The cult of confession

megaflower

How did you feel about telling(confessing) to elders either about yourself or something you saw that the society considered a sin against the organization? Personally, I never did because I always questioned most of the elders motive. I did not want to be a busybody but there where many in the KH who were always monitoring others activities. It is said that when one confessed to the elders it is giving them(the cult) more control over you and they can do whatever they want with the info given to them. The elders keep files on everyone and record everything you say. So, I always thought it was better to say nothing at all. What has been your experience?

Quirky1

I never said shit! I kept my thoughts to myself but now if they ask I will give them a piece of your mind...

suchafool

When I was first in, a big scandel happened. Me, my ex-friend and another met for breakfast one morning, the other sis starts telling us all the terrible things about and an elder. How he was doing bad things, saying bad things about another bro. Later that day my ex-friend and I talked about it and thought she shouldn't have said those things to us and she should have never said that about and elder because he was chosen my God to be in that position and she was evil for saying those things. We let it go for a few weeks, then at book study the talked about elder announced he was no longer gonna be an elder and that bs would be at someone elses house and another conductor. We both looked at each other and then we decided to write letters about what we knew and gave them to the elders. Then a big meeting happened with all involved. The sis that told us these things denied everything. Anyway nothing happened to the sis, the elder was removed and we thought what a terrible thing that was. The sis and her family eventually left. The elder was reinstated and years later I left. But I feel like and idiot for going to them with this and believing what I believed then. I never went to them for anything else, I always felt weird to do it, but I would tell others who had problems to go and talk to the elders. How sad I was.

crazycate

Is there any scripture that says we must confess our sins to men? There is one that suggests asking for help if one is sick, which I suppose some might say could be "spiritually sick" as well, but even so, it is a suggestion, not a command.

Cate

GoingGoingGone

I confessed my 'sins', but it was years after the fact. I kept having horribly graphic dreams of my beautiful one-year-old baby daughter being killed at Armageddon because I was keeping my 'sins' secret.

I always hated when the JWs would claim that people of other religions would only do what was right because of fear of going to hell. The WTS used fear tactics too - same poison, different flavor.

GGG

parakeet

I was put through a JC kangaroo court once. Got off with a "private rebuke," but I felt terrible for months afterwards. It was not a cathartic or healing experience.

If I could change the past, I'd never have let them know anything.

Of course, if I could change the past, I'd never have allowed myself to be bullied into becoming a dub in the first place. Hindsight is always 20/20.

WTWizard

I generally kept my big mouth shut. That would keep them guessing, and now hopefully the Unholy Spirit is being cut off because they didn't guess that I have a Ouija board and a ton of Christmas decorations, plus I post on apostate forums.