Too Po' to be Materialistic
were you more 'materialistic' when you were a witness???
by chuckyy 15 Replies latest jw experiences
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sistaintheback
When we first got married we lived in the same apartment complex as an elder in our cong. The apartments were crappy. We didn't have children and neither did they. We only stayed there for 6 months, then we bought our first home. It was a small 1100 sq ft house, three bedrooms, bath and a half. It was an old fixer upper. Nothing special. The elder and his wife came by to see it after we moved in and they told us point blank to our faces that we were materialistic to buy this "big" house when we had no children and no need for two extra bedrooms! I was so offended. But being in the JW mindset, I also felt a little guilty. Several years later we built a new house which was a lot larger, and very 'flashy'--(JW word). And instead of enjoying it, I was embarassed to invite Witnesses over because I knew they would definitely call us materialistic with this house. Now I am older and wiser and I really don't care what they think. Many Witnesses have been in my home and some make negative comments and some don't. We also had a Mercedes and a Volvo wagon. So you know we were often said to not be out in service enough because we were busy working to pay for all of our material things. But I no longer care. We aren't materialistic, we were just made to feel like we were. JW's think the less you have the more spiritual you are because you are not distracted by material things. HOW STUPID!!!
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Reefton Jack
In my experience, I would not have described most JWs that I knew as being materialistic.
This term "materialistic', though, seemed to me to be a bit of a JW swearword: - Rather like the way they use the word "selfish." Both terms get bandied round to make people feel guilty, and thus easier to manipulate. i.e. "If you don't do what I want you to do, then you are selfish." I have seen this word materialism used in a similar manner - eg. If , as a young person you don't "Pioneer", then you are being "materialistic."
Typical JW black or white thinking!
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onacruse
It depends.
The Lake Oswego congregation is in the richest part of the Portland, and there was a definite bias toward "those who had."
Tigard was a bunch of "up-and-comers," if you take my meaning.
North and South Beaverton were middle-class.
North Milwaukie was composed mostly of old-timers, mostly living (in mind and body and home) in the 50s.
Hawthorne was a gentrifying group.
Central Hall (before it was remodeled and sold) was eclectic.
Reminds me of that billboard: "Attend the church of your choice."
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Honesty
You bet. The New System was just around the corner so buy, buy, buy.
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willyloman
Reminds me of that billboard: "Attend the church of your choice."
This is precisely why dubs are always changing congregations, and why so many jockey for position and protect their "interests" whenever a congo splits.