I wanted to go to Bethel.
Did You Ever Aspire To Be Anything Special In The Organization?
by minimus 34 Replies latest jw friends
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YOR
If one has a "conscience" and he or she aspires to be something "Special", like those chosen for what the WTS calls "Special Services", he will have to pass a special "initiation" ritual. He will have to show he is good "material" for the job.
I am talking about the real "Special" positions or positions of trust like Special Pioneers, Missionaries, Circuit Overseers, District Overseers. Also we have to include those selected to be KM School Instructors, or attendees of the New "Ministerial Training School, or those "granted" or given Big Assembly parts consistently each year. All persons subject to "review" and evaluation by secret committees who submit their findings to Headquarters. Also we are talking about those privileged few who are invitees to participate on Special Committees or Appeal Committees within their circuit, as well as those chosen to be Substitute C.O.s within their circuit. Then too, we are speaking of any high position found at Bethel, from "Bethel Elder" on up. These people all have to fully please their WTS-minded mentors and be tested first. They must pass through an "initiation" first and be "recommended" for such high positions, apart from the normal customary "recommendation" process done in the congregation. There is an additional process included for these individuals. These aspiring "special" people have to show they have become an authentic "organization man/woman", completely. (If he/she thinks differently or thinks the can "progress" within the organization to higher heights without this specific loyalty test, he will have a rude awakening.) In short, the aspiring one's loyalty has to be checked out thoroughly before one can have any high rank within the JW organization.
Suffice it to say, for one to aspire to any high position in the JW Organization, he will find it impossible to make real progress in this direction without demonstrating COMPLETE SUBMISSION in every way to the JW Organizational leadership and their special unspoken "rules". "Rules" that are not necessarily those of God Almighty, and the bible per say but nevertheless MUST BE REGARDED AS SUCH. They must have in short, a "reverence" for the WTS and its unique "rules." Now, if the aspiring he/she doesn't know this, then he/she will have to learn this. And real fast. And in that "initiation" process, the big rule being, "you [personally] do no thinking...the organization does all of the thinking. You are just there to carry out the organization's instructions and nothing more." So, as he or she aspires, they will have to learn this rule very well, or else they will not make the grade for real JW Organizational progress or position upon evaluation.
In this way, the "organizational rules" of the Leadership become the last word to this person in high position, in all cases. And in all cases, he has to accept this arrangement. If not, he not a suitable person for "Special Services" or any position of high authority in the JW Organization, the ones specifically itemized above.
In other words, the higher one aspires in levels of authority to reach in the JW Organization, the more damage one is forced to inflict upon himself (or his is own "conscience") to do the bidding of these evil leaders. In effect, he may realize down the road, that he has actually "sold his soul to the Devil", as they say to gain a high position within the organization.
This "system of initiation" (that you do no thinking at all but the Society does all of it for you) has been in place for some time now and solidly gives added insurance to the reigning Governing Body, that only the worst (no-conscience) people achieve the REAL POWER in the JW organization. For example, like Ted J. on the G.B.
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ozziepost
Did I ever aspire to be anything special? No, didn't have to 'cos I'm already special!!!!!
Well. that's what Mrs Ozzie says.......sometimes.
Cheers, Ozzie
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minimus
Roy, I mean YOR, that was an excellent 1st post! It sounds like you either went thru this drill yourself or know people that did. You are so correct that the more responsibilities that are accepted by these individuals, the more they must sell their souls............ Are you still in the organization? I hope to hear more from you, YOR.
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YOR
ozzie,
Many here lurk from WTS Land. Some in high positions who lack the courage or will to post. Some with tormented consciences, with hitherto circumstances preventing them from action but are planning something, as in their escape from WTS Land. They are just about to take the big plunge any day now. Even some higher ups from Bethel. They realize now after 40 or more years Circuit or District work, they have indeed "sold their souls to the WTS-Devil." They want "out" but most now are old and have little by way of any money, secular training to provide financially or possess little in worldly goods, to support themselves and their wives. Given that option, some feel they would much rather CHANGE (or reform) the organization, than leave. So while they wait, they are in torment.
But I agree with you. Among regular posters here, there are those who are pretty "special", I think. You being among them. And that is in the face of the fact that most here have had little to do with WT leadership while active. I think you show "special" insights that many in "higher heights" are taking notice of, insights into a most devious work machine that churns people up and spits them out as being no good for anything in the "afterWTSlife". However, based upon the weight of your past comments and insights on JW/WTS activity and going concerns, as your wife says, I think you are special.
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YOR
Minimus,
Nope, I'm out of the organization. And yes, I "went thru the drill". I know the story all too well. Because I was one of those who used to "aspire" to higher heights in WTS Land too.
My future was "bright". All I had to do was forget I had a conscience in dealing with people and forget that there was a God above. That's all. And I could have moved up in the organization.
