by anglise 29 Replies latest watchtower bible
For about the last fifteen years my mother has prepared my grandfather's talks. He is the Service overseer and is now over ninety years old. She even writes his service talks which he gives at the local bookstudies. No, I'm not making this up.
Bradley
When my son confided in an elder that he was feeling guilty for having his wife help him write his ministry school talks he was told that not only did that particular elder's wife help him write talks he named three other elders whos wives did the same.
On the other note. The elders of my last congregation are all financially well off. One attended Juliard and plays in a well known orchestra. One is a business executive. One is retired from a high ranking position with the electric company. No slackers here.
Loris
The irony is that while career pursits are condemned as materialistic, those with the charisma and confidence that results from a profession are first in line for priveledges.
While the '92 article about the possibility of pursuing secondary education to enable one to pioneer, it was in the context of those living in lands where state manditory schooling simply was insufficient to meet the needs of a pioneer. The article was interpreted according to the ambition of the reader and their opinion about what is sufficient. Clearly the intended audience was not America with it's high standard of living and low unemployment. We as a group discussed the points in context and as brothers agreed that pioneers in third world or developing countries were being given a concession due to the harsh economic realities in those areas. This was of course merely another interpretation, but it was the prevailing view in our region. I observed that those who interpreted it differently rarely ever took up pioneering as a career as we were encouraged to do.
When I was about 12 or 13, in the sixties, I gave, I mean read, a no. five talk my mother had written. (It was a very small cong which explains why i was giving no. five talks.) The circuit guy was there that week and he told my mother he could tell she'd written the talk and that she shouldn't do it anymore. I don't remember anything about the talk except that she'd used the phrase "sex crazed world." That must have been what tipped off the circuit guy. What 12 year old would have come up with that phrase? Of course, she probably got it out of the WT.
On the education topic: I lived and was a dub in the Olympia WA area from 1968 until 1992. During that time I wasn't aware of a single young person going to college. Everyong had a very negative attitude toward education. Many didn't even graduate from high school. I can remember one young "sister" who went to communtiy college to become a dental hygienist. She was an elder's daughter and pioneered while going to achool.
Most of the elders were in construction. Some barely made a living and others did very well. All depended on the business sense I guess. One elder who was very successful was able to loan the cong $60,000 to build a new hall while waiting for the loan from the society. Since I was the account "servant" he felt he had to give me some explanation as to why he had so much moeny. I didn't ask, but he told me it was his operating funds.
Hallo and thankyou to all who have responded.
It is really interesting to see what happens behind the scenes.
"The irony is that while career pursits are condemned as materialistic, those with the charisma and confidence that results from a profession are first in line for priveledges."
Yes Peaceful Pete
One particualer individual comes to mind with your above statement.
He had worked as "something in the city" in banking and had climbed the corporate ladder. He was a very arrogant and self opinioned person and had also amassed a very large amount of money.
Following early retirement he came into the org (I think his wife was already in at this time) and with his personna quickly pushed his way up to elder and then PO with many items on the CA and DA and of course with his money and very nice house etc was able to entertain the CO's and DO's in a way that the window cleaning elders couldnt.
Due to his city background he could deliver a very polished talk but he left a lot of unhappy bro and sis in his trail.He hadnt got any one to one rapport when you spoke to him.
I would assume he is still heading his way further up and was hoping for CO status at least.
Any who attended Hayesbridge or Brighton/Crystal Palace will have heard him.
Anglise
My dad wrote all his talks. He owned his own business in Ohio which he sold to go where the need was great.
I might not have my dad with me anymore in flesh but he was loving enough to send me his Sunday talks at the various halls he went to. I am thankfull because I have nothing from him except his voice. I don't give a crap that he is speaking on religious stuff. Just hearing it makes me feel closer to him.
I never wrote talks for my eldest son. I figured if he wanted to join the ministry school he had to do it himself. My ex wrote all his own stuff.
Oh I was the sister who would get on the platform with a short dress. Never realized that the elders frowned on that.
I guess I always lived within a good congregation compared to some of the others here.
Cathy
I am having the wierdest feeling of de ja vue I am sure I read this exact thread 6 months ago.
Women are the backbone of most if not all religions it seems to me.
I know of some mothers (without JW husbands) who helped their young (under 12) sons.
I know of some wives who helped their husbands when he gave his first talk.
But
I know of some wives who were still writing the talks for their husbands 20 years later and the elders knew it. The wife died and the husband was unable to write his own talk so the elders started doing it for him.
I know of some wives who edit their husband's talks as they type them up for them. The problem comes in when it is "confidential" and the elder can't do it himself. Rather than admit his wife has been helping him and get an elder to help, he lets his wife "help" and well, we know the rest of the story....
I would say in my experience it has been less likely that the wife does it, but she may type it up and edit for her husband.
(Some brothers do it on their own and could use some help from their wife, somebody! When I saw that some brothers were scheduled, it would be time to be out of town or visit another congregation.)
Blondie
i keep hearing Barry Manilow singing"i write the songs that make the young girls cry..."
