The sort of person that gets to be an Elder?????

by chuckyy 12 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Euphemism

  I think it depends on the congregation. In some congregations, especially rural or inner-city ones where the 'friends' aren't very well off, anyone who buys a new car or wears designer clothes is looked down on as 'materialistic' or 'unspiritual', and I doubt that they would be an elder.

  In other congs, OTOH, money and status serve as social lubricants that help a man climb the ladder. (Bad metaphor, but you know what I mean.) Professional experience and education are sometimes helpful as well; commenting, writing talks, and keeping up with all the WTS doctrines and regulations are fairly trivial tasks compared to what's required of an average professional in the business world.

  P.S. In relation to ithinksee's comments... senior bethelites, COs, etc get peanuts from the Society. OTOH, they have a great asset to share: status. So the well-off JWs buy the COs/bethelites meals, invite them to their houses, even give them cars. In return, they get the status benefits of rubbing shoulders with the bigwigs. It's basic human nature.
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  candidlynuts

  i think money plays a big part in it.

  of the congregations i've been a member in the PO was always wealthy (compared to the others in the hall) the other elders had good jobs or owned their own cleaning businesses and employed a lot of the pioneers. the two elders that were in my family had good jobs and were assholes.. so maybe being an asshole plays a part in it too. (both have since been removed and df'd for adultry , reinstated and working their way back up )
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  Reefton Jack

  Being a "Pioneer" is the fastest way to get yourself appointed firstly a Ministerial Servant, and then an Elder.

  It is so fast, in fact, that it is almost a certain way!

  In my experience, an impressive number of "hours" on ones Field Service Report counts for far more than an impressive amount of dollars in ones Bank Account. In fact - as some have commented here already - material wealth could be viewed as a mark against you in some congregations that I have known.

  I only ever knew personally one Elder who was wealthy.

  On the other hand, I knew many Servants or Elders who were either Pioneers - or who at least were pioneering at the time of their appointment. (Come to think of it, that once described me, back in the bad old days of 1976!)

  I did know one particularly obnoxious, but wealthy Ministerial Servant Wannabe. He went to great lengths to both flaunt his money, and to grovel to the Elders. If being an a*#$%hole is a useful quality - as some hear have claimed - well, he sure had that in abundance! However, I never heard if he ever succeeded.