by twinkletoes 49 Replies latest jw experiences
One congregation that I was in had it on record that sisters used to give Public Talks (sitting down of course) in the dim and distant past, as they had no brothers
Dozy:
There was a fourth kind of Elder, too. The one who believed it all and took it seriously. Sadly they were few and far between.
Blonde:
I saw that a few times. Good Elders being worn down and either giving up or moving away.
Blondie said: Some new ones really try to be kind and considerate and to speak up at the elders meetings. Slowly (or quickly) the "old" elders start to teach the new elder a lesson and to punish him for making them look bad or going against their opinions. They start "attacking" their wives and children until the elder realizes it is not worth it and that he can be supportive and kind to people in the congregation without being an elder, that giving talks from the platform is not the way, or conducting meetings.
This is so true. Every good elder I knew eventually either stepped down or had a nervous breakdown. The attacks mostly came from the rest of th elder body who did not like it when a compassionate elder was popular amongst the R&F. I was told several times that the bible is rarely, if ever used during the elders' meetings----only the Society's literature is used. When one elder (a close friend of mine) suggested that they use the bible, the rest of the elder body gave him angry and astonished looks and told him point blank that they would be going by what the "Faithful & Discreet Slave Class directs". He stepped down as an elder not long after.
I can't figure out why they never wanted to make me an MS or an elder. I conduct a great WT study.
Blondie
So true!!!!
Rose
I was made a Ministerial Servant at age 17. It lasted a few months. The appointment really caused the start of my questioning the organization. If you don't count the fact that from age 7 on, I wondered how we knew that an invisible being actually existed that cared what we thought or did.
Holy spirit appointed a masturbator...who had gotten drunk for the first time at age 7 (although not habitual, the guilt over that one occurrence was enormous)...who was a kid prone to fighting and delighted by it (even though in secret)...who lied to his dad about reading sci-fi novels...who had (privately) cursed God at age 15...who daydreamed about women in a very "inappropriate" way (read, "normal" way)...and surely holy spirit knew about it all, right?
And any one of those should have been enough to prevent appointment, right?
When I was removed as an MS, to my knowledge I was never considered for appointment in any congregation again. jst2laws should be able to tell us whether I was considered in either of the two congregations we were in together, but I don't think I was. Even if considered, I doubt it was more than raising my name and rejecting it quickly from consideration. I spoke my mind far too bluntly and was unafraid to disagree with anyone in authority as long as I had what I considered a sound rationale for doing so. As jst2laws put it, I refused to play the game until I was appointed. He strongly encouraged me to do so, back when he was still a true believer, but I declined—much to his chagrin.
I kind of wonder how things would have been different for me if I had been maleable enough to go along with his suggestion. That's why I don't judge Zarco, Doubting Bro, Shadow, Sir82, stillajwexelder, and others too harshly. I am honest enough to admit I don't know their circumstances well enough to judge them.
Respectfully,
AuldSoul
When I was a young pioneer, I was actually brain dead enough to really believe that the "holy spirit" did have something to do with appointment in the hall. So, I never went around kissing any particular elders ass.
I guess I never really clearly thought about how the whole process would work. I try really hard and pray about it and then god calls up elder whoever one night and gives me the nod? What a shithead I was....
I was a MS for a few years and then was recommended for elder (whispered in my ears by great secret keepers). At the same time I found fault with the BOE and Brooklyn brought in the big guns (COs and DOs) and began committee hearings. About the same time, I read '30 years Watchtower Slave' and read the Bible cover to cover a few times, as well as Russell's and Rutherford's books. My climb up the ladder ended with my final public talk. It was characterized as "bombastic" and bordering on "apostate". Go figure!
The first time I turned around with a rag in my hand and toilet cleaner in the other to see an MS brother standing at the door of the MENS bathroom doing absofuckinglutely nothing to help clean, was when I decided the insane were definitely running this assylum. I went to hand him the stuff in my hands, and he said "Oh no...Im SUPERVISING, sister!" I believe my reply was "Im 38 years old have three kids and a house...do you think I NEED to be supervised while I clean YOUR urinals???" He laughed....self important jackass.
Yeah...I really missed out on all those sexy jobs the MS do, counting magazines, winding microphone cords, running the kingdom melodies tapes, doing the #2 talk, directing traffic during the memorial, kissing elder asses....
Cause I have a vagina and ovaries inside me and not a dick hanging between my legs.
Correct spelling of "supervise"
STUPERVISE
At least when it came to the organization.
Out4good said "You need to be more VISABLE in the field service". - That was what they gave as the original reason for removing me ...... but later, when I protested intensely, they gave other reasons, among others that I had protested - and that, of course, was proof positive that I was difficult to cooperate with .................. But I of course write this as a HAS-BEEN, as a contrast to all you miserable HAVEN'T BEENS !
