My little sister called me just now. Exciting news - stop the presses - her husband has been made an elder. She is 27 and he is 26... Is that not a little young to be an elder?

I dont recall elders being elected so young - any ideas...?

(Random Thought: Does baby sister being a bethalite and an elder's wife make up for apostate big sister?)

Where I'm from, they were making some guys elders when they were 25, and this was back in the 1980's.

One I know burned out, another went on to be a circuit overseer.

They need to use them up before they get too old or cynical !!!

I too have heard of elders younger than that. Calling someone an elder that is youthful, is a contradiction in terms. Most likely, just a favour from someone in the little club, to give their little man some status and a leg up in the world.

Elder, anyways, is just a name to cloak what they really are, and that is judges. Any idea how many years of studying and practise of law to actually become a real judge.

That'll be the day I will take any council, advise or judgements from some guy who just finished high school. Enlighten me oh worthy one, of the grand pecking order! May I shine your shoes?

Dynasties of the past and a few dictatorships today, still have the old, "he's in the family so lets make him king mentality." Raul Castro is a perfect example. So is the late Suharto's son, Bambang in Indonesia. Who's the " Boy king Tut" of your hall? Where's the middle finger emoticon, when you need it?

My mother used to get offended when these child elders came to do shepherding calls on her. She was in her eighties, lived through the depression, lived through the war, spent time in a concentration camp, escaped East Germany, had 2 marriages, 4 children, one of whom died young, and I could go on and on. What could she possibly learn from these arrogant little shits?

W

my brother has been an elder for years and he just turned 28..but he just left the organization as well...you might find him at a bar with tattoos and shaved head, earing, etc...and doesnt want to talk to anyone..not even me and I dont even care that he left..Im happy for him

I was 24 when I was appointed, the youngest in my area, ever.

Young elders believe they're smarter and as wise as the older guys.

Maybe one day the JW elders will be more like Mormon elders, wearing name tags that identify them as elders because you'd never know it to look at them. All the JW kids will be encouraged to "reach out" and "make progress" with the goal of becoming an elder before their voice changes.

W

No disrespect to anyone, but how can young men in their 20's possibly have the experience to help others? I would never feel able to go to someone of this age with personal problems if I needed to when a JW.

Maddie