by lifestooshort 44 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Oneday ... good for you! What took you so long!
Never, ... repeat after me, never let anyone put you under compulsion again!
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NoRegrets ... who is larry Graham?
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For me CO visit = the realization they don't know sh$t!!!
The last CO visit = time to get out!
clarity
played bass with sly and the family stone. he's the one who got prince on board
I've had some good experiences with some of the CO's and some very bad ones. I didn't like the new ones. We had to break in a lot of new ones, and it caused us our joy, and happiness. The CO duties have changed from encouraging the congregation to Auditors. Now, they just tell you what you are doing wrong, and repeat all the do nots that the Society has printed in the publications. Some are older and should be should retire. I can see it in their judgements. Some are so unkind, and they don't even care if they have upset anyone.
Lately, the recent CO's have been a dissappointment, though.
It appears to me that COs are going through the same Peter Principle as are Elders are as a group. There are fewer and fewer qualified men from whom to choose. Thus, many who really do not/cannot qualify to handle real positions with responsibility are being used. (Jehovah could use the stones....and he is. Many are dumber than rocks.)
The savvy ones (COs) who remain in it do so for the easy life it offers. After years of pioneering and living in poverty with no opportunity for advancement in their part-time job, promotion to CO means The Good Life. Free housing. Free car. Free medical. Expense account each week from the Cong. LOT$ of GREEN hand$hake$. They just better make sure they whip the flock into shape, cause surely someone upline at Bethel is watching THEIR "numbers" just like the CO reviews the Cong's records.
DOC
I think it all depends on your definition of "encouragement". For the witnesses, it was an opportunity for them to get more confidence in the GB...a time when they could be reviewed and make sure their FS wasn't waining..a time for them to be encouranged to pioneer or just put in more FS hours....etc,etc,etc. Here's some WT articles on the CO's visit:
*** w10 6/15 pp. 30-31 Coping With a Spouse’s Betrayal ***
One of the ways Jehovah provides comfort is through the Christian congregation. Jane received such support. “The circuit overseer’s visit came at a point when I was very low emotionally,” recalls Jane. “He knew how depressed I was as a result of my husband’s filing for a divorce. He took the time to help me reason on such scriptures as 1 Corinthians 7:15. The Bible verses and his kind comments helped relieve my feelings of guilt and provided me with some peace of mind.”
*** w99 10/15 p. 25 Can You Serve in a Foreign Field? ***
Chris, the wife of Jesse quoted earlier, relates: “I remember our first circuit overseer’s visit, after we had been here just three months. I could tell that the brother was using illustrations and was saying something beautiful to try to touch our hearts, but I could not understand him. Right there in the hall, I burst into tears. These were not gentle tears; I was sobbing. After the meeting, I tried to explain my conduct to the circuit overseer. He was very kind and told me what everyone else kept telling me, ‘Ten paciencia, hermana’ (‘Have patience, sister’). Two or three years later, we met again and talked for 45 minutes, reveling in the fact that we could communicate.”
*** w97 10/1 p. 32 Showing Love to Those in Need ***
“Two weeks before my wife’s death, our circuit overseer paid us an encouraging visit. He even showed the slides that the congregation would see at the end of the week. We were able to listen to the meetings over the telephone—including the meetings for field service conducted by the circuit overseer. At one of these, he had all those present for field service say ‘hello,’ as a group, to my wife. Thus, even though she was isolated physically, she never felt alone.
This is how they feel "encouraged" when he visits. Of course, we all know what a facade is put on by all member's when the CO visits. Special arragements for lunch....everyone goes out in service....everyone is on their best behavior.....can't have him going back to the GB with a bad report. I loathe his visit because he tries to get me to pioneer every year. Of course, I put on a facade of my own, faking a reassuring smile that he encouraged me and I will put in the application at once.
HA!
lilbluekitty,I don't know if we know the same Br. Marlowe,but we used to have him as a D.O. And he was very kind and understanding. You could tell he didn't do the go by the outline talks. And he opened up to the congregation about his depression. I really did like him.
After a while, I didn't get what the point was. The elders told him what he wanted to hear. If there was a shortage somehow, the elders were "right on it". The same dribble from the platform along with a boring story of how they got into the circuit work. It's a lot of show for his visit and then nothing. The other frustrating thing is that most of the CO's on the westcoast should really have retired long ago. Most leave the meeting right away as they are old and tired. They don't have the strength to deal with the elder body.
I've said it many times, I don't know of any organization where the person in charge visits twice a year, and it runs well.
One CO was very annoying. Kovalak was his name. I remember once after meeting he wanted to do lunch, and chose the most expensive restaurant in the area. Only a few of us went along as most couldn't afford it, or at least that was the excuse. We show up at the retaurant, it's closed. Opens in an hour. That piece of crap decided for us that we were all going to sit there and wait. And we did, just like a group of idiots. Sitting in the sun for an hour so this guy could get his free meal.
But oh yea, I felt encouraged.
EmptyInside, I think we did know the same guy because I heard he became a D.O. later on. He really seemed to be a nice guy, I knew him when I was a kid in the 90s.
The JW term "encouragement" is derived from a Greek word which means "guilt trip the hell out of you".
When I was younger, we had a couple of COs that were very likeable. My parents have kept in contact with one of the couples, now off the road. Other than very few, the COs were a twice annual tribulation to endure. We were always glad to see them leave.
When the COs and DOs would come to Patterson for the Travelling Overseers School, many of these dudes and their wives could be total crybabies. Out of one side of their mouth they would say what a blessing it was to be there, in reality they didn't want to do any work assignments or service or meetings. They really couldn't endure the bethel routine that the rest of us pawns slaved under. They just wanted to stand around and talk. You could tell many were the type that wanted to be the center of attention. And the complaints about the food from these people. COs always love to demand special diets.
About 3 years ago, we got a new, single CO to our circuit. When he came to our congregation, he was well received and liked by the elders. This was only about a year after I'd been removed as an elder, and he requested to talk to me. I agreed, and was surprised by what transpired. He didn't want to talk in the backroom. He invited me out to lunch someplace away from any other JWs. He asked why I was removed, because the reason the elders' gave made no sense, yet they were already talking about reappointing me if I just did more FS. I explained the mess and assured him that I had no desire to be reappointed. He said he was glad because he didn't want to have to write and explain anything to the branch. He went on to relate some of the things that had transpired with him as a CO and I told him about some of my bethel experiences, etc. After he filled me in on his situation... he asked my advice. And I gave him my advice. And he left the circuit work within about the next 4 months. As you can imagine, the CO that came after him proved to be a total prick.
