Announcing that Elders are no longer Elders

by Spudinator 36 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • unbeliever
    unbeliever

    In my old cong. they would say "Br. X has been deleted as an elder". They would actually use the word delete.

    If they were not being punished for anything they would ask them to say the closing prayer.

  • core
    core

    It all down to that old chestnut - how tough is the local body of elders - I have known announcements that acknowledged the years of work of Bro X or Bro Y and applause from the cong - in congregations with genuine people serving as elders- I have also known the fridgid atmosphere that can fall when someone standsa aside for personal reasons - in congs with organisation men in charge

    Getting so the only elders left are hard-line anyway so more of the formal "removal/deletion" announcements sadly

  • shamus
    shamus

    Another example of their love.

    I never found it enjoyable to hear that an elder quit... nor was I caring of the gossip about the who/where/why... although one would wait with their breath held to see if they got DF'd.

  • Blueblades
    Blueblades

    Unbeliever is right about asking them to close with prayer.That's what the CO.told the elders to do in my case when I was deleted,they did say stepped down,and I closed with prayer.There was no wrongdoing on my part,it was a family matter.I fought them tooth and nail to no avail,but now I'm glad it happened.

    Blueblades

  • shamus
    shamus

    The thing is, Blueblades, why can't they just say thank you! Why can't they just have a simple round of applause for you and your hard work you did! Not to mention the crap that you put up with...

    It's pretty ignorant, and this bothered me even when I was in the cult.

  • ApagaLaLuz
    ApagaLaLuz

    My uncle was a witness since about the 40's. He was instrumental in many Assembly hall builds, and was on the Laison commitees. He was sick for several years and ultimately ended up in a nursing home. He was able to KEEP his title. And at his funeral they kept refering to him as an Elder.

  • cruzanheart
    cruzanheart

    And then there are the overly sanctimonius elders who dislike saying "step DOWN" because, of course, the elders are simply members of the congregation, nothing special (yeah, right), SLAVES even, so they make it a point to say "step ASIDE" when an elder stops being an elder.

    "Rules, rules, rules, I'm so sick of rules! I get rules all day through, first from him, now from you -- is that all you blighters can do?" From MY FAIR LADY, my favorite movie back when I was 12. I still have all of the songs memorized, but I promise not to sing them out loud. Ever.

    Nina

  • metatron
    metatron

    Exactly

    The same is true about people who quit pioneering - and let's not forget! - ELDERS CANNOT RESIGN WITHOUT

    PERMISSION! This height of arrogance is addressed in a letter from the Society.

    They love to punish, to control, to dominate - any chance they get. I continue to call this

    obsession what it is - GREED for power.

    metatron

  • rocketman
    rocketman

    Yes, it is part of their sad little culture that they can't even bring themselves to thank a guy (they should thank his wife and kids too!) for all the hard work.

  • willyloman
    willyloman
    Yes, it is part of their sad little culture that they can't even bring themselves to thank a guy (they should thank his wife and kids too!) for all the hard work.

    I've seen this happen with pioneers, too. One stepped down because of an illness in the family that took a lot of her time and energy and led her to reluctantly give up her pioneer role. Night of the announcement, they give it to some elder who is very old and in poor health. He gets up, unfolds a piece of paper and sets it down in front of him, grips the sides of the lectern with his hands, and looks out at the audience for a very long time as if to compose himself. Then, in a monotone, he reads, "so-and-so has been deleted as a pioneer." Not a smile, not an expression of warmth or humanity, just the axe dropping, and then he walked away.

    You could have heard a pin drop. Many of us knew of this poor sister's situation and felt sorry for her. This made it appear a sentence was being imposed by a harsh judge.

    The next elder who took the stage paused momentarily and we fully expected him to offer some praise to this woman, but no, he went on with his part of the program.

    Just one of many, many reasons I came to the conclusion this was all totally bogus.

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