Dec. 15th WT - WT Society REALLY Minimizes Earning a Decent Living

by flipper 62 Replies latest jw friends

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  flipper

  It's ridiculous. I saw this so much in my 44 years in the Jehovah's Witness cult. Whether it was elders, pioneers, or other people in the cult criticizing others for working TOO MUCH at their employment or missing some service or meetings due to employment. I knew one brother who had 5 children aged 5 to 18 come to me in tears one time in 1989 complaining the elders were really riding him to not miss night meetings. But he was a sole provider and could NOT get any other hours in his employment as a produce manager at a grocery store. I told him to not sweat it- providing for his family was more important - don't let them guilt you. I had an elder tell me ( even though I made all the meetings ) in 2002 that I was being " materialistic " when I picked up more work in my cleaning business . I told him at the time I had 3 teenagers, and 2 stepchildren - groceries were expensive. And how many on this board when they were Jehovah's Witnesses were told to QUIT their jobs if they couldn't get time off for assemblies ? It was stupid. It was like the WT society wanted us to give everything we had to them materially- to the neglect of our families. I didn't buy into it. Thus I rarely put money in the contribution box.

  One of our lurking JW friends sent us the JW only Dec. 15th Watchtower. Under the article " Busy and Joyful in God's Service " it has some brazenly controlling quotes designed to make rank and file Jehovah's Witnesses guilty for working and earning $$$ too much. It states on pg. 9 " The scriptures command Christians to provide for the material needs of their families. But if secular work consumes too much time and energy, it can rob you of joy in God's service . Some have concluded that putting first God's kingdom has meant SEEKING DIFFERENT EMPLOYMENT . No Christian should allow the FINANCIAL BENEFITS of a demanding job to blind him to the more important spiritual things. " Translation : You need to spend your time working mainly for the WT societies interests $$$$$ and not your own families needs. Gosh- this pisses me off. Doesn't the WT society get enough estates, wills, inheritances, cars, jewelry , etc . willed to them from long time older members ?? That's not enough. They have to " guilt " the younger members into minimizing the importance of earning a good living !

  The article continues laying on the guilt : " Good pay and satisfying work are, of course, desirable. Yet , does your present job help you to PROMOTE YOUR FAMILY'S SPIRITUAL WELL -BEING ? " WHAT JOB DOES ??? !!!! Jobs are meant to provide $$$$ to feed our families, buy important necessary goods for our family - not spirituality !! AAHHH !

  Then comes the ultimate controlling statement : " If your current employment is not conducive to spiritual growth, YOU NEED TO ADJUST YOUR SITUATION. " Says WHO ? The GB ? The alleged " faithful slave " ? Who the hell are they to tell people in the witnesses to adjust their work schedules ?? Are they missing the fact we are in the most serious economic crisis since the depression of 1929 ? Here 's the point : THEY DON'T CARE. They just want witnesses to keep feeding $$$$$ to the WT society and it's purposes . So they will continue to " guilt " witnesses into giving them EVERYTHING ! Time, money, energy, and will suck the lives of rank and file Jehovah's Witnesses away until they are dead.

  So did you folks notice this also when you were Jehovah's Witnesses ? Were you ever made to feel " guilty " about earning a living and not giving time and $$$$ to the WT society ? I know I was many times in 44 years. I think it's tragic what the WT society does to people individually . No wonder many witnesses are broke. As always I look forward to your takes and comments. Thanks, Peace out to all, Mr. Flipper
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  peacedog

  "If your current employment is not conducive to spiritual growth, YOU NEED TO ADJUST YOUR SITUATION."

  Like maybe the GB could put you through law school and buy you a big house.
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  Jadeen

  My dad told me one day that he was thinking about changing his hours at work. The shift he works is three days on, four days off and he was thinking about changing to the normal Monday through Friday. When I asked him, "why?!", he said so that he could make it to Sunday meeting. I talked him out of it, pointing out that he was going out in service a couple of times during the week and making the weekly meetings. I told him that the positives of his work hours greatly out weighed the "negative" of missing Sundays. He even managed to pioneer while working full-time. Couldn't do that working days.

  (I don't really want him to go out in field service, but he's been a lot happier with this shift. When I were little, he worked seven days a week for months on end and was a grouchy a$$hole. With this shift, he can work a bunch of overtime and still have a couple days off. Much happier!)

  Going to Sunday meetings was the only reason he had for switching shifts. I know that someone at the hall was making comments about it.
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  OnTheWayOut

  In 1995, I was a fairly brand new elder. The big "generation" change told me that I needed to plan on retiring and dying in "this system of things." So I started to pursue a certain career that would lead to a better living and a better retirement, but would cause me to miss meetings once I had the career. The elders told me I would not be a good example, would probably have to step aside as an elder if I pursued my career goals. I told them, "Okay, if you guys want me to step aside, (I am sure I said 'step down' but I don't use that terminology anymore) then you can ask me to do so."

