At the direction of the BOE, myself and another elder went to the hospital to bedside check on sister and while there "find out what she did".
She OD'ed in hopes of killing herself.
She recovered.
We formed a JC.
She was privately reproved.
so i was recently reading the reasons for disfellowshipping as listed in shepherd the flock of god.
the handbook is available online here: https://thetruthofjehowaswittness.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/jehovas-vitner.pdf.. on page 59, point #4, it lists attempted suicide as a reason for disfellowshipping.
has it ever been removed?
At the direction of the BOE, myself and another elder went to the hospital to bedside check on sister and while there "find out what she did".
She OD'ed in hopes of killing herself.
She recovered.
We formed a JC.
She was privately reproved.
2 pioneers of the opposite sex.
the brother is in his mid-20s, sister is in her late 20s.
both are alone in car as the only 2 out in field service.
50 yr old Elder with pioneering wife with breast cancer and 4 sons study with a 40 year old couple down the street from their home.
Elder is physically frustrated that his wife is not able to take care of him, kids and house like she did prior to FREKIN CANCER!.
He starts banging female study while kids at school and wife at chemo treatments or in service and other husband at work. Goes on for almost a year. In the meantime both couples keep study going under the roof where adultry is happening.
Couple gets baptized and they move cross country for his work.
Perp elder and double mastectomy wife move to my area. Pioneers and he is still an elder doing what elders do, incl judicial committee with others who he votes to DF due to immorality.
We get a call one day stating this sister has come forward to her BOE with a troubled conscience re: what our elder and her did a decade prior. She stated over they years they talked and he always convinced her to keep silent. She no longer can.
Our elder at the same time "just so happens" to have a heavy heart, comes forward and admits to adultry. Down plays everything.
I'm on committee. I vote to take him out back and beat the s+it out of him other 2 won't budge and I'm forced to yield. Just private reproof, deleated as an elder, and he gets to stay a pioneer to this day.
That is one story of many.
B
just spent 8 hours in a 1 day elders school last weekend.
clarification given: "moving forward any elder, ms, or pioneer who themselves or someone under their roof enrolls in higher education, may no longer qualify for privileges in the congregation.
their qualifications will have to be reviewed by their boe.".
Alfred.
It was discussed in length during the "making recommendations" portion in the afternoon.
And it was the CO that handled that talk/discussion. I just kept think about my children and comparing to the words flying that afternoon. I pretty much made up my mind at the end of the school that I'm not waiting to step down until my family is out.
30 year scotch in my office awaits the announcement. Better than Christmas baby.....
B
quite possibly the most cringeworthy thing i've seen them do yet.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tk88rstv6o.
I just threw up in my mouth.
just spent 8 hours in a 1 day elders school last weekend.
clarification given: "moving forward any elder, ms, or pioneer who themselves or someone under their roof enrolls in higher education, may no longer qualify for privileges in the congregation.
their qualifications will have to be reviewed by their boe.".
just spent 8 hours in a 1 day elders school last weekend.
clarification given: "moving forward any elder, ms, or pioneer who themselves or someone under their roof enrolls in higher education, may no longer qualify for privileges in the congregation.
their qualifications will have to be reviewed by their boe.".
Wasanelder Once> Recordings: Jajajajajaha! BEFORE even the opening prayer, the CO stood up, asked that any elders still in the lobby or break area please come into the main auditorium for an important announcement, waited an uncomfortable 30 seconds then announced: "Other than short personal handwritten notes, recordings of any kind are not permitted in any form. So there is no miscommunication, no digital recorders are to be used, no record to transcription applications to be used, no cell phone usage including recording transmission or live streaming. Are there any questions about this policy?" And I'm sitting on the front row, shoulder to shoulder with several techies, so hell no I didn't attempt to record anything.
