Watchtower DOES have paid clergy! COs and DOs are given an allowance and a brand new car to get about in. PLUS, in our congregation we always donated money to them to "help them get by."OK, the allowance isn't much - but I never saw any overseers starving, threadbare and driving around in rust buckets.
Ian
Two things about your comment. Much or little
When we were in the dominican Republic we had CO visits from these petty little dictators. The last one before we left stayed in our home, ate all of our food (our fault as we told them to help themselves), drove in our car while I paid a neighbor to "garage" the CO car for protection. After a week he presented us with a bill for the equivalent of $90 with no receipts. (average income in DR is $250-300/month, so you do the math) I showed him what the instructions say about receipts and he told me to call Bethel with a smirk. They told me to give him his money, which was to come from the poor brothers in the small congregation of JW's. I ended up giving it to him from my own pocket.
It may not be much here (US/Canada), but $350-400/month plus a car and other spiffs such as dental and health care and a $3000 "clothing allowance for him and his wife every year show why these rice Christians are so zealous for the Watchtower mythology.
In the same congregation there were 2 Canadian Special pioneers (married couple). The Society provided a nice house (Florida construction concrete block stucko with full convenience electrical, phone, water etc) health care, dental, clothing allowance as well as flights back to family in emergency (they seemed quite able to concoct an emergency every year). Family provided a modest car. Additionally they got $300 US allowance every month (150 each) plus a liberally applied reimbursement program. This required a minimum of 140 hours spent in service. You know, no matter how much they were sick, or busy doing other things they always managed to hit 140 hours dead on.....
DR is a poorer developing country with lots of modern amenities. I do not want to belittle the privations that many of these people from the first world had to endure while there. However we have to believe that "compensation" gravity of scale is far worse in dirt poor third world countries like Haiti (India, Africa). We met people from Haiti and the Society had all sorts of inducements for people to stay. Religion makes big money as the WT financials show.
Instead of money, the JW Clergy in the First world get prestige and power. In Jesus assesment of the Jewish religious leaders this reward was due compensation. Whatever way that you look at it they are as you said "a paid Clergy".
Frank75