The elders only have to fake it for COs visit, then the poor sheep get shorn for anther 6 months and just when publisher Billy thinks the CO will save their souls from these tyrants elders a new CO comes onto the seen, and of course he is trained only to listen to the elders. So the vicious cycle of religious rape continues until Billy and his mates burnout.
The most dangerous congregations are the isolated ones that only have 1 or 2 elders
by Chook 12 Replies latest jw experiences
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stillin
I know exactly what you are saying, Chook. I have been in a congregation that was out in the boonies before. The elders ran things with iron fists and if anybody ever tried to discuss any local problems with the CO (me, for example) he would be branded for life. New elders that moved in would be told how rebellious they were, too proud to carry microphones, etc. One CO told me flat out that he didn't come to del with the publishers, he came to deal with the elders.
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hoser
I have to also agree. Small congregations are the shits. As a brother you are stuck doing all kinds of crap. Accounts, giving talks on school each week, running the sound board and doing service arrangements when elders are gone almost every weekend.
It is much easier to hide out and fade in a big hall.
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waton
and of course even in other dictator dominated congregations, all the CO schedules are controlled by the controllers, Meals, service, so guess what the CO hears? control. A sick wt society.
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steve2
Just a hunch, but I wonder if rural congregations have a much larger than usual number of poorly educated JWs, including elders, compared with metropolitan congregations where levels of educational attainment could be higher.
Poorly educated men making decisions about often complicated relationships within congregations?
Tell me about it!
My home congregation had a body of elders who were clueless about solving interpersonal difficulties in the congregation and used the iron fist to sort out difficulties (oh, yes and sided with brothers much more often than with sisters).
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carla
Aren't they all generally small congs? less than 140 or so? I have no clue, but that was my understanding. Naturally me & my jw have completely different view of just why the congs must be so small. Me, cults, him, so we can "know" the individuals in each cong etc.... me, quacks like a duck.............stopped beating my head against that wall long ago....
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zeb
Yes poor education or nil education are the bedfellows of tyranny.
I was with a parochial (hillbilly ?) cong and I saw welcome changes when a lot of new people from the city moved into the area. As a instance the night the local high school had its graduation the hall was nearly empty and one of the elders made some negative remark on this.
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Phizzy
My Congregation was Rural, and when I joined at the end of the 1960's there were about 25 at the most. It had two or three Yokel type "Servants" as they were then, and some young guys in their 20's, reasonably educated.
It grew over the years, mainly people moving in, but never lost its attitude of independence, and liberal ideas, (few rules), viewing C.O's as a temporary nuisance, gone after 5 or 6 visits.
It eventually became two Congregations, but shortly after that I left.
Other Rural or very Small Town Congregations were as you described, ruled by the Iron Fist of Elders who lacked proper education. One such was disbanded by a C.O because it was doing more harm then good ! To this day those living in that small town have to travel to nearby towns for JW Meetings.
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Vidiot
Private little feifdoms.
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DesirousOfChange
Big fish in small ponds.