We all know how JW brag about their strong internal love. All are treated equal no matter rank, color, money, status etc. Is this really true? What did you experience?
Did you experience classdivision while being JW?
by Cirkeline 26 Replies latest jw friends
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wha happened?
Rank? yes. Elders somehow get special skills when becoming an elder and people kiss thier ass.
Money? Absolutely. I saw dubs chasing the brothers with money all the time
Color? Depends on what country and what area. Although I was in one congregation where persons of color made up about 30% of the congregation and we didn't have any black elders, and only one was a servent. All the elders and all but one servant was white. It was a "coincidence", according to the elder body
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JWOP
Growing up, we had a large congregation that had members from two municipalities, the city of "E", and the City of "H". It always seemed that those of us from E didn't mingle much with those from H. Of course, at the meetings we always had our friendly greetings and all that, but it just seemed that outside of the hall the two didn't mix. In the late 1980s the congregation had grown so large that they had to split; after that, we almost never saw much from the H members again.
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Disillusioned Lost-Lamb
Class distinctions? YES
Financial distinctions? YES
Favortism? YES
Racism? YES
Misogyny? YES
Narcissism? YES
Megalomania? Yes
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Chariklo
Different kind of class division here. Higher education is discriminated against.
I know one old sister with a very upper class accent who tells me she has been discriminated against because of her upper-class upbringing throughout her JW life. However, she is a true believer and believes all such injustices are part of what Jehovah allows until the time when he sweeps it all away.
If everyone was like her the JW's would still be totally wrong, but in a much, much nicer way.
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Cirkeline
I experienced a huge difference in the way I was treated when going from being a family and an elders wife to being a divorced single mum. We moved to Denmark in the late 90'ies. We were young, had two beautifull girls, my husband was an elder, and a high position. We got a warm welcome. Was officially welcomed from the podium, and was interviewd and we told our story. We got all kinds of help from the JW's. They had even filled our fridge with all kinds of food when we got there! We were constantly invited home after meetings and social events all the time! Then I decided to get a divorce. Me and my two girls moved to the other cong in town. In the beginning I just could not beleive what I experienced. No warm welcome, actually some of the elders wives never welcomed me! No one offered any help. One elder told me to contact if I needed some help. No invitations. There were 2 single sisters that I came close to. I realised that I had made a huge drop in status, and was being treated completely different. At that time I was very devoted, but thinking back I can now see that this was something that planted a seed of doubt in me. Could this really be the one and only true religion?
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Bungi Bill
Class division - certainly!:
- Much of it having to do with that column, entitled "Hours" , in the Monthly Field Service Report Form.
Bill.
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Lozhasleft
There is the obvious class hierarchy linked to Bethel bros families and contacts with Bethelites in UK as well 'knowing' bros on the HLC and the RBC. As well as that there is division re financial status. Another big shout for acclaim is related to how many generations of family JW. The worst off were new ones with no links and no money. Elders and their families have obvious rank of course. Really Christian isn't it?
Loz x
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Sheep2slaughter
Class divisions galore! I know too many witnesses that associate with those that can further their interests. COs gravitate to brothers with money. Elders gravitate to COs. unless they know they won't be given any additional "privileges" them they stay clear of the CO. Pioneers gravitate to elders and pioneers. Wanna bees, aka Auxilary Pioneers, lean toward pioneers in elders. MSs kiss everyone's ass, especially elders. R&F try to break into the "clubs" but are kept out.
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Sheep2slaughter
All ranks and classes have the uncanny ability to talk shit about members of their own class and every other class. Least loyal friends you could find. Except for people that are fading or mentally checked out.