Posts by doinmypart

25

WERE THERE ANY ELDER'S QUARRELS IN YOUR CONGREGATION?

by badboy in

jw
friends

doinmypart

Yes.

We have an MTS-grad elder that tries to run the KH like a mini-Bethel. This elder is righteous over much, and cold to the congregation members. The PO is indecisive, so the MTS-grad in effect runs the congregation via the PO. This causes so many conflicts with a couple of other brothers jockeying for position. On this body a grown man has cried during a BOE meeting, another has walked out of a BOE meeting, and we've had meetings that lasted over 3 hours because we couldn't come to agreement on the items discussed.

Even when the circuit elders meet Saturday evening of the Circuit Assembly, our circuit had some disagreements on how to use "surplus" circuit funds. Really quite messy.

A few more things, but I can't say...don't want to disclose too much information.

21

Current/former elders -- Ever on Judicial Committee while on your way out?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

gina and i were talking about this last night.

do any of you that are currently serving as elders ever serve on jc's?

is it something you can opt out of and still be an elder?.

doinmypart

The Judicial Committee arrangement is a joke. None of the men sitting in judgment can read hearts; the Pay Attn. manual trumps the Bible, and the elders' personal opinion/judgment trumps both.

After the elders hear the evidence, they ask the person to step out. While Brother Sinner is sweating and pacing the floor, the elders are simply reviewing their notes and reading a few paragraphs in the manual. At some point the chairman asks the other 2 or 3 brothers do they think Brother Sinner was repentant.

That's it, no special effects from on high. Some elders probably already have their minds made up before the committee meets depending on the circumstances. I've seen brothers reach decisions within a few minutes, and then discuss weekend plans in order to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the time out.

It is really sad to think about. All of us are the same, we're no better than the next person, but for a few minutes on a Friday night some unfortunate person is meeting before 3 or 4 men who they believe has the power to determine their eternal salvation.

This quasi-religious publishing company makes me sick.

21

Current/former elders -- Ever on Judicial Committee while on your way out?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

gina and i were talking about this last night.

do any of you that are currently serving as elders ever serve on jc's?

is it something you can opt out of and still be an elder?.

doinmypart

cindykp

Those 3 elders should NOT have served on your comm. In the Pay Attn book (elder's manual) one of the last pages in section 5, says elders that may have a bias should not serve on comm. At one of our BOE meetings with CO it was mentioned this would include relatives.

You could have appealed, stating the brothers were biased. I wonder if the CO noticed that when he visited the congregation?

21

Current/former elders -- Ever on Judicial Committee while on your way out?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

gina and i were talking about this last night.

do any of you that are currently serving as elders ever serve on jc's?

is it something you can opt out of and still be an elder?.

doinmypart

The BOE I serve with are are a strict, "old school" bunch. Like confusedjw I used to volunteer to serve on Committees because I wanted to make sure congregaton members wouldn't have too difficult a time in the back room. I serve with brothers that like to ask detailed questions of an intimate nature. At one Committee meeting one of the Elders started with the questions (what were you wearing, did you let him...) by the 2nd question I interuppted the Elder, asked the sister to step out for a moment to compose herself, and I tore into the Elder. It really pissed me off. The Elders I serve with feel it is necessary to shame a person and strip them of their dignity, then maybe they won't mar the good name of Jehovah's people again.

Back to your question, I don't guess I can say I'm on my way out - at least not yet. But over the last couple of years I've managed to only serve on one Committee, and in that case the person told us earlier he didn't want to be a JW anymore, it was simply a formality.

Actually the other elders probably breath a sigh of relief when I don't sit on committees because they can do what they want. I still feel sorry for the congregation members that are brought before the Kangaroo Courts, but I hope that they can see from their mistreatment that if they are DF, then being out is the best place for them.

It is a tough spot to be in...be kind to a person & they possibly end up staying in the same Organization I'm trying to get out of...I just can't do it. Thankfully, in these couple of years 2 people have been DF and 3 publically reproved. The DF seem to be doing just fine outside the Org, and 2 of the reproved people have moved to a larger city close by and no longer associating.

169

Has Anyone Got Any Proof That The Society Monitors Apostate Web Sites?

by slimboyfat in

i am extremely skeptical about this, yet people on this forum seem to talk about it as though it were a fact.

so has anyone got any actual concrete proof?

here are the reasons why i don't think they do:.

doinmypart

slimboyfat

You like to play games. On the topic you started, "Watchtower Magazine to be Published Monthly" (http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/84493/1.ashx), you had a little fun.

And back on page 1 of this topic Neo, frankiespeakin, and kls pointed out that you wrote,

...we here at Bethel...