Boredposter > Higher Education: A single scenario was presented. In a not so subtle way to prove the 'point' that it is impossible to not be affected by higher education, with the chuckling increasing with each word:
"If the appointed man, his wife, and/or child decides to attend university or trade school, regardless of the duration, he should not be dealt with by the congregation if in doing so it:
>in no way interferes with family responsibilities
>meeting attendance
>meeting preparation and participation
>having a share, ahem, a zealous share
>congregation responsibilities
>personal bible reading
>weekly family worship
>setting and reaching spiritual goals
>and being a regularly seen and refreshing part of the congregation." So did he clarify.....sorta.
AverageJoe1 > Yes! 20 minutes of how to attack an outline, which now apparently requires a calculator + another 20 minutes on how to read. I especially liked the how to read part for all of us whose favorite color is potato. Blah.
just spent 8 hours in a 1 day elders school last weekend.
clarification given: "moving forward any elder, ms, or pioneer who themselves or someone under their roof enrolls in higher education, may no longer qualify for privileges in the congregation.
their qualifications will have to be reviewed by their boe.".
The escape route is drawn, family station wagon loaded, but car is only going 5 mph right now so as not to loose my family. Snails pace i know but they are worth it.
just spent 8 hours in a 1 day elders school last weekend.
clarification given: "moving forward any elder, ms, or pioneer who themselves or someone under their roof enrolls in higher education, may no longer qualify for privileges in the congregation.
their qualifications will have to be reviewed by their boe.".
Well, the higher education discourse was just but 1 ray of sunshine in a full day of regurgitated doctrine, albeit with more videos than I have ever experienced in even a week long elders school. When it came to child molestation, I kid you not, the phrase "immediately call the legal department" was repeated no less than 35 times by instructor and fellow elders over the course of 45 minutes. As was "do not encourage contacting the police but if brought up by the victim do not hinder or make them feel guilty". Immediately render spiritual assistance to the victim is simply not in the vocabulary.
Thankfully for our 2 15 min breaks, there was coffee and bananas sitting in between 2 contribution boxes.
Keeping my mouth shut is getting harder and harder folks.
just spent 8 hours in a 1 day elders school last weekend.
clarification given: "moving forward any elder, ms, or pioneer who themselves or someone under their roof enrolls in higher education, may no longer qualify for privileges in the congregation.
their qualifications will have to be reviewed by their boe.".
Just spent 8 hours in a 1 day Elders school last weekend
Clarification given: "Moving forward any elder, ms, or pioneer who themselves or someone under their roof enrolls in higher education, may no longer qualify for privileges in the congregation. Their qualifications will have to be reviewed by their BOE."
So if my daughter goes to a 4 year college, my qualifications will be reviewed. Pathetic.
This is a frekin joke right? The grape juice keeps getting more purple.
i'm an active elder, cobe, just got home from the meeting where i handled the treasures part and concluded by announcing a friend of mine has been d/f,.....blah blah blah...and over the last year have woken up.
i simply cannot spill my guts to my wife and children as it would be family suicide.
i have zero desire to bash, spread my feelings, or become an "apostate".
OK, more thoughts.....
I had a circuit part last weekend. Standing there looking out over 1500ish. I was sick to my stomach and Im never nervous on stage. I felt sick in part because I was looking into peoples eyes, and had the ah ha moment right there that the vast majority truly did not WANT to be there. Or possibly i suck as a speaker and they were tuning out? I swear, the outline words are coming out of my mouth as approved by the CO during rehersal, and the other side of my head was having its own separate and clear back and forth conversation to the effect of: "look at all these zombies. screw these people. im done. i could be fishing. ah wait fishing with my kids. my kids, family. im up here because i simply cant loose my family. i refuse to tear them apart just because i think this is all BS......" next thing I knew im barfing out a heightened, move to action conclusion, applause. Then, i sit behind the stage and have a mini nervous breakdown.
I simply DO NOT want my kids to be in my emotional/spiritual shoes 30 years from now. They deserve the paradise that is freedom from thought control and daily doses of organized religion guilt that slowly chips away at a person. I want them, wife, ME! to be able to be real and authentic. To appreciate each other as individuals and be surrounded by family who doesn't use JW expectations as a self worth measuring stick.
Holy crap I'm ranting aren't I?
B