by JH 18 Replies latest watchtower bible
Did you think it was a "show", when just about everyone showed up at the Kingdom Hall when he showed up that week?
Did you go out in the service that week more than usual, just to do like the others who were giving a show?
The moment the CO's week was over, the attendance always came back down to normal.
what i noticed most was who was giving talks at the ministry school that night.
it was always the elder wives and men who were being considered as elders/ ms's
it was always funny the week before when the hens were all trying to figure out who was going to feed him and what they were going to serve. i remember someone getting fussed at because all they fixed for him was veggie soup and cornbread. like that was too modest of a meal to cook for a co!
I usually liked the visit when I was a new JW. But as I became a MS then and elder, I hated thier visits more and more. CO were often harsh and dogmatic, real company men, who often created more problems than solved.
The friend were more loving durring his visit, some who didn't like me would change durring his visit and would be so freindly to me, to the point of comeing up and hug me, sometimes you could even see them with one eye on the CO, to see if he was looking and that's when they would be thier very best, as if the CO had some hot line to god, and that his noticing of thier goodness would earn them points with god.
These two weeks it became so evident who men were trying to please, other men. Meeting attendance up, field service participation up, the meetings absolutely groomed as who was giving the parts, comments up on WT Study.
Doesn't anybody realize that the CO use to be a local BOE somewhere and he has been on the other side of this treatment and that he can read numbers.
As with everything else, so out of focus, men pleasers, accounting to a man. SNAFU!
I personally didn't change a bit, CO's never impressed me, they are all JUST men.
abr
Regardless of how "cool" any particular C.O. was, it always turned out to be a butt kissing event. My family always fought with other families in the cong to have the C.O. stay with us and I will always remember those ridiculous prayers and special dinners. It always illustrated to me the "keeping up with the Joneses" attitude of the whole organization.
FBF
I did not like it when they changed the meeting nights around.
People put on airs and were true butt kissers.
I heard one elder call the circuit overseer (not to his face) a "serpent servant".
It was all part of the "mind set" back then. Now I look at it and wonder how I could have felt the way I did when he came. That it was special - though that was what was hammered into you.
Juni
I always thought it ridiculous how everyone acted as if he was a great king that we should be in fear of and kiss his feet! Like mentioned, I would say to others when they were nervous, "He's just a man". Got some funny looks for that one!!!!
There were a couple of them I truly loved to go and see and hear their talks when they visited. They were really more family and love oriented. The rest were arrogant and opinionated. Couldn't stand them.
I hated that they expected the friends to rearrange their schedules and work to fit their schedule. It was their JOB to serve and cater to the friends needs. Such man worship. The elders were always sweating up a storm and so touchy and worried about everything. I used to be in awe and scared of them when I was little because of the buzz gererated in the congregation. But once I was older---forget it. I hated the show.
Kitten Whiskers
candidly, now when the CO comes the sisters' talks are dropped so he can give a little talk at the end of the evening. But they do showcase the brothers who are being considered for MS or elder. My hubbie was the school overseer and they always told him who to schedule.
What I watched for if suddenly the elders would be friendly and talking to more than their little group of friends at the meetings. Sometimes the only time certain elders acknowledged me was three times a year, each CO visit and the memorial. Brothers who were always late were suddenly on time. Brothers who never worked with their group or their families, suddenly were falling all over themselves to give that impression. People too busy to help people in the congregation, were taking off from work to feed the CO and his wife. Elders took off a week from work to pioneer during the CO's visit only to be invisible the next 3 weeks in field service.
Blondie
Yep, yep, yep Blondie to all you said!
Juni
My family lived next door to the kingdum hall from the time I was 13 to 17(when I moved out)...Certain COs were really cool. They had a trailer they parked in the parking lot and were a lot of fun. We got to be pretty close because we were neighbors for a week. I remember two that I really loved and respected. One couple became really good friends with my parents, even went on vacation together to Hawaii. Others were in your face arrogant ass clowns. I always thought it was funny how everyone made a special point to go out in service that week and fought over whose car the CO or his wifey were going to be placed in. The brothers tried to show off their non existant skills and the sisters fretted over lunch/dinner plans and what they were going to wear.
