Walking The Line

millie210

A recent comment in another thread inspired this one.

The comment concerned a family who owned a bakery and got counsel on the icing and cake decorations.

The cakes reflected the theme of worldly holidays of that time.

The family was told to sell the bakery.

Then, we have the case of Jalessa Castillo, a young U.S. journalist who happens to also be a Pioneer in a congregation. She was covering religious topics (among other topics) and it seems that got stopped?

At least when you look online now it is very hard to find her name in the byline of anything religious in nature.

The one religious article she did has been removed.

http://www.orlando-times.com/a_unique_partnership_511.html

So my question is this:

What businesses will the Society (or elders) not allow?

Which ones will merely "slow you down" (not hold an appointed position)?

We all know the obvious ones, such as being a policeman/woman but I am interested in the ones that "walk the line" so to speak. How do you successfully walk that line?

Bakeries - that have to follow common themes in society (Holidays and more)

Journalists - Topic matter?

Photographers - Type of events and subject matter?

Wedding Planners- Customs and traditions of clients?

DJs and Musicians - How does George Benson walk the line exactly?

Civic/Community Jobs - Chambers of Commerce, Rotary Club, Shriners (just a few - name your own if you like)

So thoughts appreciated on how to skillfully avert the "eye of attention" JW wise while still being involved in the above interests and occupations.

compound complex

A dear friend and former JW -- a real go-getter -- sold home-cooked fare at various venues during holiday time. She was warned by elders to stop. She fired back with her own threats, those of legal action, and they let her be.

She is a preeminent purveyor of fine foods and is firmly established in the community. She is loved and respected and is one hell of a businesswomen, thank you very much!

Quarterback

I know some JW Business people who find religious requests to be a challenge. If the person is an employee, they don't do the religious requests i.e. birthdays, holidays, etc. They usually are respected. If the person is an owner, they just tell the customers that they don't offer that service. They are well liked in the community and they don't seem to have any problems.

I remember years ago when a brother owned a Video rental store and pressure came down on him regarding the rental of R rated content. He never had any privilleges in the cong because of that

OnTheWayOut

I used to strip and wax grocery stores with JW's. I remember we did the Commissary on a military base, then we maintained it once a month for several months. But the elder I was working for was bothered by going on to the base and being a "cog in the war machine" by making the floor shine in a grocery store for soldiers, sailors, airmen. He also said out loud, "What if the tribulation starts when we are on that base?" So he gave up the job and passed the lucrative contract on to someone else.

I started thinking that was the extreme view we had to have. But it conflicted with "Jehovah knows our intentions." It conflicts with the thought that cashiers have to ring up cigarettes sales as a small part of their business, and as long as they don't work in a tobacco store, it's okay.

In that same congregation, a long-time meeting attender worked at a facility that placed military officers in the correct jobs according to their degree and training. She was not allowed to get baptized because she was a "cog in the war machine." My elder boss was probably the main person preventing her baptism because another lady who worked at the same facility was baptized with a different congregation.

My point is that there have been no real hard rules beyond working with tobacco, abortion clinics, military and police (even there, there have been exceptions), etc. etc. It often depends on the local elders and what they think.

As an elder, I had figured out in 1995 that the generation was going to pass away "in this system of things" and I pursued a career that would allow me to retire because the end wasn't so near. The other elders said my qualifications as an elder would need to be reviewed if I was going to miss meetings for my new career as a firefighter. I told them to do whatever they had to do, as I had to do what I had to do. They never removed me. I think that's part of overriding the feelings of the elders in a congregation. A member has to be confident in their own right to do what they need to do- be it putting flags or Santa Claus on cakes, or ringing up a carton of smokes. When the member is confident, they learn to tell the elders "I am fine" and take away their power.

millie210

CoCo, your friend sounds so interesting and good for her!

So legal fire with fire so to speak?

Sounds effective.

smiddy

We all know the obvious ones, such as being a policeman/woman

I personally knew two policemen who were JW`s and one was a motor-cycle cop.who carried a gun ,the other was re-assigned to desk work and he was an Elder in good standing.

this was back in the 70`s-80`s in Australia.

In an adjoining congregation was a self employed sign writer who was doing work for a butchers shop at Xmas and was harrassed by the Elders for doing Xmas decorations on the butcher shop window ,and was DF. for defending his position of being employed by them .

It was common knowledge back then if you were self employed as a tradesmen you would not do any work for any church organization .

As I said this was back in the 70`s-80`s.,how different it is today when the GB sell their properties to religious organizations for $$$$$$$$$$

Still Totally ADD

Yes Smiddy I remember when I was working for a construction company I had to work on a church one day. I really was feeling bad about what I did then something came out in a wt. That said if you are a employee and have to work on a church it was a conscience matter. All I know is the wt. was always finding ways of causing stress in your life with all their silly rules. Still Totally ADD

millie210

So it sounds like it depends on

- the area (tolerant or less tolerant elders)

- trying to use the "conscience matter" loophole to ones own benefit.

- - the willingness of the individual to insist on their rights.

That last one as OTWO mentioned, being very important.

I wonder in todays climate of dwindling participation, if the elders are turning a more tolerant eye to things if no one makes a big deal of it?

Walking The Line

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