However I can tell you, during all of this "aspiring" I did, I inadvertently became sort of an enigma to the high and mighty in the organization. I had ability. I had the circumstances. I was an elder and a regular pioneer as they say, "serving where the need was greater," and working right underneathe the "wing of the C.O." But something snapped in me. You see, I always wanted to progress. But the more I learned about the organizational machinery, how it crippled people, raped them, destroyed them, took their dignity and self-respect from them, the more I learned of this, the more I was inhibited. I served in a number of congregations over the years, and eye-witnessed many, many problematic situations develop. The "solution" was always very political and what was in the "best interest" of the organization, you see. And if anyone was considered "WT-Special" or important was involved in something unsavory, it was always about, "who you were in the organization and all that." That was the main thing to consider. Exactly like in the world. No difference.
I began see this, over and over again. Just in my personal experience in trying to stand up for what was right, I became involved in several "Special Committee" Investigations, in several different congregations over the years. And all the same time, there were ongoing ones against my associates of mine too, who were like minded. Almost in every single case, if an individual stood for right, stood for justice, he was chastised, punished or "removed" from his position or office of oversight. All the while the known "crooks" were always rewarded, upheld and blessed, over and over again.
In the face of this, over a period of years, I slowly began to withdraw from my "privileges". Public talks, parts on the meeting, assembly parts. My "conscience" kept getting into the way. Finally, I had to give up on the hope of moving up to the top to salvage my "conscience", and started working on how I could "escape" the monster-organization. The major conflict is always the "rules" of the organization and the Bible itself, I found. As I begin to investigate, I came to know of many others who had the same "problem" as I. Talented men and women, who could not "move up" or get certain "recommendations" to certain privileges. Always a common complaint against those I knew, male or female, he/she is too "outspoken", etc. They need to learn to "shut their mouths", and learn to be more politically correct. In the face of these circumstances, these individuals either became "disgruntle" and drifted into inactivity, or just left the organization altogether. They couldn't deal with the "politics" of it all. The double standards. The outright hypocrisy of the organization itself.
But that was years ago. Things are much, much worse. For nowadays, many "higher ups" are activitly contributing to the "fall" of the WTS, behind the scenes. Circuit and District Overseers for instance, are actively involved in bringing down the WTS. Please consider the following info. It was posted on Aug. 28, 2002 by Farkel.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/35520/1.ashx
"...Hell, I've got a copy of the "top secret" Elders meeting from last year in my possession. You know the one: required a "special invitation" and an entrance ticket and you had to be "loyal to the max" to even get invited. I haven't been to a meeting in thirty years and I have my own personal copy on two CDs of the whole damn thing! I know more about that secret crap than your local elder!
Secret Body of Elders letters being published weekly on Kent's site, CO's and DO's revealing what is actually going on. Shit! I think the WTS has absolutely and TOTALLY LOST in the information revolution.
The irony of that is that the whole damn publishing company was founded, built and prospered on providing "information." Now, "information" is destroying them and they have no defense. They will NEVER reclaim the glory days of the 1960's and 1970's again. Never.
Farkel
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These are disgruntle COs and DOs who are cooperating with so-called "apostates" and are making this situation possible.
Also this post originally started by "Seeker4" on H2O back and brought over to jw.com, in the year of 2000.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/573/4679/post.ashx#4679
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES/WTS HAVE REACHED "CRITICAL MASS" - says ex-Circuit Overseer
------Posting copied from H2O-----
Posted by XElder [Seeker4] on July 13, 2000 at 12:00:52 {rN3hpWrs1Eubi2TgJVEgd9BhHXgWag}:
JUST TALKED WITH MY OLD CIRCUIT OVERSEER
A former CO that served my congregatyion when I was an elder was visiting the area and looked me up - despite knowing I was no longer a JW. He serves as an elder in a congregation on the other side of the country (US) now, but we were very good friends when he was my CO about a decade ago. Went out of circuit work about five years back.
Thought some might be interested in a few things we talked about in a long, three hour conversation.
He says he's working to overcome a deep and intense anger against the Watchtower Society for the way its misled so many for so long, and that he feels the organization is accountable not only for that, but also for the hundreds of lives damaged and lost due to following WTS policies that have now changed (alternative military service, blood, transplants, dialysis, etc.).He said he no longer has faith in much of anything that the F&DS prints in the literature. His experiences in the traveling work and with over 50 years as a Witness has convinced him that the Society has very little concern for individual friends, and is mainly focused on keeping itself going, a sentiment that he said was shared by many of the DOs he worked with, including one who told him that "the Mormons treat their members better than we do!"
