How Far Up The Ladder Did You Go In JW Land?

by minimus 82 Replies latest jw friends

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  Hecce

  My personal observation regarding the retired or fired special servants:

  Many of the ex Bethelites are having a rough time getting settled in their new life style, their severance package has been generous in the short term but not enough for the future. In the spiritual sense they are not highly productive and some of the congregations are getting sick and tired of supporting them; so I don't think that they are very happy.

  As to the travelling overseers that is a different history, they have been well placed; sometimes even choosing the congregation. They are seen as "princes" and most of them are still getting a lot of the "handshakes". Even with the vow of poverty quite a few have a good nest egg; in my opinion they might miss the loss of power but they are not suffering financially.
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  minimus

  It's so nice to see people who have given their lives out of the religion!!! It's never too late to start a new life.
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  ToesUp

  As to the travelling overseers that is a different history, they have been well placed; sometimes even choosing the congregation. They are seen as "princes" and most of them are still getting a lot of the "handshakes"

  We know personally that some retired CO's and their wives are receiving housing. Any housing for the "laid off" Bethelites? Me thinks not!
  
  
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  ToesUp

  Let me correct my above statement. There is a apartment complex in Fishkill, Ny. that is housing some of the very old Bethelites. Not too many people know about this place. It is housing the very old. WT is doing 2 things...keeping the old ones quiet until they die. How many skeletons in the closet(s) of WT do the old ones know about? If you throw a 80-90 year old Bethelites out on the street, it doesn't look too good for WT.

  We were told that they are laying off 50ish Bethelites. A comment was made, "they are still young enough to pick up and get a job." Really? Have any of these ones tried to get a decent job now days with no education, training or just a general ability in how to survive in the world? Most can not even rely on Social security because they never paid into it. It's so easy to say the above statement when you have been in your own little cocoon all your life and you have a comfy place to lay your head. WT only cares about WT and what it "appears" to be. They have a history of using you up and spitting you out.
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  Hecce

  Many of the ex Bethelites are having a rough time getting settled in their new life style, their severance package has been generous in the short term but not enough for the future. In the spiritual sense they are not highly productive and some of the congregations are getting sick and tired of supporting them; so I don't think that they are very happy.

  My comment above relates to some ex Bethelites assigned as Special Pioneers, however they are not really prepared for the day to day field service routine; they might have been excellent at their Bethel jobs but not prepared for the congregational life and needs. Some of them have been a bust and the local brothers are very disappointed with them.
  
  
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  freddo

  Toes up said ... "We were told that they are laying off 50ish Bethelites. A comment was made, "they are still young enough to pick up and get a job."
  

  "WT only cares about WT and what it "appears" to be. "

  Happened to a couple last year - here in the UK. Landed in our circuit.
  

  He's mid fifties, she's late 40's.
  

  He's a pleasant enough mediocre elder by all accounts who let slip that his world had been turned upside down and that he cried when told he was getting the "bumsrush" after 25 years in Bethel.

  Poor sod is working as a window washer (what else?) for another brother who has built an office and window cleaning empire. He's not pioneering.

  The wife has a part time job as a care assistant for the NHS and pioneers.

  They live in a flat on a council estate (local authority/social housing area) owned by the "worldly" husband of a nice sister at a rent about 20% cheaper than market rates.

  So who pays their wages and gives them a good deal? Worldly organisation, worldly landlord and a brother who gets "frowned upon" for being materialistic.

  55 and out on his ass!

  
  
  
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  tenyearsafter

  Pioneer, Auxiliary Pioneer, assembly talks, MS, mike passer, etc....refused Elder, which probably was a partial cause of my divorce...the wife wanted to be Sister Elder, and I denied her...out in 1995.
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  Bungi Bill

  I know this is slightly off-topic, but the matter of "green handshakes" has been mentioned by others.

  In some of the congregations I was in, the "green handshake" would have looked distinctly unimpressive! I doubt if the CO would have been able to even half-fill the tank on his car with it -even if he received such a parting gift at all (which would have been quite possible). During the recession of the early 1990s, our congregation would have not had the proverbial "two bob to rub together". This was in a low cost housing area (Logan City, QLD, Australia) and had more than its complement of JWS - who, being as they predominantly are in the lower socio-economic bracket - couldn't afford to live elsewhere.

  That old saying about being "poor as church-mice" comes to mind!
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  sparky1

  "I was like a JW 'golden boy' so to speak". - eyeuse2badub

  I don't know about now, but Jehovah's Witnesses used to LOVE their Golden Boys! Having been one myself I am well aware of the allure. I am reminded of 2 songs. One by Natalie Merchant and one by Freddie Mercury:

  "Top of the fold Toast of the town Everyone stops when you come around They hold their breath for you

  Heroes are born Idols are made We're all fools for this factory fame And you've got the brand new face." - Golden Boy by Natalie Merchant

  "Yes he told the truth, yes he told the truth Accepting every honour with a masterly display Of well rehearsed reluctance to be singled out this way He started to believe that he was all they said and more.........." The Golden Boy by Freddie Mercury

  Those in charge of this religion knew how to recruit new 'commissioned officers' to perpetuate the club.
  
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  UnshackleTheChains

  15 years ms.....gulp. tried to push me toward being an elder. Was wise enough to avoid. Came off as an ms as couldn't face it anymore knowing TTATT