Somehow I think nobody read the memo!

by LostintheFog1999 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  LostintheFog1999

  I came across an old notebook of mine when we were spring cleaning our attic space.

  For some reason I had written down these two references from older WT magazines.

  Reading over the two of them now I can only think that elders didn't pay any attention to the message either at the time or since.

  *** w75 8/1 p. 474 par. 14 Elders Presiding in a Fine Way ***

  "14 All the elders should appreciate their position in relation to the other brothers and sisters in the congregation.

  They are not spiritual bosses or spiritual policemen. They do not have to pry into the lives of other members of the congregation or concern themselves with the personal problems of every brother and sister."

  
  

  *** w66 9/1 p. 539 A Provision for Spiritual Help in Times of Need ***

  "It is important for those in the congregation to appreciate why this congregation committee exists. These men should not be viewed as spiritual policemen to be feared. True, the overseer and the two other brothers on the committee watch out for the spiritual welfare of the sheeplike ones in their care, but they are to do so as loving shepherds, tenderly, and not in an arbitrary and dictatorial manner. They are not bosses, but are servants."

  Chance would be a fine thing! Especially the 1966 quote about judicial committees not being like spiritual policemen. It's ironic seeing words like "tenderly" in the same paragraph.
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  I seem to remember also a quotation to the effect that the elders were not 'thought police'. I have been unable to find that quote, so it could be I was thinking of one of these quotations in the OP.

  In any case, many if not all of the elders I ever knew were dictatorial and policemen, and they liked it
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  Diogenesister

  Probably written by Ray Franz or Ed Dunlap. Or maybe Lyman Swingle?
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  stan livedeath

  lie man swindle ?
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  ozziepost

  "It is important for those in the congregation to appreciate why this congregation committee exists

  May I clarify what is being referred to here.

  At the time i.e, 1966, before the elder arrangement was introduced, each congregation had a stipulated number of “servants”, the most senior forming a three-man “Service committee”. They were the congregation servant (the boss), the assistant congregation servant and the bible study servant.

  This is the committee that the 66WT is referring to.

  Invariably these three men would form a judicial committee as required.
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  Biahi

  That’s what they SAY, not what they DO.
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  Hellothere

  I think the more you spend time in a bunker with other JWs. The more you get tired of members behaviour. The judgement and self righteous. So if a JW came to bethel as a person that thought perfect place too build on agape. That person gonna sooner or later drop that and become as others in bethel. Happened to me when i started attending JW meetings and saw the infighting and childish behaviour. You adopt too surroundings with time and start too behave differently.
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  enoughisenough

  I listen to youtube videos while I work. I recently listened to an ex elder who mentioned back in the 80's the elder schools were training the elders to be kind to the sheep and not just go along with all of the other elders if they knew they were correct in something( short story-he was disfellowshipped because of his stand in being helpful to try to prosecute a pedophile ) In another video I listened to by an ex elder, he said the training school was all about following the guidelines of the GB and supporting the organization. In listening to these videos I came to the conclusion that over the years the focus of the elder school was to more fully indoctrinate the elders to trust the GB instead of a Bible trained conscience. Some of you who went to those schools may speak to my conclusion...
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  Beth Sarim

  Enoughisenough;

  Yes, I agree.

  The eldubs in recent years have shifted their focus to the GB instead of their Bibles.

  You hear it in their prayers ''governing body this'', ''' governing body that'' ect.. rather than Bible principles.