In recent talks with a couple who were formerly missionaries, and who now serve in a US congregation, the couple told him they feel that the Organization is floundering, that it is essentially a "rudderless ship" without any leadership. He talked freely about the "liberal and conservative" elements at Bethel who are struggling against each other to make some sort of sense about where the WTS is headed, and how it will handle the mess it's in. This is from a Brother with lots of organizational responsibility as an elder and mucho connections among the traveling brothers and at Bethel.
Though my views would be considered apostate by a lot of JWs, he essentially agreed with me about the problems in the Organization that drove me away, and went on to assure me that many, many elders he's been able to talk with recently in his area and in mine, have feelings not that far from my own, including brothers who are in the traveling work. He said he has consistently been cautioned by traveling brothers in recent years to be careful about anything he writes to the Society, as the WTS is, in his words, "terribly afraid of apostates."
Quality of meetings and assemblies have really fallen off, he said, with brothers just dryly repeating the same old cliches, fearing to vary from WTS manuscripts and outlines, and fearing to say anything that could begin to be viewed as controversial. He made the comment that "no one" in the congregations any longer believes that the End Is Near, noting that the Society's attempt to boost field service by lowering pioneer hours was an abject failure. The friends have lost any sense of urgency in the work. He said that at a meeting of traveling brothers with reps from the Gov. Body in the mid-90s, the brothers were deeply concerned then about the drop off in meeting attendance, field service, etc. He said the Bethel bros. told them at the time that meeting attendance nationally was running at about 60%! (Can you imagine what it is now?) The brothers wanted the COs to tell them what was happening among the friends and what they should do, but when some COs suggested the need to drop the idea of handing in time, back off from making rules in areas not specifically covered by Scriptures, emphasizing Scriptural principles instead of making rules, coming clean on mistakes and screwups, etc., the Society ignored them. It was felt that any loosening of control by the WTS would result in many Friends leaving, or the WTS itself losing credibility. The comment was made that if the Society stopped having the friends hand in time, at least half would no longer go out. My CO friend said that the WTS is so used to using coercive measures like handing in time, talks about the need to do more, etc. etc., that they cannot see another way of operating. He says he thinks the Society will soon drop the handing in time requirement and make other changes, and that it will mean literally millions will leave the Organization, but they will have to do it or die out. I told him I didn't think the Society would ever reform, and he told me that other elders he had recently talked with told him the same thing. I think he hopes it can, or feels that it has to in order to survive.
Then he mentioned a couple of really interesting things. He said that if it weren't for the growth among the Spanish speaking, the work would essentially be dead in certain parts of this country. He said an English congregation in his area had just been disbanded because there were no longer enough going to the meetings to support it. It was combined with another English congregation nearby. He said he doubted if the growth among the Spanish in this country and others, and the growth in the third world, would continue for much longer as the people in these lands gained greater self-sufficiency and intellectual freedom and moved away from the idea of needing to be told what to do.
Then he dropped this bomb. He said that he felt the problems in the WTS had reached "critical mass" and something dramatic would have to be done by the WTS very soon in order to salvage the organization. Either way, he said, he felt we would soon see a mass exodus of literally millions of Witnesses, because under the present course, the Society has been totally unable to maintain any sense of urgency in the preaching work, and has failed to focus the friends on the Bible principles and Christlike way of life that would give them the foundation to want to remain an active Witness.
Until the last few months, I had felt that it would be years before things came to a head with the WTS. But in the past few weeks I've had conversations with several active Witnesses, all of whom have expressed feelings similar to this former CO. Somehow I think that the jump into the new century has also created a psychological shift among many Witnesses, and more and more active Witnesses, including elders and others in responsibility, are becoming less and less afraid to talk about what they see as serious organizational problems that are just getting worse.
It was strange to hear this brother, an active elder with years of full-time service under his belt and a lifetime as a Witness, saying essentially the same things I'm hearing here on H2O. He said he felt there was a "flood" of people leaving the WTS for essentially the same reasons I had, and that this would force some sort of changes and reform. Anyone else getting any of these same vibes? I know reform is a lot to ask, but anyone else hearing about this wave of discontent in the Organization from people in the know? Frankly, I'm surprised - I didn't expect this much this soon.
XElder
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Minimus, excellent thread and thanks for welcome!
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SheilaM
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minimus
YOR, I want to thank you for your expressions regarding the machinery behind the organization. This is especially helpful to those that may never get to see what really happens behind closed doors. I must wonder if all the good men and women with a conscience are now gone from the organization and all that's left are the hardened yes men. My hope is that within a short time, there will be more ex Witnesses than JW's. Since it appears that the GB may never change, the alternative is that the smart ones will either drift away from the organization or get themselves DF'd for apostasy. Please continue to post. I enjoy your perspective............Shelia, were you not liked in the Hall???
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ChrisVance
I wanted to be one of 144,000, but the holy spirit never bore witness.
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SheilaM
No, my Mother in law saw to that
Also marrying the only cute single brother did not make me popular in the first hall