by solomon 44 Replies latest watchtower bible
Exactly - the "prodigal returns" family also lived a 6-figure-income lifestyle as well.
Most JWs I have observed are lower middle class at best.
I wonder if it is some sort of subtle "prosperity gospel" message they are trying to sneak in, as it were - "If you live a 'spiritual' life, Jehovah will pour out material blessings on you like this 4000 square foot house, this $40,000 SUV, etc."
Showcase. Make videos like that, and showcase them as if it was normal. Then, visitors will think it's normal for jokehovians to live rich. In reality, anyone that has that much money "needs to donate it all to the Worldwide Damnation Fund" and needs to cut way back on work so they can pious-sneer.
JW's are quite well off in the area of the U.S. that I live in, myself not included. Your comments are correct though, most of these people were not born-ins so they had an education before becoming witlesses. I am not sure what point that video is attempting to convey, interesting to watch it soon.
insdetheKH: there is nothing wrong with being a millionaire, i know several of them in my congregation and circuit
You totally missed the point. The OP didn't say there was anything wrong with it. His point is that JWs who lived as the org said to in the past usually can't live that way. If they're like me, they thought the sky was falling and lived accordingly - giving up education, jobs, etc.
BU2B & sir82 - I noticed the same thing about the "prodigal returns" video. I have done that kind of work, and believe me, it doesn't work out as portrayed in the video.
XBEHERE - They might be well off where you're from, but not where I'm from. I have only known two or three families that were middle class or above, and they didn't pioneer, etc. like I did. They went to meetings and did their few hours a month in service. That's not the way we were told to live in the 70's, 80's, & 90's when the sky was supposed to fall.
It does seem that there's some kind of major image/message overhaul going on. It pisses me off considering how they told me to live. I did what they said; I've been virtually homeless & transportationless at times while slaving for them. And now they show JWs living like this. Anybody who doesn't see something wrong with it was either not around in the 70's, 80's, 90's or was there and just didn't comprehend. I'm not saying there's something with that lifestyle; I'm saying there's something with JWs preaching against it for decades and then showing JWs living that way as if it's the norm among them. I remember being told that even if we could afford a higher lifestyle to be careful living such because it could set a bad example for others.
ambersun -
Is the writer of this thread joking? Seriously, this type of message just can't be coming from the WTS. It's an about face and completely against JWism. If it is true, then they are trying to rebrand. They are also trying to raise the ideals for their followers, perhaps, make the followers richer and the WTS will be richer.
Is the Watchtower taking a page out of Scientology. Perhaps a GB member said, "Hey, why should we take all these poor shmucks as followers. Let's target the rich ones."
I was in the Boca Raton congregation in the early to mid 80's (time of Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, Material Girl, and Miami Vice). The elders told our congregation to not flaunt our wealth, if we had any (most were upper middle class) at any convention or even within the congregation as the love of "big" things was loving this world and being materialisitc. Those without a BMW or Mecedes, talked about the ones in the congregation that had one. Or, lived in Boca's exclusive communities. They were viewed as needing to change their apparearance, so as not to 'stumble' others.
I also remember a WT article on being a slave to fashion. It showed materialism.
I think this video is going to stumble the long term humble.
Anyway, let me know when the cruise ship shows up, the Governing Body starts wearing strange clothes, and the William's sisters start jumping up & down on Oprah's couch screaming they are "happy." Perhaps the JWs and Scientology will merge.
I haven't seen the video yet. It seems, though, that the WT has been sending mixed signals for awhile.
Praise will always be given to the sacrificial lambs. Special titles, special meetings, put on a pedestal at assemblies, etc. That of course is in the WT's best interests. They want these "givers" to keep on giving. Free salespeople and laborers.
OTOH, they are also sending the message that they aren't exactly going to ostracize the money folks. Actually they are whispering "It's ok, we need you too."
I picked up on that a few years ago and privately adjusted my stance. That was before I even learned TTATT. The added benefits to this "balanced" approach (besides having more money) was - personally being less judgemental, less self-righteous, and interestingly less black-balled by men in the congregation that thought I was trying to out do them "spiritually".
LOL... What a nutball organization.
-TE
The point is that if someone was a JW in high school age and older, and followed the advice drilled into their heads in the YPA book, WT and Awake, Demos on Conventions and Assemblys, DVDs etc.. They will NEVER live in homes like the WT potrays in its pictures and videos.
The only way JWs are living like that is if they
1. Became a JW after college and after they had already started a career and family, or
2. Disregarded "Jehovahs loving counsel provided by the slave class" and got an education and career anyways in which case they are not exemplary nor typical JWs and shouldn't be used as examples.
Even my dyed in the wool JW wife commented on the extravagant (by JW standards) home in the Prodigal DVD. Can you imagine JWs in the devlopig world watching this? They will think this is the way JWs in the US really live! Like everything else WT, so deceptive.
The only way JWs are living like that is if they. . . . . .
Become part of the clergy class in Brooklyn or now Warwick and are given their own luxury condo/apartment/residence.
The apartments in the properties that were recently sold in Brooklyn are renting for as much as $3000/month.
Doc
Put this movie, please !
What is this nonsense that JWs live substandard and have mediocre jobs all the time??? Must be more of an American phenomenon... If you go any assembly or KH the cars parked there just resemeble rest of society, so does housing etc.. Witnesses travel, work etc as most people do...
