Hi Solace, hope all is well.

This is my personal opinion and I don't know if the moderators are going to edit this but, that elder is a SON OF A BITCH. That bastard.

I am telling you, life has ups and downs and you can do whatever you put your heart into.

That brainwashed excuse of a human been is trying to use Emotional Control on you:


Make the person feel that if there are ever any problems, it is always their fault, never the leader's or the group's
• Excessive use of guilt
• Excessive use of fear
• Fear of thinking independently
• Fear of the "outside" world
• Fear of enemies
• Fear of losing one's "salvation"
• Fear of leaving the group or being shunned by group
• Fear of disapproval

Phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about ever leaving the group or even questioning the leader's authority. The person under mind control cannot visualize a positive, fulfilled future without being in the group.
• No happiness or fulfillment outside of the group
• Terrible consequences will take place if you leave: hell, demon possession, incurable diseases, accidents, suicide, insanity, 10,000 reincarnations, etc.
• Shunning of leave takers; fear of being rejected by friends, peers, and family
• Never a legitimate reason to leave. From the group's perspective, people who leave are "weak," "undisciplined," "unspiritual," "worldly," "brainwashed by family or counselor," or "seduced by money, sex, rock and roll."

Churches That Abuse
Ronald Enroth in Churches That Abuse identifies five categories to identify abusive religion:

1. Authority and Power - abusive churches misuse and distort the concept of spiritual authority. Abuse arises when leaders of a church or group arrogate to themselves power and authority that lacks the dynamics of open accountability and the capacity to question or challenge decisions made by leaders. The shift entails moving from general respect for an office bearer to one where members loyally submit without any right to dissent.

2. Manipulation and Control - abusive churches are characterized by social dynamics where fear, guilt, and threats are routinely used to produce unquestioning obedience, group conformity, and stringent tests of loyalty to the leaders are demonstrated before the group. Biblical concepts of the leader-disciple relationship tend to develop into a hierarchy where the leader's decisions control and usurp the disciple's right or capacity to make choices on spiritual matters or even in daily routines of what form of employment, form of diet and clothing are permitted.

3. Elitism and Persecution - abusive churches depict themselves as unique in God's plans and have a strong organizational tendency to be separate from other church bodies and institutions. The social dynamism of the group involves being independent or separate, with diminishing possibilities for internal correction and reflection. Outside criticism and evaluation is dismissed as the disruptive efforts of evil people seeking to hinder or thwart God's plans.

4. Life-style and Experience - abusive churches foster rigidity in behaviour and in belief that requires unswerving conformity to the group's ideals and social mores.

5. Dissent and Discipline - abusive churches tend to suppress any kind of internal challenges and dissent concerning decisions made by leaders. Acts of discipline may involve emotional and physical humiliation, physical violence or deprivation, acute and intense acts of punishment for dissent and disobedience."


Don't let him. This is a very nice place with a lot of people that can help you. In my opinion you have to do some research about the wts.

Try to get these books:

Crisis of Conscience and In Search of Christian Freedom by Raymond Franz
http://www.commentarypress.com/Publication/English.html


Welcome to the board

Take care,

Ismael