The life of a Circuit or District Overseer

by LDH 21 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Pureheart

  A statement was made; we do not have paid preachers. Where did that come from? The ones that live in the Bethel homes live better than we do. Can you imagine not paying any bills, never being too hot, too cold, hungry. Can you imagine living in surroundings that have high security, maid service, meals dished up that you did not have to cook or pay for? Just show up for breakfast, lunch, & dinner and sit down to be served. At the end of the work day go to nice clean room that you did not have to clean. You go to sleep in a nice clean bed that you did not have to launder. The clothes that you wear are cleaned by someone else. On top of all that you recieve an allowance each month and of course your family sends nice allowances to you on a regular bases. I could go on and on but will stop at this point.

  Pureheart
• 

  Athanasius

  Hi LDH,

  Enjoyed your interesting post Re: CO & DOs. In this age of instant communication there isn't any real need for these traveling overseers. But the Watch Tower has always been behind the times. Look how ineffective the door to door work is in gathering converts. However, the Watch Tower being the slave empire that it is will not dispense with the overseers. Just as in the antebellum south the plantation owners employed overseers to watch their slaves and to report and punish any rebellious activity, so the Watch Tower uses the CO & DO in a similar manner.

  Some might remember when the Elder arrangement was reinstituted in 1971 and 1972 when the CO became equal in the congregation with the local elders. At first he was to be viewed as just one of the elders. His greatest power, patronage (appointment of elders & m. servants) was taken away from him and given to the local elders. That was changed after a brief period and the CO was elevated back to his original position of prince and patronage put back in his hands. The Watch Tower never really explained the reason for changing back to the old system. Perhaps others can shed some light on this.

  Sincerely,

  Athanasius
• 

  wheelwithinwheel

  The official explanation : the rotation arrangement meant that the elders would always be learning and never become proficient in a given area. On the other hand, keeping each in his designated place makes for an experienced elder in each position. Much more efficient! That seems to make sense doesn’t it?

  The real explanation : the Society quickly realized with their little experiment in self-government that it was imperative to keep a tight grip and maintain control of each elder body and congregation. How ? Simple ! They appoint the director, the big cheese, the main man, the presiding pepper. Enthrone a "Tower Bower". And if he stops bowing, they replace him rapido!

  And that’s why the C.O’s are still visiting. Gotta monitor quality of the local’s "Tower Bowing" and check up on the titled "Tower Bower".
• 

  TR

  When I was an M.S., I dissed a meeting with the C.O. I refused to kiss his butt while in town. I went out and did a job while he was having his meeting. I couldn't stand all the brown-nosing. "Brother" Jensen was his name.

  TR

  The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
  —Edmund Burke
• 

  Sirona

  Good points LDH.

  Personally I think that they should get a salary just like any other church clergy. This way, they would be responsible just like any other working person to pay their own bills and house themselves.

  I get the feeling that all these donations from the R&F, plus the fact that everything is paid for means that they are getting a better deal than most people! Lets face it, a 50-something JW couple who have NOTHING to worry about except for doing some talks and the JWs asking them for scriptural advice (at which point they just look up the answer in the mags).

  Meanwhile the R&F cannot afford to pay for their home because they've been told to pioneer instead of get an education, and each time the electric bill falls onto the mat they worry sick....

  Sirona
• 

  Room 215

  Hi all,
  Personally, I think they (the traveling bosses) are superfluous. For a fellowship that professes unity in Christ,there are far too many layers of authority and not enough of congregational autonomy, to say nothing of personal conscience-driven freedom. As presently set up, it smacks of paramilitarism.
  For even the finest of these itinerants (a distinct minority) the lifestyle represents a needless sacrifice of privacy and normalcy in family life. In particular does the regimen drive the wives to the edge.
  And after all, let's face it: by far the majority of the congregations-- the appointed servants especially --dread their visits and heave sighs of relief on Sunday afternoon when they leave.
  On Monday morning, it reverts to ``business as usual.''
• 

  Simon

  Angharad told me that someone in her old hall had put the visiting CO up at their house for the week. The CO's wife informed them that they expected to have a bowl of fresh fruit in their room each day.

  On the last day, the person was not going to bother (seeing as they were not staying anymore and there was some left over) but the CO's wife insisted that another fresh bowl was provided which they duly took with them when they went.

  I have only known a couple of CO's who were good, humble men.

  Remember the scripture that someone would die (?) for a good man but not for a righteous man? A lot of COs are no doubt very righteous but miss the point that they get on everyone's nerves!
• 

  LDH

  Tom,

  The difference is, that the JW go around spouting off about how 'we' don't have 'paid' clergy.

  Nothing could be further from the truth. They ARE paid, just by the Rand and File instead of where it should come from--contributions that have already been sent to WTBS--for the 'Worldwide Preaching Work.'

  Also, on the tip about them having worn out clothing and stuff, a close friend of mine (my parents 'brought them into the truth') used to be an altar boy for the Catholic Church. He had to polish the priests shoes on Sunday. The priest had SEVERAL nice pairs of shoes, but insisted that Joe polish a pair that had holes in the bottom. WHY?

  Because when he led the congregation in prayer, (kneeling, back to audience) everyone could see his shoes had holes in them and would rush to donate more so 'he could get his shoes.'

  Like I said, the hypocrisy is how JW condemn other churches for having paid clergy and they get out of it on a technicality.

  And you are right, the CO and DO will not use their car in Field Service unless they ABSOLUTELY have to. And then someone will 'gas them up' on their way back to the hall. Make sure you pay attention, they'll never take you in service on a full tank of gas.

  What a trip.

  Lisa
• 

  blondie

  I hate to say this but it has me wondering. The CO submits a list of all his expenses at the end of the week to the BOE, including all gas expended during his visit. How does he get more money by getting people to gas up his car? I can see that the expense is born by a smaller number in the congregation rather than by the entire congregation through local contributions to the KH. But I don't see that he gets any more money unless he submits that expense to the BOE as well and gets reimbursed twice. Is that what you meant?
• 

  LDH

  No, I meant that it's not 'technically' an expense if they don't pay for it.

  But although OTHERS in the car pay for their gas, frequently, they will turn in the mileage as an 'expense.'

  Unless something has changed in the past couple of years, this is a good way of 'double dipping.'

  Not to say anything of the fact that they don't have to report monetary gifts AT ALL!

  I would LOVE to see an IRS return of one of these suckers. Since there is a huge IRS processing unit here in Fresno, I will see what I can uncover.

  I bet you ANYTHING the 'green handshakes' aren't reported.

  And as far as the expenses go, if they have $250 worth of 'expenses' and $500 (not unreasonable) in the form of 'contributions'--do you think they tell the local BOE not to worry--their expenses were covered?

  Think about it. These expenses are NOT what is already covered by circuit contributions--ie, car, insurance, medical, dental, etc.

  These are expenses that are 'personal' in nature.

  Lisa