by Alligator Wisdom 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I have. Twice. I declined appointment to become an elder in two different congregations. Boy, was the elder body and CO not happy about that!
Have any of you done so for any appointments (Elder, MS, Special Pioneer)? What were the ramifications for doing such? Do you get much "heat" for refusing?
Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother NOT Exerting Vigorously by WTS standards)
They will be critical of you for "not reaching out" in Jehovah's service.
Have you been reminded of Jonah's not wanting to accept Jehovah's assignment to go to Nineveh? That is one Bible story that some elders might want to tell a person who declines an opportunity to "do more" in the Organization.
--VM44
Kudos for getting away with it. A guy here a while ago was descibing how he was being forced into eldership. There was no way to get out of it and stay married.
Were they critical? Most definitely!
And yes, they did mention the account about Jonah. However, I used several scriptures to support my answer. Two simple ones that came to mind at the time was James 5:12b and 1John 2:6. Neither the elder body nor the CO could refute those example scriptures as the basis of my decision.
The elders have since eased up a bit, and only a bit, regarding appointments being that I'm keeping a very low profile now. However, that doesn't stop them from trying to get me to extend myself otherwise in other aspects regarding "functions" in the congregation. When the CO does visit our congregation, he always inquires if I am able to "do more" for the WTS. Is it odd that they never ask me if I wanted to do more for Jehovah?
Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother NOT Exerting Vigorously by WTS standards)
What I hate is the quoting of scriptures to try and "guilt" people into doing something. As far as the scripture with Jonah, that was JEHOVAH that was telling him to do something - not just some guy. The elders think they are like Jehovah and people should just do what they say.
If you think about it, you can quote just about any scripture to make it sound like somebody should do something YOU want them to.
L
My boyfriend turned down the opportunity to become an elder, and resigned as a ministerial servant instead. He came in for some pretty rough treatment from the elders for that, and they didn't announce his resignation until about 4 weeks after he handed it in, because he had resigned on a matter of principle, and they saw that as rocking the boat.
He often says that it was the treatment they gave him that speeded up his departure from the wts, so in a way they did him a favour.
Most think that if you are offered a position then you should take it, since Jehovah knows your strengths and weaknesses and wouldn't offer the privelege to you unless he knew you could take it. There are a few elders around who realise Jehawbwer doesn't meddle in all our affairs and only you know yourself well enough to accept or decline a position... but these few and far between. The Society officially uses the logic of the former example in their WT articles and DC parts. I remember seeing several Gilead School commencement and graduation programs and almost every one of them had an experience where it sounds like they got bullied or guilt-tripped into it. I had the same mentality when I was "in"; that it would effectively be a sin to refuse something that had come my way by "Holy Spirit," which of course swamped me with guilt and depression when I couldn't do something any longer, like be at Bethel or pioneer.
They will always look at you as not having enough love for the brothers, selfish, will not leave you alone and make you feel guilty.
Just talking to a publisher who is working hard in the congr. but does not want to be a MS and he is having the same problem.
they constanly make him feel guilty and it's making him very mad.
they didn't announce his resignation until about 4 weeks after he handed it in, because he had resigned on a matter of principle, and they saw that as rocking the boat.
I did the same thing... but it normally takes a long time for them to make the announcement because they have to send it back to HQ and also talk to the CO about. Basically, they are making it harder to step down, then to "step up." Which shows how desperate they are for bodies to stand behind the podium.
Clyde turned down the opportunity to be an elder on two occasions. The first time was when the elder arrangement first started back in 1972(?) When he first heard about the new elder arrangement he was pretty excited. But after the second meeting where they were selecting the elders, he became very disillusioned. He came home that night and told me that it had almost become a popularity contest. He told me he wanted no part of it--that he took the responsibility too seriously.
They gave him a pretty hard time about it, and I believe this was probably the first crack in his faith. Clyde saw the truth about the truth a long time before I did. I'm ashamed to say I didn't make it any easier on him.
Bonnie
