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

by flipper 62 Replies latest jw friends

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  JWinprotest

  The elders really do not like the fact that both my wife and I work full time, and we get the little jabs quite often.

  I remember for one convention, my boss begged me to work the Friday because at the time there were so many injured or off sick. I was supposed to be an attendant so I told the brother in charge that I can't be the attendant Friday but I can help out Saturday and Sunday. He told me don't bother because they need people that will work all 3 days otherwise it will cause confusion to shift brothers around. What a load of crap.....he was obviously sending me a message that I was placing more importance on secular work. Instead I should be working for the Society being stampeded over by thousands of people trying to get prime seating for themselves and 25 of their immediate family members, cleaning up baby vomit, and using my authority to scare 10 year olds into slowing down, all for free.

  Because if I lose my job for attending a convention Jehovah will provide. Of course it will be a job making half as much with no benefits and may or may not require me to wear a sombrero or a yellow sticker with a smiley face, but at least I didn't make Satan win!!.....for crying out loud...
• 

  sir82

  There's an elder in our congregation, who was quite wealthy in the state he lived in before he came here. Had his own business, was the largest of its kind in that state.

  Sold it and moved here - had the idea of becoming a real estate agent. At the time he moved, we were at the top of the bubble.

  Gets here, sets up his own business, buys a palatial estate. Bubble bursts, his fledgling real estate business can't sell a tool shed, so he buys a smaller house.

  But guess what? He can't sell his palatial estate, so he's got 2 mortgages and no income, churning through the profits that he had from his business. He's hemorraging money.

  He's desperately looking for a job - anything - and finally gets a job driving those beeping little go carts ferrying the old and obese through airports.

  But oh oh - he's low man in terms of seniority, and they expect him to work evenings and weekends. So after 3 months, he quits.

  Dude is in his mid-50's, I have no idea what his plans are. But I'm quite sure in his little uber-spiritual clique he is viewed as a hero of sorts for "putting the kingdom first".
• 

  Butterflyleia85

  Haha the comment about how JW young adults are in this generation, is so true. A perfect example...

  My sister is 19 and is married. They both moved in with my mom. They didn't seek an eduation in college (my sister didn't but her husband did go to community college not really knowing if he really finished the two years). So she is working at a vet and he is at a fast food place... living with my mom for a year. Wow.

  But now they are going out in service saturday mornings, working all the time even every wkn, and having family studies when they can, because they seriously work all the time and really have no life. They have a small cheap apartment. It just sadness me, she's so smart and so talented. I know she is stressed out {sigh} ...I guess she's young. I just get anoyed when I think how they are being decieved... they think they are doing this for God but rather they are doing this for the Organization.
• 

  doublelife

  When I was a kid, my mom made that same deal with me. Pioneer and you can live here rent free. When I did pioneer she changed her mind and still expected me to pay her rent. I ended up losing my job to go to pioneer school and couldn't find another one til a year later. Two years after that, I decided to stop pioneering so I could find a better job and move out. I was 22 and getting tired of living with my mom. One of my elders gave me a big guilt trip. He was one of my friends but I still always resented him for making feel like crap. Looking back, it was all a waste of time. I could've had a B.A. by now and making more money.
• 

  parakeet

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

  I feel sorry for the gb. It must be difficult for them to decide what they want more -- lots of money flowing in or absolute control over their slaves.
• 

  snowbird

  Parakeet, I've often pondered the same thing.

  Actually, I think it's a form of reverse, diabolical, insidious psychology.

  They know that some members are going to buck their advice.

  I believe their hope is to guilt these enough so that they will contribute large amounts of money to assuage their consciences.

  That way, those foolish enough to heed the GB's advice will be subsidized.

  Sylvia
• 

  garyneal

  Wow, I don't really know what to say. Given that my wife is trying to reach her 'spiritual goals' and become more and more a JW has me wondering what she will do if she begins to take this drivel seriously. Her dad worked and her mom would sometimes criticize her dad for putting work ahead of life, but I understand the man, he needed a way to provide and her mom has been on disability and full time pioneering for around 20 years. Her dad did make MS and was even offered the position of elder, but he turned it down because he wanted to put his college first. After all, the man was laid off and trying to train for a decent job.

  I hope my wife does not turn out like this and if she does, I am definitely going to instill in my daughter how backwards and hypocritical all of this is.

  Now to be fair, my father-in-law was poor at managing money and would even get into heavy heavy debt and sometimes intentionally not pay his bills. My mother-in-law did the best she could and even went as far as to tell her husband that her disability check was going to pay the mortgage because they almost lost their house when he failed to make the mortgage payments.

  Still though, I find the attitudes of the WTS towards building a better future for yourself and your children appalling. The Lord will provide for us, but He also blesses the work of our hands. In other words, we must be doing things ourselves to make things better and not always just sit back and expect 'manna from heaven.'
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  daniel-p

  This is EXACTLY what the rank and file need to hear during times like these. Really, this will just make the GB look like the old crusts they really are: out of touch.
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  flipper

  WOW. Did this thread ever blow up ! I appreciate all the great responses. I'll answer the first page first , and each page thereafter . So much.

  GARY NEAL- I can understand your concern about your JW wife buying into the WT societies mind control about earning a living. All witnesses have it drilled into them by the WT society to " put the kingdom first " - it really means " put the WT societies interests first " - but your wife doesn't realize it, she's being duped.

  DGP- I do feel witnesses think the end is near and they won't have to bother with retirement. I think they are sadly mistaken.

  PALMTREE 67- I can only imagine that the GB did make families get rid of tobacco farms when they decided smoking was a DF offense. Amazing how controlling the WT society is- even controlling WHAT people do for a living.

  HOPSCOTCH- I agree. This information is ALL ABOUT the WTS controlling it's rank and file witnesses. Good point you bring up that the leaders of the WT society live on handouts. Very true. Yet they expect the rank and file members to struggle and scrape out a living. Then they even hassle them FOR THAT ! Such hypocrites run this organization.

  PAT 1060- It is very sad that witnesses were told in the 1960's & 1970's like you and your husband were told to not worry about money or retiring due to the false hope of Armageddon. It's disgusting.

  JOSHNAZ- That was awful how those elders treated you ! It is just disgusting how insensitive these people can be . Not even helping a 17 year old young man . Gawd- I'm so glad to be out of that cult !

  SIR NOSE- Good point you make about there being a double standard. Elders are pricks, I agree. Wealthy witnesses always planning expensive vacations, buying new cars, but poorer witnesses selling what they have to get rid of " worldly distractions " . Such a paradox.

  BOBLD- Exactly. Like Hopscotch said the leaders of the WT society don't look at themselves . They get free room & board, free food, free medical, free dental . It pissed me off too when elders would tell me to work less . Felt like telling them " you elders pay my bills then ".

  WHA HAPPENED- I was hassled for being self employed also years ago but today they should just leave people alone. It's stressful enough dealing with the economy- the GB should just let people provide for themselves without making them feel guilty about it ! Jesus
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  dgp

  Flipper, the tobacco farm thing is in one of Ray Franz's books. I don't remember which one. It happened; the people were forced to leave the business. Tobacco is not for me, yes, and perhaps it's not appropriate for religious people to cultivate, but it should have been a voluntary decision anyways.

  If someone knows how I can get a scan of that Watchtower, please let me know. I don't have direct contact with witnesses anymore. At least, not for the time being.