Were the elders in your congregation good,bad or indifferent?

by badboy 27 Replies latest jw friends

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  crazyblondeb

  The elders in our congregation were pompous, pain-in-the-ass, controlling, manipulative, ASSHOLES. Their word was law. They were the judge, jury, and executioner. Their kids did no wrong! Yea right!! They were as bad as any of us. Sometimes worse.

  The worse elder was short and bald. He was very cocky and a pompous jerk.One of the other elders had an affair with a teenager. And get this, it was with his wife's blessing. She started teaching Nancy how to cook his favorite foods, make his favorite drinks, and everything else that he liked. She did this so that if anything happened to her, there would be someone to fill her shoes. Isn't that just a little too weird!!??

  The other elders were just jerks. They ruled the congregation. Their opinion was law. When I got in trouble at home, I was in trouble with the elders, too. I bet if I could go back and count, I'd have the record on JC meetings. They had to work for their titles.

  Most of their kids got in some kind of trouble. When my mom and stepdad were having problems--she went to them. She got the usual "obey your husband and be submissive" crap.

  Now, keep in mind while all this shit was going on, I was being molested by my stepdad, who was a MS.

  The wifes were all better than anyone else. We were expected to dress like them. Do our hair and makeup like them. blah, blah, blah!!!

  I've always dreamed of finding a way to get even with the short,bald, pompous asshole elder. Remember that song "short people"? Me and an accomplice taped a copy to his front door.

  shelley
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  JH

  All the elders in my congregation are "YES" men and obey too much.

  It's pityful to see grown men with no backbone.
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  bennyk

  Over the many years I've been in quite a number of congregations.

  The majority of elders with whom I've worked have been indifferent and ineffectual ; a rather significant minority pompous, ruddy swine ; there have been a handful that were sincere, caring individuals : too bad none of the last catagory were in my JC lynching party .

  I'm feeling a wee bit bitter tonight, perhaps I ought best take to bed. Good-night, all.
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  eyeslice

  You have to understand the elder system to understand why all elders will at sometime or other be viewed as hardliners.
  
  As an elder there is no room for any deviation from the Societies law and rules. Before dealing with a 'Judicial Committee', the elders are instructed (note, instructed not recommended) to read through sections 3a, b and c of the Elder's book; the sections dealing with Judging in the congregation. Whilst these sections talk about being merciful and trying to 'save' the sinner, they without doubt lay down the letter of the Society's law. Elders are not old to read the gospels to see how Christ dealt with siners or to meditate on the parable of the prodigal son.
  
  Like many here, there came a point when I could no longer go along with the hardline of the Society and eventually stepped down as an elder and later quit all together. When I have been asked by the elders why I don't go any more, I simpy say that I am too liberal a Christian for such a right-wing religion.
  
  Eyelice
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  love2Bworldly

  Actually I think the KH I spent the most time at (my first hall) had mostly good-hearted men who were nice people, believe it or not. As much as I hate the BS society, I honestly had good feelings toward a lot of families in my KH. Of course that is from the viewpoint before I was DF'd/reinstated. Once I tried to start coming back--I could feel the fakeness in their attitude toward me and it was never the same. They really looked down their noses at me after I fell out of good graces.
• 

  Es

  the elders in my congo were a stuck up self righteous lot. They always huddled together after the meeting never really felt comfortable interupting there male bonding time. They never really associated with us lowly ones es
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  potleg

  They were good at running around with sheaves of paper, forms and schedules, they were poor as shepheards. They were just to busy acting like the big shots in the little hall. Most were lousy at giving talks etc. Meetings were mind numbing...awful and that was their fault
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  badboy

  tHANKS everyone for your replies.