Class Distinction Within The JW Community? (page 3)

yxl1

Mary,

I've been associated with two Kingdom halls in my time. Your thread described BOTH to a T!

funny yet sad

Latin assassin from Manhattan

Analysis was probably sitting in the bathroom while all of this was going on. It's funny how an active JW will say something like 'my congregations is different'.

SHOULDN'T ALL CONGREGATIONS BE DIFFERENT IN THE FIRST PLACE?

rocketman

Mary, your post describing the class distinctions in the jw religion was excellent.

Normally, I'd be inclined to say right now that class and social distinctions are part of human nature and we find that kind of stuff anywhere. But, we're talking about a religion that claims to have no such distinctions and where everyone is equal, regardless of social status, earnings, or race. And yet, in practice, things are often the complete opposite.

The counsel at James 2:1-4 is counsel that all should take to heart. Unfortunately, in jwism, the system of thought and the mindset is often conducive to just that kind of thinking. People such as elders, mini servants and pioneers have rank and privilage, and in many cases they are too often quick to flaunt it.

Mary

Why Rocketman, you're always jes so full of praise for me that I'm starting to blush!

Odrade

ROTFLMAO! What about piggybacking on another person's status? When I was a teenager, there was this one sister in our hall; she would come about 2x/month, and never was out in service. Yet she was a true believer. She was about 40, and would give these detailed JW party-line doctrinal answers everytime she was at the meeting. The hilarious thing was she would preface every comment, and every conversation with "My father, who was a presiding overseer, by the way, used to say..." GAG!

Then, we used to laugh at her like "as if THAT's proof of her spirituality"--what we'd say. Now, I still think it's pitiful, but for different reasons. She clearly felt so uncomfortable with her own lack of status, that she felt she had to remind everyone that she was an elder's daughter, so that it was her right to be acknowledged. Sad, but it still makes me laugh. I wonder how many dumb things like that I've been guilty of saying over the years to assure MY position? ("Well, MY dad...")

Odrade

Analysis

latin assassin from Manhattan

I was an Elder for 5 plus years and a MS for 25 years. The key word is was.

And yes all congregations are different. But in my area the elders are not janitors and their wives don’t act like because their husband is an Elder that it somehow benefits them.

I have known some really Fair Intelligent Elders with very nice wives. Except for a handful they are now Ex-Elders.

What amazes me is that they are not all Ex-Elders.

latin, I would say that you tend to be a little extreme and the world is only Black and White for you. I have news for you it is not!!!!

freedom96

Mary,

I agree that people should not be judged on money status. Attitude is everything. My thought is those with the right attitude usually have some degree of success in their life, because they think different, and they make things happen.

wednesday

analysis,

it is pretty clear form your posts that u were probably one of the "in crowd" (lucky u) thus were not affected as some of us peons.The "in crowd" never thinks they are a clique. They can justify why they do not associate with those from different social classes. Ther are so many ways to declare someone bad association. Nothing AFM said was out of line.

I too have known some nice jws. Not all are jerks. The PO wife right now is very kind and does not gossip- much. But on the whole Marys' description is pretty accurate.

I have been a jw all my life and in several congs. They are all very similar. many years ago, i was in a small cong. and it was as close to being fair as i have seen among jws. But that was in the 60's and it was a country cong.Long ago and far away.

Analysis

wednesday, you may be right, I was in the group and didn’t know it.

Someone a few months ago indicated that maybe, when I was an Elder, that the other Elders kept things from me and didn’t tell me everything that was going on in the Congregation. This could have very well been the case, because they knew I would go ballistic.

After 5 years of arguments with Circuit Overseers and the other Elders I just resigned.

Class Distinction Within The JW Community?

Share this