Hi SIAM and thank you for the article!
I can totally relate to what you said and understand how you feel. However, I believe this scenario not only applies to "Elders" and their "wives" but all who were apart of the orginazation. Why do I say that? I never did aspire to become an "Elder" myself although I was probably more "qualified" than many I knew. I spotted the hypocrisy and arrogant self-righteous attitude of many "Elders" at a very young age. Even though I could see this hypocrisy I still believed this was "Gods organization" so being a JW was not easy for me. Much of the time I was depressed because of the things I saw in the org and the way I was treated by so called "Elders". I was related to many "Elders" and "Ministerial Servents". My father, father-in-law, brother were all elders. I soon figured out that I never wanted to be one and play that game. Even though this was my atitude I still was very active in service and was very good at the door believing I was taking part in a "life saving" work. I just figured God would take care of the hypocritical "Elders" in his own time and the "first will be last and the last first" in the end...
So what I am getting at is this is not only an "Elder" problem. My wife still believes in the JW/org and so do my children. I have noticed that there are also many women who have woke up on their own to the facts about JW's. I personally know of two women whose husband's were "Elders" and still believe the JW/org. Could it be that woman are more loyal in general? Has not the JW/org brain washed them into submiting to their husbands in everything? I know as a JW husband I myself blindly enforced my headship over my wife. Women are bombarded with this in the JW/org from all sides. They hear it from the platform at the hall and then they hear it at home and possibly more from a arrogant self-rightouse "Elder" who claims to be appointed by God. Now please do not get me wrong, I am not slaming you or anyone else who was an "Elder". I just feel that some who were former "Elders" still view themselves as different from the rest of us who were not. They seam to be proud of the fact they were "Elders". I am proud of the fact I never became one and chose not to play their hypocritical games.
With love for all here,
Your brother in Christ,
Greybeard
