Posts by AndDontCallMeShirley

44

Men are not looking forward to becoming Elders or Ministerial Servants

by Hidden-Window in

jw
friends

i have noticed an apparently increasing number of men who are not interested in becoming ministerial servants or elders.

i also know of some that have voluntarily stepped down (which is my case) for no obvious solid reason.. i remember, during my teenage years or even during my twenties, the brothers were always looking forward to being appointed... although many still do, i have noticed there are many others with whom you do not know what the deal is.. since there is no freedom of speech within the organization, we remain in the dark about the motives and desires of everybody else.

i attend a congregation with only two ministerial servants, while it is full of men who do not seem to be willing to do more.. it is hard to tell exactly what is going on, since honesty is not possible while you are inside, but i am starting to think that more and more are becoming disillusioned.... .

AndDontCallMeShirley

It's funny how many of you were MSes or elders and now you can only assign bad motives to the ones who are still in.

Or, maybe from the outside view now that's the takeaway from an honest re-assessment?

Personally, when I served as an MS, I was 50/50 (looking back from an outside-in perspective). Part of my reason for serving was I thought I was doing the right thing- what god wanted me to do. But I'd be dishonest if I said that the title and prestige, along with "privileges", were not also a strong motivating factor... maybe the bigger influence of the two motives.

I believe there are men with good motives who still serve. However, with WT's escalating focus on legalism and shelving of normal human compassion as part of the process of qualifying, the honest-hearted ones will find it more difficult to serve and find less satisfaction in their duties. The good men often have no desire to get in the game regardless of how much they are pressured otherwise.

I've known more than one good man who stepped down because he was hamstrung as an Elder to be the caring, helpful, compassionate man he desired to be and was, instead, finding greater conflict within his own conscience for maintaining the status quo of being a corporate enforcer. The contrast was simply too great between the way things were supposed to be and the way they really are.

7

"My Husband's Not Gay" New Show on TLC Channel

by ShirleyW in

jw
friends

"my husband's not gay" a special airing on january 11 follows a group of mormon men who say they are happily married and attracted to their wives but are attracted to men also .

whhaaaaattt !!!!.

first of all don't mormons look down on the gay lifestyle, and they also shun members like jws do.. well, all i can say is i'm waiting for jw version of this show, if they're featuring mormons, the dubs must be next !.

AndDontCallMeShirley

I look forward to the JW-slanted series:

"My Husband's Not Gay- He's Just an Elder Pedophile Who Wears Spanx and Looks Metrosexual While Eating Hot Dogs"

63

LDC Semininar

by Sour Grapes in

jw
friends

ldc semininar @ patterson nov 15-18, 2014 .

entire ldc dept included remote workers/design/legal/real estate/purchasing.

oversight.

AndDontCallMeShirley

We may often be making offers on properties that are not even for sale... we are in a War – we are in small battles with each property

I guess the braniacs in the WT Real Estate and Land Development For Jehovah Dept. haven't 2+2 together on this one.

WT makes an offer on a property that isn't even for sale. When the owner says 'no', WT then does what it always does: throws a tantrum and pouts. Step 3 is lawyer up through WT Legal to piss-and-moan in the courts to strong-arm a sale. Jeez, of course it'll be a "war"... whatdya expect, dumbasses?

I bet WT laments the good 'ol days when god's people could just wipe the village out and take the real estate.

44

Men are not looking forward to becoming Elders or Ministerial Servants

by Hidden-Window in

jw
friends

i have noticed an apparently increasing number of men who are not interested in becoming ministerial servants or elders.

i also know of some that have voluntarily stepped down (which is my case) for no obvious solid reason.. i remember, during my teenage years or even during my twenties, the brothers were always looking forward to being appointed... although many still do, i have noticed there are many others with whom you do not know what the deal is.. since there is no freedom of speech within the organization, we remain in the dark about the motives and desires of everybody else.

i attend a congregation with only two ministerial servants, while it is full of men who do not seem to be willing to do more.. it is hard to tell exactly what is going on, since honesty is not possible while you are inside, but i am starting to think that more and more are becoming disillusioned.... .

AndDontCallMeShirley

I would posit that this is the way all human organizations, of any type, tend to evolve.

Ah, but WT is "god's organization". Human traits that make non-god's organizations (i.e. everybody else) spiral into politics is not supposed to affect WT.

But, of course, you are correct, Bobcat. The all-too-human daily business of WT betrays its claims of being Teflon coated via holy spirit as false. WT and it's minions are just as susceptible to the entanglements that befall Satan's corporations... but pride and self-delusion keep WT from ever seeing it.

75

New forum 'parousia' is upon us! (software version)

by Simon in

the time has nearly come to switch over to the new forum software.

of course it's not completely finished yet (and never will be) but i think it's good enough to go live with and probably already better than the current one.

i'll give you a quick overview of what to expect and post more detail about the changeover process later.. cloud platform.

AndDontCallMeShirley

Oubliette: "So when's it coming?"

simon: Soon as in the next day or two

'So where is this promised forum parousia of his? Why from the day Simon posted this thread, all things are continuing exactly as in the days of our forefathers.'

LOL. Just kidding, Simon.

Thanks for all your hard work and for the anticipated changes. I look forward to it.

