FOR LURKING JW ELDERS- REVISED LIST

jst2laws

Sorry to have to repost this but I screwed up the original thread so bad I can't even get in to 'edit'.

Here is the current list of former (some present) elders

Why do this?

For over a year I lurked as an elder on H2O and this board. For some time I feared I was the most evil appointed servant in the history of the organization for lurking here. Gradually I learned I was not alone.

JW Elders reading this, you are not alone. Feel free to email me are anyone below who's email is open. You are not crazy nor are you evil for being here. God tells us to "make sure of all things, hold fast to what is fine." How can we possibly do this if we allow some else to tells us what information we can consider? If you do not want to "make sure of all things" then you probably do not want to be here. All of the men listed below 'made sure' and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Nickname	EmailAddress	Notes
Alfie	[email protected]
Amazing	[email protected]
Athanasius		10 yr
Axelspeed		12 yr
belbab	[email protected]	10+ in 60s
bigred		25 yr
BlueBlades	[email protected]	?
Brummie
D wiltshire		14 yr Bethel 2
dannyboy	[email protected]	24 yrs
Dino		15 yr
DocBob	[email protected]
Footprints	foot prints@sbcglobal	8 yr
FreePeace	[email protected]	7 yr
Happy man		19+ yr
Hillary step	hillary [email protected]	20 yr
HoChiMin		10 yr
InquiryMan
jack2		9 yr
jjrizo	[email protected]
Jst2laws	[email protected]	29yr, Bethel 6
JT	[email protected]
kenpodragon
Lee Elder	[email protected]	10 yr
LittleToe	[email protected]
Mackin	[email protected]	5 yr Bethel 5
martinleyshon		11 yrs
Marvin Shilmer	[email protected]
Minimus		20 yr
new boy	[email protected]
NewYork44M	[email protected]	3+ yr
Outaservice	[email protected]	30 yr
outoftheorg
proandcon		7 yr
Room 215		Bethel
Roybatty	[email protected]
Salud	[email protected]	14 yr Bethel
silentlambs	[email protected]	18 yr Bethel 2
ThiChi	[email protected]
Thirdson	[email protected]	2 1/2 yr
Undecided	[email protected]
Wildturkey	[email protected]	10 yr
XBEHERE

Some of these I have added whom I believe to be former elders from previous conversations with them. I know there are more out there, I hope they check in. There are a couple more anonymous ones I cannot add to this list. Right now there is about 40 total.

If you would like to add yourself to the list, even if you are currently serving, let me know by posting are by email. If you find incorrect information please let me know.

Jst2laws

Edited by - jst2laws on 7 October 2002 13:55:9

Edited by - Simon on 27 October 2002 3:32:16

jst2laws

alfie, silentlambs, Mackin and Outaservice I have made the updates and corrections. Thanks for the participation. jack2 Sorry to cause any distress, I have deleted your addy. JT Your are always the reasonable man. Dia, thanks for the input The old messed up thread is at http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.aspx?id=38128&site=3 TOTALLY RUINED, but the comments are readable Jst2laws

Simon

The formatting should now be Ok on the other thread. Sorry about that.

Prisca

I've noticed a few formatting problems over the last couple of days. Simon, you been "tweaking" again??

avengers

You ol' tweaker, you.

Hey Simon. Thanks for all the hard labor on this board.

Andy, of the "that shark will never swallow me" class.

DocBob

You can add me to that list. I was an elder from 1985 to 1995. [email protected]

orangefatcat

What makes elders leave the organization? I was just wondering if any of you would comment on that please. Aside from Bill Bowen.

Thanks, Orangefatcat.

minimus

what makes anybody leave? probably knowing it's all crap.

roybatty

What makes elders leave the organization?

Thats a really good question. Shortly after being appointed an elder I began to see the organIzation for what it really was.just another business (besides the false and wacky teachings). For so many years I thought to myself "if only I were a pioneer.servantand lastly an elder." Well, I finally got a hold of the "brass ring" and then my eyes really were opened. For example, before becoming an elder, I use to believe that the meetings the elders had with the CO were intense gatherings about shepherding the flock. After becoming an elder and attending several of these meetings it became apparent that they werent so much about helping the members of the congregation as they were about the "bottom line" (i.e. getting the hours & meeting attendance up). I could go on and on but most here have read other posts along these lines. What finally did it for me? I wish I could list some noble reason, such as in Bill Bowens case but instead mine is a bit different. It didn't have as much to do with being an elder but instead had everything to do with being a parent. One day I just realized that I simply could not allow my kids to be brought up believing this lie. I did (and continue to do) everything possible to "break the chain" that has gripped my family for two generations.

Kind of a side note. I use to wonder why anyone would remain a JW after becoming an elder. The hypocrisy was just so plan to see. But then I began to realize that for most of these men, this was the "best" they could ever hope. Many of these men have never accomplished much in their life outside the organIzation. Added to this is the fact that theyve invested so many years in the "troof." They wont/dont have truly satisfying jobs, they dont do any meaningful volunteer work in the community, etc. Being an elder and the false sense of power and purpose it gives one is about the best that they can hope for. And for most, it simply is too hard to give up.

Edited by - roybatty on 7 October 2002 8:52:58

Amazing

Hi Roybatty: Good points. For me there was no sense of power being an Elder, but a sense of fulfillment and validation ... I was not troubled by how relaxed and informal the Elders meetings were, but I was troubled by the level of thinking ... Field Service hours, Meeting attendance, work on remodeling the K-Hall, Upcoming Assemblies, CO visits, and Judicial matters, etc. all seem to take front stage, while concern for the individual JWs was and continues to be in the background. There was at times on the part of some Elders, perhaps half of any Body I was part of, a sense of disresect for the flock ... this was troubling.

I have already posted my reasons for leaving ... but having served as an Elder and first hand witnessing the big difference between publish theory and real life practice told me that this was not just a matter of hipocrisy or human error, but that there are two distinct religions ... the one on paper for public consumption, and the JW religion that can only be known in private, directed by oral instruction ... and a religion that is wholly outside the scope of anything I would call Christian.

FOR LURKING JW ELDERS- REVISED LIST

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