When I was an elder, most of the elders were pretty independent 40 to 80 year olds. They had no issue speaking up to the Circuit Overseer.
I wonder what the average elder is like now.
What Is The "Typical" Elder In The Organization Like Now?
by minimus 31 Replies latest jw friends
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SloppyJoe
Circuit Overseer visits I see are likened to the CEO of wal mart coming to your store to check up on you. Elders can FREAK OUT when the CO is here. I had a friend who was reproved and had not heard from the elders for over a year. The CO visit was a week away and they hurried up and had a meeting and gave him back all of his privileges. Usually this is done gradually, although I know that is not absolute. It was just very obvious they were trying to make things look good when they had to report to him a week later. For elders now, it can be a very stressful time.
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Splash
+1 to SJ
They have been stripped of any serious decision making - their instructions are more detailed and they are more scrutinised.
I see few young (sub 50) elders these days, we have just one in our cong. I see many older (75+) elders who increasingly struggle to understand the new light, fail to keep up with changed procedures, teach coherently or keep good health.
Many are sacrificing their relationships with their wives and children in the continual push to keep doing more.
Today is not a pleasant time to be an elder.
Splash
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minimus
I'm so glad, I'm not an elder. When I was a teenager, I dreamed about being an elder. We had no other goals. No college. No career. Just being an elder. And if you were really SPECIAL, you might be a Presiding Overseer, which I became.
Now, it appears to me that being an elder ain't all what it's cracked up to be!
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breakfast of champions
Tired.
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respectful_observer
I had a friend who was reproved and had not heard from the elders for over a year. The CO visit was a week away and they hurried up and had a meeting and gave him back all of his privileges.
I've seen this EXACT thing happen before. The Judicial Committee ends with reproof and promises from the elders that they will work to help the person rebuild spiritually through service arrangements, shepherding calls, etc. These promises are followed by complete radio silence for a year, then....WHAMMO!...the person miraculously gets all their privileges back the week before the CO's visit. The last time I saw this happen, the person had been approached by one of the elders (on his committee no less!) who expressed how much he missed hearing his comments at the meetings. When he responded that he missed having the privilege of commenting, the elder gave this puzzled look, followed by a flash of realization across his face. At the next meeting they pulled him aside and let him know he had gotten all his privileges back.
My experience is that 60-70% of elders are actually pretty cool, work hard, sacrifice a lot to serve the congregation, try to do the right thing, and aren't uptight about a lot of stuff. 10-15% of elders are obnoxious ego maniacs, and 10-15% are so clueless and out of step that they don't know the names of half the publishers and might not be able to tell you what book is even being studied at the Congregation Bible Study.
Of course what tends to happen is that certain congregations will often "breed" like-minded elders. That can be great when they're laid back and reasonable, but a complete nightmare when they act like a bunch of self-righteous, entitled, dictatorial d-bags.
R_O
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Separation of Powers
I can't speak for everyone else, but I find them to be distant and uncaring. Sure, they get up and give their parts, most of which are a simple rehash of the information as most of them appear to have poor study skills and simply don't care about the deeper things. Shepherding is non-existent except for the sister with the unbelieving mate who is always making the phone call. The kids are utterly abandoned as most elders don't even bother validating their existence. The only, and I mean only time that there is a visible measure of effort is when the CO is coming.
It is a sad reflection of the loss of faith and postponed expectation, the lack of appreciation for their efforts and the guilt that most feel thinking about leaving the post or the obvious repercussions that they would expect from the gossiping group if they ever did. It is all about going through the motions.
SOP
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gingerbread
It's still a boys club.
More now than ever the elders are burdened by more meetings, new rules and procedures & the stress of organizational business.
They deal with a congregation full of aging folks. And people with depression issues or emotional problems. The WT leadership continues to ramp up fear in talks and publications. The result of that is average publisher is scared to death - every 'bad' story to hit the news is a new piece of evidence that the big A is on it's way. The persecution complex is on full throttle (with apostates being the main source of the torment).
Some elders show sympathy. Many have become policemen bent on enforcing branch 'directives'.
Nuts.
ginger
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never a jw
More an more I see born-ins (between 30 and 50). The ones who got in the cult as adults (usually over 50 now) are leaving the religion or this world.
I think the WT is in trouble, because many born-ins are internet savvy. It's only a matter of time. 3 decades, give or take
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label licker
It's not according to the bible where it were the older men that decided your fate along with the community. Now we have all young bastards who don't even read up on the new light and df you for argueing about things like that. Then, they go home and read up on it and you find out they were wrong but don't reverse their decision to df you. Punks that are still living off their parents who are heading towards forty and still living at home with mommy and grandmommy. None of them work and still complain they have too many parts. So so bizarre. The co says his hands are tied and can't intervene unless one elder steps out of line and defends the poor publisher then he will hear the case. My question is then why have an extra burden of a co if all they do is go from congregation giving talks? It's all phony when he comes to town anyways. And there's nothing new in their talks anyway.