Self Righteous Ones

by Davros 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  Davros

  Did every congregation have one or two self righteous suck ups? You know the type. The one who always has a platform assignment. The one who gets to always lead the congregation in prayer and does so with his eyes closed the tightest, head raised, and just goes on and on and on...and on....and on, especially if it’s a concluding prayer and the meeting is already running late.

  The one who tries to act more spiritual than everyone else, and let’s you know that he is more spiritually mature than most every chance he gets.

  Does every congregation seem to have one of those? Do they all get to become elders?
• 

  LongHairGal

  DAVROS:

  Yes. Enough to make you nauseous. They were all bucking for eldership.

  The only other exception to that rule was if they were con artists. This could be women as well as men. I was suspicious when I saw too much outward display of ‘spirituality’ (if you want to call it that). Too many long comments, etc. After meetings and gatherings there was just a little too much personality, BS, humor or whatever.

  Of course, I’m not active in the religion anymore. But, if I see this anywhere, I’m on my guard.
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  smiddy3

  I have been associated with at least 5 different cong.`s in my 32 years as an active JW. And I would say that at least in 3 of those cong`s I would have struck at least one of them and maybe even 2 at any one time.

  Maybe in the first 2 cong`s being then a newbie to the religion I was naive enough not to recognize them as such.?
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  LongHairGal

  SMIDDY3:

  That’s because the Witnesses want everybody to let their guard down and accept everyone..meanwhile some there had an agenda and they are attracted to the religion because some people are pushovers.

  What I described above is how a would-be con artist acts around a new bunch of people so as to make themselves attractive as a potential ‘friend’ to the unsuspecting. Of course, sometimes it could indicate an emotionally needy person..you’d have to see.

  Generally speaking, when a con artist infiltrated a congregation people would be on to them inside of two years and they’d have to move on.

  This advice goes for in the congregation as well as outside..If you meet somebody like this an alarm should go off in your head. We’re not too old to fall for this. Tread carefully.
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  Biahi

  My grandpa got ripped off years ago, by a “visitor.” A couple came to the meeting on Sunday, identified themselves as witnesses from out of town. Their car was broken down, and my grandpa “loaned” them $200. They took his address so they could pay him back when they got home. Never heard from them again.
• 

  Davros

  Yes. Enough to make you nauseous. They were all bucking for eldership.

  Yes. Exactly. And in my experience, they get even worse one they are appointed as an Elder. Some even act as, for lack of a better term, Super Elder, where they think that every utterance that comes from their mouth is inspired by Jehovah. When in reality they are clueless, ignorant, and quite frankly, stupid and naive.
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  Finkelstein

  Did every congregation have one or two self righteous suck ups?

  Really your actually asking that ?
  
• 

  Davros

  Really your actually asking that ?
  

  Yes I am. Perhaps there are some congregations somewhere that didn’t have individuals or families that are total jerks. But I guess not.
• 

  LongHairGal

  BIAHI:

  That’s what your grandfather got for extending generosity to JWs!!..Anybody who gives actual money to one of them should NEVER expect it back. Especially a stranger visiting 🤣. They probably said: ‘we hit the jackpot’.

  The story you told must’ve become so common because the religion worked a similar story into one of their magazine articles at some point as a cautionary tale not to give anything to somebody traveling who claims they are a JW.

  Of course, they don’t talk about deadbeats in your own congregation who are looking for money! They think this is normal and accepted.

  When I became aware of how negatively I was viewed because I had a full time job, I was determined never to give anybody there so much as the time of day.. My generosity was maybe taking somebody out to lunch or giving them gas money if they were my friend. Emphasis on Friend.

  The JW religion’s hateful policy against college/careers and the attitudes they engendered in the congregation have consequences even if they don’t think so!

  (My apologies to the OP not meaning to derail the thread of Outwardly Righteous people bucking for eldership)
• 

  LongHairGal

  DAVROS:

  Yes, it’s also true that when one of these nauseating individuals made elder they thought every utterance from their mouth was special.

  Let me tell you something: if somebody was appointed an ‘elder’..and I had no respect for the guy on a personal level..I never went up to them for anything. Ever.