To all former Elders – what are your thoughts

Tallon

If you were part of a judicial committee, and knowing what you know now, what was it like for you to sit on JC’s?

How did you feel if someone was reproved or df’d? Were you ever on a JC and you disagreed with someone being reproved or df’d and were overruled – how did you feel?

What was it like for you to sit in on elders meetings and having to kowtow to, and forced to uphold, the Org’s policies and procedures which you thought were morally and fundamentally wrong. Were you ever in a position at these meetings where you felt 'bullied or ganged up on' by some longer serving elders?

I was never an elder so I’m curious as to what it was like for you behind the scenes.

Ozman

That's a good question.

fulano

I have been on maybe more than a hundred jc's as a missionary in a country with many problems, also on appeal committees for years.

I didnt give a sh#t df someone when we were really convinced that that was the right decision.

The only moment I was really upset when we should have df a missionary sister but were told by the BC not to do so because of the name of JW in that town.

oppostate

JC's and kowtowing aren't things I'm proud of. All I can say is that once I woke up all those things sickened me and I had to "step down."

I see the value of continuing on as a mole. But I just couldn't do it. My mouth has gotten me in trouble for "criticizing the Society," "not being loyal to the 0rganization," and being "unyielding" to the local BOE.

My only wish is that I may have been able to wake up sooner than middle age with decades of servitude to a high control religion that only seems to care about money and power over people's lives. By their love "of filthy-lucre" you will know them. I wish I hadn't known them and I regret having been their tool for supporting their control locally, of people that I was close to and spent the most productive years of my life wasting for the benefit of the WT.

elderINewton

It destroyed me every time. I'm a father to real children so every JC felt like the worst thing one can ever do about helping someone in crisis.

I always felt like the rules would not allow you to disagree. But for some reason I found distributing was that people gave up like they wanted to be df, like they came in knowing it was over and they weren't worthy. It was odd to me at first, but I slowly realized that it's all based in designed fear by HQ. It's control not protection.

azor

I was involed with 5 or 6 in my 7 years as an elder. I was a dyed in the wool true believer. I had a hand in disfellowshipping 4 people. 2 went back. I will be calling all 4 in the next couple of weeks to apologize. Not that it would make up for what I was involved with, but its the least I can do.

Once I started doing research I never went back. I couldn't even attend a funeral. I went before the propaganda session to give my condolences to the family and left.

James Jack

1) In a sick way, it was kinda of neat. You(me), is this very "Spiritually Strong" person, listening to the weaknesses of others, makes you feel elevated because "you are so strong" that you do not give in to temptation, like these weaklings! Then you here their confession, and You get to decide if they are worthy being around the rest of us "Spiritual Heavyweights". (over 100JC's & Appeal JC's)

2) Once overruled by one of the most kindest Elders(later, him only to die in a plane crash on his way to KM School ), where another Elder's wife had a 1 year adulteress affair with a "worldly man". He was able to convince me and the other Elder not to DF her. We gave in to him. Later, the CO & DO voiced their disapproval with the JC. Looking back now, we made the right decision. Her husband supported and kept her as his wife and 20 years have passed by, and she has been rock solid as a JW.

3) Upholding the BORGS policies was easy. We were trained(however slanted), to always have documented, a Scripture and or a WT publication as a reason given for your decision.

4) Only once did another Elder butt heads with me on a decision. A Brother had been Reproved prior before, for a gambling habit. He never had given up the habit (from the last JC meeting) and kept it going for another 10 years. The other Elder felt he was "Repentant" this time, because he voluntarily confessed (he was good at hiding it) and said all the right things to the JC( Pray several times a day, reading the Bible daily, keeping up with all the publications, daily text, not missing meetings, etc.). Then I pulled out from the Congregation File, The notes from his JC 10 years ago and how he told that Committee the same exact things he told us. The result, he was DF'd. He was rein-stated a year later.

ducatijoe

Yes. One time while serving on an appeal committee we discovered that the original committee DFed the husband based on what 2 sisters said they heard him say while on the stand in court.

The Brother tried to dispute what they were saying by asking the committee to read the court transcript. They refused and DFed him.

I must say... this guy was an ass. However, in this case he was right. We as a CO appointed appeal committee,

explained that the court record showed that the 2 sisters were wrong in what they recalled.

We overturned the decision and the Elders from the original committee were pissed.

Other times I have seen politics as well as family favors in committee meetings .

As Warren Zevon sang...and should be a Kingdom Song.. "MY shits fucked up"

pale.emperor

I was never an elder, but an ex-elder I've got back in touch with since leaving told me he sat on a JC where they rushed through the whole thing and DF a person because they wanted to be home in time to watch the World Cup final.

berrygerry

Also there was a "funny" story her dad told at the dinner table with other elders and their families were all listening, they were talking about a judicial they sat on where someone was repentant but they DF him anyway <all laughed>.

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5677137151393792/raising-concerns-my-wife-success?page=1#5038404513300480

To all former Elders – what are your thoughts

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