely ignored except for another visiting JW. I was a young MS at the time but still was thinking that this congo was seriously jacked up. Now I know they all are!!
007 - the whole badge thing is insane. I never wore a badge unless I was an attendant or working in some function that required one. Now, I make it a point of never even bothering filling one out. I would say that at least 33% of the folks don't have one. That guy was an a-hole
in the past year, there have been many rumors about changes in the co arrangement as well as disfellowshipping.
i think that there is a solid legal rationale for these proposed changes that relates strongly to these two areas.. it's called 'deep pockets' and the chain of command.. consider the fact that elders are appointed by the watchtower society and have the power to expel members from the entire organization.
this is very different from the first century during which you could be tossed out of one synagogue/church but accepted somewhere else.. the elders send out records of each disfellowshipping to headquarters attesting to the fact that the organization is strongly centralized.
I do believe the younger guys are more pragmatic and will be more likely to take the advice of legal. Much will depend on who is appointed to the GB over the next 2 years or so.
LD - Its funny but I actually DID think that the reason they were making me write so many notes in my Flock book was to avoid liability. I recall one CO that was organized enough to give all the new elders in his circuit a written note that showed where to make notes in the Flock book. He got in HUGE trouble from his DO and Bethel for that move! It's one of those moments that you file away but always remember.
Ultimately, any moves they make are inspired by 1) money or 2) legal liabilty which really means money.
I really think they are going to try to find a way to institue tithing. That would help resolve their financial issues at least in the short term.
interview with geraldo rivera starts about 3:00. .
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/32639477#32639477?gt1=43001.
My apologies. We were just discussing this at work today and I'm still a little worked up.
ok, i couldn't let it lie.
i showed my wife some of the scientific inaccuracies made by the wts over the years .
my wife was concerned that i have been reading apostate literature.
cantleave - very interesting discussion. I think it's great that you and your wife have such open communication. I can't really offer any meaningful comments since I'm too much of a sissy to have the big conversation with my wife (although I've made comments over time and she knows I don't really believe it anymore).
I will say that you will find it a relief to get off the BOE. Just that alone improved my attitude quite a bit! Good luck
interview with geraldo rivera starts about 3:00. .
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/32639477#32639477?gt1=43001.
What?? LD - do you know what they are accused of? The kidnapping and raping of a young girl who they imprisoned for 18 years. It is alleged that Garrido is the father of the girls 2 children. I only say alleged because he hasn't yet been convicted but there's no doubt in my mind that he was guilty and his wife enabled and assisted him.
Prison is too good for folks like this. They don't need to be in the gene pool.
I haven't heard any news outlet mention any JW connection. The only thing I've seen so far is that he was handing out religious tracts. Despite the WTS claims, others do engage in "preaching".
Doesn't really matter what religion this sick perv was associated with. I hope the system doesn't let this girl down again and deals with these two.
