Jobs you couldn't have

JH

Having a tight control over us, the watchtower teachings told us what jobs we could or couldn't have. Did you lose a great job opportunity because of their control over you?

freeman

Yes I twice lost excellent job opportunities at a time when I really could have used the money. But when it was going to happen yet a third time, something inside of me just screamed, NO NOT AGAIN!

I accepted the job and never regretted that decision.

But just to illustrate how deep the programming of my mind went, even after my act of rebellion against the elders, I still didnt join the company 401k for a number of years. I believed I would never have the chance to grow old and retire. What a jerk I was! It was a very expensive lesson to say the least.

Freeman

DIAMOND

I had a jopb offer from a major radio station. The job was primetime working 6-midnight. So you know that means I had to miss the meetings. After talking to the brothers I turned this job down and took a job at a factory (still making decent money but no future). In six months I was laid off. No job and a wife and 3 kids to support. I guess Jehovah really blessed me for putting the kingdom first.

Diamond

Tinkerbell4125

Yeap, I was offered to tour with Charlie Daniels and his band, back in the 80's when they were big. I did his wife's hair and make-up and would have the band as clients also. I turned it down, why, because I would miss too many meetings!!!

Scully

After high school, I studied Medical Lab Technology for two years. I was preparing to go for the third and final year of studies, which involved internships in the various disciplines: microbiology, histology, biochemistry and haematology. The elders got wind of the fact that the haematology internship was only available through the Red Cross. A couple of them had a "chat" with me about how some people might be stumbled, and how doing my internship with the Red Cross might be viewed as something questionable and might disqualify me for privileges in the congregation. I was thinking to myself: "What privileges?? I'm a female... the best I can hope for is pioneering!! It's not like I'm ever going to get to do the microphones or be an elder or ministerial servant or anything like that...."

Anyway, the "brother" who I'd worked for over the summer offered me a permanent job at around the same time, and I ended up quitting school and taking this job instead, in order not to offend anyone in the congregation. I even applied to pioneer, thinking that since I'd taken the elders' advice, I'd be given the "privilege". Well, guess what..... they turned down my application to pioneer. A blessing in disguise in retrospect, but I was so devastated at the time that I'd done everything that was asked of me, and still it wasn't "good enough". So I never even bothered to reach out like that again.

Ten years later I decided to go back to college and study nursing. Again, I was cautioned by elders - this time though they threatened to withhold privileges from my husband if I went ahead with my plans. I'd just gone through a severe bout of postpartum depression, and the congregation was so horrible to us that I knew I'd never be able to depend on them in a crisis, and I wanted some really good job skills to fall back on if my husband was ever out of work again, or if he passed away suddenly. After all, we had 3 children to provide for, and I just knew we couldn't depend on the congregation for anything (except criticism). So when the elders harrassed me about my plans to return to school (every couple of weeks), I just told them that if anything ever happened to my husband, I wanted to be able to provide for my family and that it was none of their business, because the congregation had already proved to me that they didn't care about us and I had no intention of becoming indebted to them ever.

Going back to school was the best decision I've ever made, and I don't care about whatever stupid "privileges" I've missed out on with the JWs.

Love, Scully

Skeptic

I turned down a few opportunities, but there is one I regret the most.

Marconi was going to hire me to design and develop aircraft control systems. I was an Electronics Engineering Technologist and after four years or so with Marconi I would have a Degree.

I turned it down only because I had to be willling to work on military contracts. I was told I would never actually work on a military contract but had to be willing to do so. This was to avoid any possible staff assignment issues.

I personally had no problem with working on military contracts - that was one area where I disagreed with the JWs - but because I was a JW, I refused.

Richard

LB

My son turned down an offer to ride for US Postal several years ago, since that would have disrupted his meeting attendence. Now he repairs RV's. Oh well.......

out4good3

when the elders harrassed me about my plans to return to school (every couple of weeks), I just told them that if anything ever happened to my husband, I wanted to be able to provide for my family and that it was none of their business, because the congregation had already proved to me that they didn't care about us and I had no intention of becoming indebted to them ever.
Going back to school was the best decision I've ever made, and I don't care about whatever stupid "privileges" I've missed out on with the JWs.

Scully,

I agree whole-heartedly with you on this. Seems me and you made the same decision about the same time as I which resulted in the same attitude taken by the elders. There ws one elder in particular who was already working in the feild I was studying to get into trying to tell me that I'd only be making minimum wage should I go through with my plans. Right now, I'm probably making more money than he is !!!!

Never again will I let what other people "might think" guide decisions I make in my life !!!!! If that causes a "stumbling" forthem, then they should've been paying more attention to their own business than mine.

Edited by - out4good3 on 20 November 2002 17:15:48

DanTheMan

It's a little bit humorous to look back on this one...

When I was still a hyper-conscientious newbie JW, I once applied for a server position at a restaraunt. I just about had the job, but in a phone conversation with the manager, I asked if I would be expected to sing "happy birthday" to my customers. She was a little surprised at the question, and said that they do have a customary thing they do when a customer is there celebrating a birthday. I proudly told her that as a JW I couldn't do this. She said that she would look into it and call me back. She called back the next day and said I'd do better to keep looking for a job. The whole thing was kind of embarrassing really. She thought it was so weird. And it was.

Skeptic

Never again will I let what other people "might think" guide decisions I make in my life !!!!! If that causes a "stumbling" forthem, then they should've been paying more attention to their own business than mine.

Very good policy. And one I am going to follow.

Richard

Jobs you couldn't have

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