Thanks, waiting, for the compliment. My concentration has been off for the last few days because I've been worrying about my kitty. He was pretty sick, and I thought I might lose him. He's recovering now, though. :)
I can imagine how painful your situation must be for you. I've never gone through anything of that magnitude, but I've experienced a little of the treatment you've received.
Somehow it seems that when you've been wronged and are seeking redress for those wrongs, there are many elders who are very adept at making you feel guilty for seeking help.
I could never understand how we were always taught that these men in charge were shepherds and were to care for the flock, when all they seemed to do was to figuratively beat the sheep with their staffs and blame them for their own pain.
I refuse to sit back and meekly accept that "Mother" knows best and somehow whatever is done is in our best interests. If it were, there would not be so many bruised and battered sheep lying bewildered by the wayside.
Things need to change. This organization is dealing with lives and emotions, and yet I sometimes feel that the only value we have is as statistics....hours, literature, studies, and meeting attendance.
Some elders are very caring and try to be good shepherds. Unfortunately, because of the multitude of duties they need to carry out, many of them burn out. Others, usually the ones who last the longest, are the proverbial bean-counters and enforcers. They tote up the hours and make sure everybody toes the mark. Compassion doesn't rate very high with them.
We SHOULD be able to write to the Society and feel that our thoughts and feelings count for something. I've garnered from reading the posts here that that is often not the case.
Whether or not an expedient method is being used is not really the point. Maybe the organization is just too big to be able to concern itself with its' individual members. This is regrettable.