9

After Mar 15 WT, who NOW is represented by the Wise Virgins??

by hamsterbait in

it used to be that the master "arrived in 1918" and the virgins put their lamps in order.

according to the noolite, the arrival is yet future.

however, the gibbering buddies now insist that the annointed have not fallen asleep, but stayed awake up until now.

AndDontCallMeShirley

But as I recall from those series of articles, didn't it do away with the idea of an "unbroken line of anointed" through history?

As Ray Franz mentioned in CoC, Barbara Anderson was tasked by WT to establish this very thing (As usual, WT made the claim first, promoted the idea for years, then decided to prove it with evidence),

Barbara tried but couldn't substantiate this WT claim. Eventually they abandoned the project. Of course, WT never corrected the error, so the idea still stands.

63

LDC Semininar

by Sour Grapes in

jw
friends

ldc semininar @ patterson nov 15-18, 2014 .

entire ldc dept included remote workers/design/legal/real estate/purchasing.

oversight.

AndDontCallMeShirley

Transparency – windows and a store front like entrance - that passersby will be able to see into.

Now, if WT could only design some transparency into everything else it does...

we are giving the Holy Spirit a chance to get us exactly what is needed rather than being limited to whats on the market

Next week on "Flip This House": Holy Spirit finds WT yet another property that wasn't even on the market. You go, boyee!

Holy Spirit- The Donald Trump of WT World.

23

To all my congregation Elders :

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

thank you for coming to my house so often because you were so concerned about me missing so many meetings.. ( actually, the only time you visited was when the circuit and district overseers were in town.

you really showed them how concerned you were about your sheep.

i now know that it is more of a duty than a concern.).

AndDontCallMeShirley

( Actually, the only time you visited was when the Circuit and District Overseers were in town. You really showed them how concerned you were about your sheep. I now know that it is more of a duty than a concern.)

This reminds me of a funny experience right before my fade began.

The C.O. arranged to go out with Elders to call on low hour/inactive Publishers. The Elders had a list of addresses, but had no idea how to find the Publisher's homes. They were driving around in circles... because they've never been to the Publisher's house!... ever. The C.O. was livid, the Elders were embarrassed only because they got caught with their pants down. The jig was up, there was no denying how woefully apathetic the Elders had been (and continued to be).

The truly maddening part is a DF person is assured of getting at least one annual visit through WT's 'reach-out-to-those-who-have-figured-us-out-and-don't-want-to-be-JWs-anymore' program. I've seen Elders faithfully get their list of DF people out, dutifully call on each one (not stopping until they actually speak with them), check them off, then save the list for next year. And they remember where each one lives so they can go back in a few months (why? Becaue they can count time for it. Shepherding visits= can't count time= isn't a priority).

It amazes me how an organisation will spend countless hours and billions of dollars trying to get a new member and yet will do little if nothing to retain him.

In business, it's a commonly known fact that it takes ten times as much effort, money and time to get a new customer than to keep the ones you already have. WT hasn't figured this simple truth out yet. But, when you exist for no other purpose than to keep people busy with treadmill minutiae, and it's free labor anyway, who cares?

44

Men are not looking forward to becoming Elders or Ministerial Servants

by Hidden-Window in

jw
friends

i have noticed an apparently increasing number of men who are not interested in becoming ministerial servants or elders.

i also know of some that have voluntarily stepped down (which is my case) for no obvious solid reason.. i remember, during my teenage years or even during my twenties, the brothers were always looking forward to being appointed... although many still do, i have noticed there are many others with whom you do not know what the deal is.. since there is no freedom of speech within the organization, we remain in the dark about the motives and desires of everybody else.

i attend a congregation with only two ministerial servants, while it is full of men who do not seem to be willing to do more.. it is hard to tell exactly what is going on, since honesty is not possible while you are inside, but i am starting to think that more and more are becoming disillusioned.... .

AndDontCallMeShirley

With the WT's changes in policies lately, especially in regard to pedophilia cases, I don't see how any man in his right mind would want to be a MS or Elder. WT has essentially placed all responsibility at the feet of Elders when things go south... despite the fact that Elders have followed corporate policy.

Recently, CO's have been placed solely in charge of appointments and deletions. More WT distance between themselves and the free help when problems arise.

When you look at the caliber of men (term is being used loosely here) reaching out, and who WT (the C.O.) is willingly appointing, it is not hard to see the direction the Org. is taking. The term "the bottom of the barrel" comes to mind.

The good men with some semblence of conscience are stepping down; the hole is filled only by the most devoted WT suck-up. I saw this repeatedly right before my exit. Good men were essentially driven off of the BOE or couldn't take the pressure of serving with a body of men running roughshod over the Cong. and stepped down. Given enough time, only the power-hungry, self-serving, consciousless politician-types are left to run the show.

25

Public Speaker Training stifled by wt, it's new 'school' programme.

by prologos in

the 2015 school setup, discussed this week eliminates the last "school talk" by brothers in favour of 'demonstartions" (a la sisters conversations) of family worship sessions and the like.. is this not a shift away from encouraging bright young ones to hone their (under-estimated) speaker skills ---to.

now using more of the die-hard, org-bound, --even elders in indoctrination demonstrations?.

do you see this trend?

AndDontCallMeShirley

bible reading down to 3 minutes?

It's all a part of the new streamlined WT. Less Bible reading means more time to talk about WT.