Maybe you're at Bethel, maybe you're out for another round of fun. Why don't you try playing Internet Checkers instead?

25

Wanting to leave JWs & Spouse problems

by doinmypart in

jw
friends

are you trying to fade or otherwise distance yourself from the org, but have a spouse that is a loyal jw?

on various posts i read about some that are staying in the org, or having a difficult time because their spouse doesn't understand the change.

i'll begin...my wife doesn't understand how i can turn my back on all the good things i've gotten from the org.

doinmypart

Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences, it helps to know one isn't alone in this situation.

Goldminer "she just wants the man she married back", I've also heard those words too. Hang in there.

LittleToe, sorry things didn't work out for you. I hope things are much improved for you outside the WT walls.

Are there any ladies out there going through something similar?

25

Wanting to leave JWs & Spouse problems

by doinmypart in

jw
friends

are you trying to fade or otherwise distance yourself from the org, but have a spouse that is a loyal jw?

on various posts i read about some that are staying in the org, or having a difficult time because their spouse doesn't understand the change.

i'll begin...my wife doesn't understand how i can turn my back on all the good things i've gotten from the org.

doinmypart

IP_SEC --
When I tried to "slow down", stop giving talks, stop conducting the bookstudy, all that, the elders said all I needed was a break - take however long I needed. But they wouldn't accept my letter to step aside! They were doing me a favor, yeah right. I was doing most of the work they didn't want a lot of it to fall back on them and/or make them look bad.

95Stormfront --
I've told my wife the same things. She says I want to be selfish and that I shouldn't put my wants and rights ahead of those in the congregation. Oh well...congratulations on finishing school and doubling that income! I'm in school halfway to getting my Bachelor's degree, it just takes so long trying to get it while working fulltime & JW activities.

Dave --
"No religion = no morals" You're post put things in a different light for me. Thinking about past conversations I've had with my wife I can understand that from her perspective she's thinking, "If he can leave Jehovah, he can leave me". 'Tis true I would not have met my wife if it weren't for being a JW, so in that sense it is time well spent. I'll try to remember that and not be so bitter. Thanks man.

25

Wanting to leave JWs & Spouse problems

by doinmypart in

jw
friends

are you trying to fade or otherwise distance yourself from the org, but have a spouse that is a loyal jw?

on various posts i read about some that are staying in the org, or having a difficult time because their spouse doesn't understand the change.

i'll begin...my wife doesn't understand how i can turn my back on all the good things i've gotten from the org.

doinmypart

Are you trying to fade or otherwise distance yourself from the Org, but have a spouse that is a loyal JW?

On various posts I read about some that are staying in the Org, or having a difficult time because their spouse doesn't understand the change.

I'll begin...my wife doesn't understand how I can turn my back on all the ~~good~~ things I've gotten from the Org. She thinks I'm an apostate. And she thinks I'm losing my mind. BUT at the same time she agrees there are some problems in the Org, and she won't turn me in to the other elders about my apostate thinking. So maybe there is some hope though it doesn't seem likely since she is so firm in her beliefs.

Who else out there is in a similar situation? Or how many have been in this situation but made it out with their spouse/family in tact?

18

Publisher Numbers

by geevee in

probably been discussed before but, we were just checking the monthly reports in this years km's and started looking back over the last few years to then getting out 1994/5 km's to find that basically in our country the number of publishers is about the same each year.

a couple of peaks and troughs, but basically the same.

"by their fruits you will recognize them" what about the lack of fruit?

doinmypart

NewYork44M you are correct.

SOJ doesn't tell us where he is from, but likely the increase is due to redistribution. There is a small town close to where my JW family lives in the South U.S. The town has grown exponentially in recent times due to retired people moving to the area. Actually it sounds a lot like where SOJ is, 4 congregations in 1998 up to 9 congregations presently. They just built a new KH a few weeks ago.

22

March KM also gives instructions to POs

by stillajwexelder in

also in the march km apart from the big front page article about awake being monthly - is a rebuke to pos to distribute kms as soon as they arrive.

i am glad about this - far too many pos are control freaks and distribute kms at last possible minute - it is almost as if they are saying - i am better than you because i get my km about 3 weeks before you do.

anyway we got our march kms last night and they were distributed immediately

doinmypart

Blondie

I think it is a sign that the money is drying up and the WTS is more concerned about saving money

Exactly. They are more concerned with the money. During the 6 month CO visit with the BOE, the CO inquires about how many KMs the congregation is receiving, do we need to cut back on the number received, are they given to Publishers only. These questions have been askedby the last two COs we've had.