IS THIS WHY ELDERS ARE SO EGOTISTICAL?? (page 2)

Confession

I appreciate the balance in a few of the comments here. Yes, there are elders who are egotistical. And, yes, there are elders who are kind, loving and humble. I would not say that the former are more common among JWs than among any group of people. For every JW male who becomes an elder as a result of strong ambition to have power, there are at least as many who do so because they just think they can help. Still others allow themselves to be (almost) badgered into it, having been pressured by other elders and COs to "reach out" for eldership. They can begin to feel they are slackers if they don't.

DannyHaszard

The scum floats to the top

Countless members and ex-members can testify that there is much strife, seeking undue authority, and trickery in the Watchtower organization.

James 3:14-18:

14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Romans 1:28-32:

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

2 Corinthians 11:12-15:

12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

IP_SEC

I was only in one congo all my life. It was small and rather isolated with the closest congo between 60 and 80 miles away. The other close congos were also about 60 or 70 miles from their neighbor. So my insight is slightly skewed by that limited contact.

I do believe that all of the elders (3 now) were genuine and humble in my old congo and suffering from the same cognitive dissonance everyone else is. Loyalty to the party seems the right thing to do, no matter what.

When we went to appoint a man, we always cracked open the bible and examined the extent to which he was applying the qualifications for one reaching out.

1. Field service

2. His family

3. Loyalty to the FDS

4. Serious

5. Good example in all walks of life

6. Abilty to carry out assignments

I also noticed that it is easier for a man to get appointed if he is a good ol' boy & friend of the elders, to use a colloquialism.

To become an elder you have to want it. In some congos I'm sure you have to gain a sort of political edge in the congo and with the elders.

One of the main problems is that the Society gives elders complete authority in the congo. To question that authority is to question the FDS and Jah. That power and authority could be difficult for anyone to use properly. You get a person who looks good on the outside but is rotton on the inside and you have a recipe for bad cop syndrome.

There must be a lot of good, misled elders and a lot of bad, power hungry ones too.

tall penguin

As the wt itself would quote so often these words by Lord Acton:
“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

XBEHERE

I agree with you but also disagree about some of what you said. Not all elders are egotistical and ambitious but I do think a high percentage of them are. Sometimes you are appointed an elder because you do things the right (WTS) way and you get noticed and asked. A hardcore JW man will normally never turn down the appointment and when he finally realizes the doo doo he's stepped into he is too embarrassed to quit. The arrangement is all a sham!

tall penguin

One of my favourite elders is a humble man. What I term a "heart person." He's an elder for the right reasons and he suffers because of it. He's about 62 now and he told me not too long ago that when he stepped down from being the congregation secretary and bookstudy overseer because of health problems (heart problems--no coincidence there!) another elder (he didn't name names) told him, "Well, you've served your purpose." My elder friend was so discouraged by this. There were tears in his eyes as he told me.
This elder also stood up for me on many occasions. One time he corrected a DO who took a pot shot at me because I wasn't pioneering. Not all elders are narcissistic megalomaniacs. Some are actually "shepherds."
tp

hillbilly

lets' see... place a common man in a position were he has uncommon power.... didnt some smart guy make a pithy quoteable about that years ago?

" Havin' unchecked "Power" over those who think you have it will make you an insufferable ass." ~ Hill (10/12/05)

Well if that smart guy didnt, I guess I just did..........

~Hill

hillbilly

He's an elder for the right reasons and he suffers because of it. He's about 62 now and he told me not too long ago that when he stepped down from being the congregation secretary and bookstudy overseer because of health problems (heart problems--no coincidence there!) another elder (he didn't name names) told him, "Well, you've served your purpose." My elder friend was so discouraged by this. There were tears in his eyes as he told me.

aint it true... the Watchtower eats it's own. All the "good" elders I ever knew quit. A man of morals will eventually see the light and distance himself from those who offend his sensibilty.

~Hill

FairMind

Once upon a time I was an Elder. I wasn't ambitious or even reaching out for the position, it was thrust upon me. I worked hard but it seems the more time and effort I put forth the more responsibility (work) I was given. Ultimately the pressure of the position got to me and contributed (I believe) to things I did that resulted in my removal as an elder. Believe it or not, I was relieved when I was removed. Sometimes when I reflect back, I have to admit I miss the special privileges of being an Elder and this is because of EGO. Bottom line, too much of your life is taken if you are a conscientious Elder and it is just not worth it (IMO).

inquirer

chuckyy

I HAVE THIS THEORY.

SOMEONE ONCE SAID TO ME.....' iTS NO GOOD COMING INTO THE TRUTH IF YOU ARE A SENSITIVE PERSON.'

I HAVE FOUND IN MY EXPERIENCE AS A FORMER ELDER THAT A LOT OF ELDERS HAVE VERY LARGE EGOS. MY THEORY IS THIS:

TO BECOME AN ELDER A PERSON GENERALLY HAS TO BE AMBITIOUS BY NATURE. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE BUT IT IS FOR THE MAJORITY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU ARE A PERSON WHO IS NOT OVERLY AMBITIOUS AND YOU DONT REALL Y CARE ABOUT POSITION, YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO EVER BECOME AN ELDER.

THE DIFFICULTY WITH THIS IS, THE GENUINLY NICE PEOPLE ARE NEVER ELDERS WHILST THE AMBITIOUS, PERHAPS NOT SO GENUINLY CARING PEOPLE DO END UP AS ELDERS.

DO YOU AGREE?

CHUKKY

Inquirer-- Yes. Everything you say is true. Nice boys don't play rock n' roll. ...Why do you think Ray left the Governing Body? All the others must have a nasty streak in them mate! Carey Barber, Samuel Herd, Dan Sydlik, the 2 new guys... you name one, and they must be evil. You gotta be nasty and demanding and keep telling the flock "do more!"

IS THIS WHY ELDERS ARE SO EGOTISTICAL??

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