  So I called their bluff. They figured I would just be happy as a lower-wage worker in my old job because of what they said. They were very surprised by my boldness. When the time came a few years later, I got the career, they never asked me to stop being an elder. I should have put the icing on the cake by having a party to celebrate my career, but it never happened.
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  cantleave

  3 Years ago I turned down a £75,000 PA job because it would leave very little time for anything else, I was an elder at the time and my yongest was just 4. Reading your post made me wonder if I would still turn it down. The answer is YES" I probably would still turn it down because it would mean working away 6 days a week and I would miss too much of my kids growing up. What this shows, is, we generally are not motivated just by money, we make decisions based on numerous factors. The WTS doesn't really need to control people, we do this ourselves by taking into account everyting that is important to us, and making decisions in line with all those things.
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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  flipper

  Our Kingdom Hall had numerous talks on how missing meetings due to working overtime and working second shift were due to brothers not being spiritual enough. We were told to look for new work even if it meant lower wages. The brothers who missed meetings due to working on meeting nights were never called to say a prayer for the congregation. Also,no book studies were ever held at a brothers house who was working on meeting nights.

  We had a brother who never graduated high school (who worked as a welder working second shift making over $30 hour)who was told numerous times to seek new employment because he missed too many meetings. He never listened to them. Where was he going to get a job making $30 hour with no high school education?

  My brother quit his job at a grocery store working long hours because he was hounded by the elders. We also had a brother who worked in concrete construction quit his job because he worked too many hours and missed too many meetings. After he quit his job,he was unemployed for over 1 year. His wife went back to work to help the household.
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  flipper

  PEACEDOG- Exactly. Like the GB or WT society would ever BUY us a house . God knows, they owe us all one.

  JADEEN- Very true. I have seen more and more people made to feel guilty like someone made your dad feel. It puts pressure on a person to throw common sense out the window just to appease people at the kingdom hall we don't like anyway. I'm glad your dad listened to you.

  OTWO- Good for you that you stood your ground to the elders trying to " guilt " you into changing occupations. My elder brother in law worked rotating shifts for years at an oil refinery and missed 3 weeks of meetings each month for months on end- and the elders didn't hassle him at all. It could be with position comes privilege. Perhaps that's why you were cut some slack being an elder. Some times they tend to be somewhat more demanding of the rank and file witnesses. But it is good that you stood up for yourself. It was good you were thinking of your families needs and future. Good for you
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  Jadeen

  I wonder if the amount of nagging you get depends on how big of a check you write. Are the elders "more understanding" of your situation if you cut the hall a sizable contribution every month?
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  flipper

  CANTLEAVE- I admire the fact that you would avoid taking a 6 day a week job in order to spend more time with your family and giving attention to your child and wife. That is a noble reason to not take the job. However for the WT society to " guilt " somebody to not take such a job just in order to give more time and $$$$ and energy to the WT societies goals is a different scenario. It's selfish on THEIR part encouraging families not to look out for themselves first. And THAT'S the point I'm trying to make.

  YOU AND I both realize that the " WT society doesn't really need to control people " - but the WT society DOESN'T realize that they don't need to control people. The leaders of this cult DO FEEL they need to control people to keep the rank and file JW in line. And if that involves making them feel guilty about how they spend their time, money, and resources in order to keep witnesses committed to the WT higher ups purposes they will continue using guilt to control them - I guarantee it. I saw too much in 44 years on the inside.

  RULES & REGULATIONS- You make some very good points in supporting the point I'm trying to make here. The elders and the WT society try to CONTROL the personal lives of it's members. And that includes controlling how much they work at their secular jobs. If the WT society can make them feel like " Jehovah " is dissapproving of members missing meetings by working at their employment - then they have made inroads to controlling the individual members money, time, and assets. And THAT is what the WT sociery wants - ultimate control of the $$$$ of JW people.

  It is tragic those examples you shared. I mean - will the WT society pay the bills of the concrete laborer for 1 year because he followed THEIR advice to quit his job ? No. He and his family will suffer- not the leaders of the WT society.

  JADEEN- Precisely. I imagine witnesses who donate more are given more favoritism
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  garyneal

  Of course, I was never a witness but I did hear talks like this or something similar in the meetings and assemblies. I also remember back when I was very involved in my old Independent Fundamental Baptist church how the pastor would stress that one should not take a secular job if it requires the person to work on Sundays or Wednesday nights.

  This was particularly hard for me at the time as I was a young person, not long out of HS, with the only job prospects being restaurants and retail stores. They tend to like working their staff on Sundays and Wednesday nights. The hypocrisy I saw in that situation was where I would see Christians shouting Amen to the ramblings of no work on Sundays then leave for a restaurant or a grocery store after church let out.

  Someone had to work in order to provide that service to these hypocrits!

  The final blow was when a good christian relative of mine, who would agree with and strongly promote the whole no work on Sundays rhetoric, when to perform a job on Sunday and took me with him. I asked him, "Wait a minute, I thought we were not suppose on Sundays." He, of course, said that we try not to but in some cases we have to.

  I guess on balance it depends on your priorities and trying to strike a balance.