Interesting stats Zack. You would think the society would be doing something to try to prevent such a drastic decrease in the low level field managers. Just the paperwork and part preperation are overwhelming after a while.
You can make that stat less than 60,000 minus 1. I resently submitted a letter of resignation. I was headed down that road even before I had doubts. Now, the decision was pretty easy. At least 2007 is off to a good start for me!
I also know of circuit stars that are suddenly gone. Sometimes the rumor mill tries to destroy their reputation but I now think that many of them are in the same boat that I'm in.
In my case I now realize that the stress was a DIRECT RESULT OF FEELING OBLIGATED TO PARTICIPATE IN A SYSTEM I DIDN'T AGREE with. They were the cause of the stress. I would probably have fine if I had never become an elder. We hauled people in front of committees for the pettiest stuff and as a young elder I really could go along.
Right Voltaire, thats what it came down to with me. Its one thing to sit back and shake your head in disbelief over some insane statement in the Revelation book. Its a completely different thing to sit in front of the congregation and try to act like you think its gospel truth from Gods channel of communication. My conscience couldn't allow me to continue pushing this belief system.
Another aspect of being an elder is you really get an inside look at how the corporation organization really works. It really is a publishing company using volunteer labor. The elders meetings are usually discussions on 1) how to increase attendance at meetings, 2) increasing hours and sales in service, and 3) making sure that everyone follows corporate dictates. Very little (in my experience) about helping those who need help or even just supporting the average person.
And then, there's the crazy things that happen in the congregation that you have to deal with. Its one thing when someone asks for advice in dealing with a problem. To me, thats what friends do for one another. But, confessioning all your "sins" to a group of men always struck me as being very strange. The files and letters memorialize this information for years.
Finally, seeing how the elders really are crushes anyone with a sincere desire to help others. I was shocked in one of my first elder meetings where there was yelling, slamming down books and the like. I couldn't believe it. People that I thought had the congregations best interests at heart, who acted so loving in public, were ogres in real life.
Theres a limit as to how much of that you can take. The problem for the WTS is that the ones who have the best interests of the congregation at heart (albeit are misguided) are the ones that can't take the stress any longer. So, you're left with a hard core group in some places.
