TLDR: This post is to highlight the fact that Jehovah's Witness Elders are simply men that are voted into a role of authority in congregations. Elders have no special qualifications. Elders do not have holy spirit from God. Elders are not qualified to advise or help you with any important matters in your life. If you think that males with the title of Elder are something special....then you likely will disagree with this post.
See link to post on Reddit Discussion Board: https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/ ... are_button
See link to full Color Blog covering this very topic: https://www.yorww.com/horeb.htm
As an Elder, I followed the direction of the Organization/Governing Body. I did things like:
Told people from the platform they could not serve or have a relationship with Jesus/God unless they were a JW (manipulation).
Strongly encouraged people to do more for God by working for Watchtower Corporate initiatives (exploitation).
Disfellowshipped many people in judicial committees (control).
Probed and asked deeply personal questions of average JWs during judicial matters (emotional abuse).
Repeatedly talked to average JWs to tell them to be at meetings, in field service, turn in field service time, work at assemblies, maintain the Kingdom Hall, etc. (boundary violations/exploitation).
If someone experience something negative as a result of being disfellowshipped or reproved, then it was their fault for sinning, not my fault or the result of anything Elders did (projection/blaming others).
I could keep going with many more things that I did as an Elder.....
Why did I do these things? Not because I think I am a bad person at my core, in my heart.
I did these things because:
I was primarily loyal to the Jehovah's Witness Organization.
Above everything I followed whatever The Governing Body said.
As a person that had been voted into a role and given the title of Elder I felt an obligation to enforce, bully and punish people based on direction from The Governing Body.
During my time as a MS, Elder, Bethelite and Pioneer I met many incredibly smart and nice people that are Jehovah's Witnesses. Deep down, many JW's are good people that are simply stuck in a cult.
However, through painful experience, I had to learn that Elders will very quickly decide to ruin your life due to the worship and obedience they give to The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses.
The Governing Body owns Elders. As a result, Elders willingly harm Jehovah's Witnesses in the following ways:
Manipulation and control.
Exploitation.
Emotional abuse.
Boundary violations and entitlement.
Projection - Blaming others for their failures, refusing accountability for their own actions.
This list could go on and on......
From my difficult experiences, I had to learn there is no such thing as a "good elder". A "nice or good elder" will do whatever he can to destroy your life if he feels The Governing Body demands it.
It makes you wonder: Why do JW males continue to volunteer to be Elders?
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