How do you think COs and DOs felt about the letter to all body of elders a

by frankiespeakin 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  frankiespeakin

  In the late 80s or early 90s while I was still an elder the GB sent out a letter to all bodies of elders concerning taking up a collection fro these hard working brothers who have given up so much to be COs and DOs.

  How do you think COs and DOs felt about the letter to all body of elders the expessedly told elders not to take up a collection for these brothers?

  I bet that letter caused a lot of COs and DOs to second thought about the GB. It may have made them feel angry. I think the Governing Body will make more and more enemies by its policies especially among those that they need the most to stay in business.

  Oh and BTW what do you thing the Governing Bodiy's motives were in having this letter sent to all the bodies of elders, was it fear that these brothers may collect enough money to break free from the strangle hold the GB have on them and eventual turn traitor? I think so.
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  HappyDad

  How do you think COs and DOs felt about the letter to all body of elders the expessedly told elders not to take up a collection for these brothers?

  Can't say that I remember that letter.

  You mean to say that some congs. actually took up a "public" collection? I know that many in the cong. would discretely brown nose give the CO some money in the belief that the CO was only getting the basics, ie: food, clothing, shelter.

  Some of these guys had quite a bit of "extra" money coming in every week.

  I do remember that after they left, a resolution would be brought up to the cong. to reimburse them for their expenses. These people ate out more in one month than I could afford to take my family in one year.

  One CO's wife was into herbs because she didn't want to take prescription meds for some condition and everytime they came, we paid over $50.00 for her herbs. Four congs. each month = $200.00 just for herbs.

  Nice work if you can get it.

  HappyDad
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  LongHairGal

  It used to make me mad when a letter was read asking us to ante up for somebody. Imagine, asking us to pay for somebody's car and health insurance! How many people don't have health insurance and they are asking US to give!
  
  I didn't care whether it was right or wrong, I just felt that I was not going to be the one supporting any wanna-be clergyman.
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  ChrisVance

  I was the account servant in the Olympia, WA cong for nine years. Until about 1988. It seems like they presented a resolution to the cong to pay the CO's expense from cong funds. Although, if I remember right, they did stop doing the resolution and just had me write a check toward the end. But of course being an MS I never saw or heard ot the letter you speak about.
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  kittyeatzjdubs

  i have heard it and seen it done...last CO visit i attended last year did it...basically, one of the eldorks...whoever handles the expense reports...would get on stage the week after the CO left and present the question.....While he was here, Bro. SoNSo spent this much on food, gas, lodging...blahblahblah. We as a congregation have agreed to reimburse him for each dollar spent. Anyone object?.....

  (of course no one did) That's basically how it's done...I never understood how two old goobers could spend so much on food, when everyone in the congo was begging to take them out to breakfast, lunch, AND dinner....what crap.

  luv, kitty
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  frankiespeakin

  I'm not talking about the congregations paying the CO expenses for the week of his visit I'm talking about people comming up to the CO and just giving him money that is not expense related. What would happen in the different congregations I was elder in was that one of the elders would go around and asked the rest of the elders and sometimes MSs ask them for money to give as a gift to the CO. The GB had a letter to all the Bodies of elders telling them not to do that.
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  ChrisVance

  Not being an elder I was never approached, but I'm sure the CO's and DO's just told themselves this is a directive directly from Jehovah, so it's for my own good. NOT
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  Mary

  It used to make me mad when a letter was read asking us to ante up for somebody. Imagine, asking us to pay for somebody's car and health insurance! How many people don't have health insurance and they are asking US to give!

  I agree.....this used to piss me off too.......I sat there and thought "why the hell isn't Bethel paying for this??" I also found it annoying that they excepted us materialistic beings to foot the bill of someone who was always complaining that we weren't doing enough in God's Service.......ya and if we ALL worked part time and pioneered, where would these guys be??
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  tijkmo

  up until fairly recently co's didnt have somewhere to go when the circuit week was over...even now a circuit flat is not their own and is only somewhere they can go for a couple of days a week and even then anyone can call at the home or phone and let me tell you plenty did..and they would always have to be nice...even to each other..who has ever witnessed a c.o and wife having a row like normal couples..a different bed each week not always the cleanest...if unwell being ill in someone else house is no fun...no relaxation at all..always careful about what you say or watch on tv..because you would be quoted mis-quoted or copied..whatever you did or did not do was not acceptable to somebody....hey have you ever thought that just having sex would be a challenge

  the c.o at least had some excitement during the week with giving talks and removing elders etc...poor wife didnt get to do much at all except listen to the same 3/4 meetings every week..and she sacrificed a home and having a family etc for the privelege

  so what if they got took out for meals or someone or some cong gave them money regularly..its not as if they had a retirement package lined up...and yeah i know some co's used it...but most did not and they werent in it for the glory cos there was precious little of that

  so all the wts was doing with this letter was making sure that no individual or cong felt they were under obligation to donate cos other congs were or that it was some wts condoned action..if you wanted to then do it privately..that was the message..

  but conspiracies.......sheeeesh

  for all of you who think it was a life of luxury...i bet none of you would have lasted more than a couple of weeks max
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  vitty

  I think our cong must have been extra generous or well off, cos we used to take the C.Os wife food shopping at the big supermarket, then pay for her to have her hair done, then take them out for lunches and evening meals.

  I never begrudged it, I thought about how much they give up (even though they dont realize it and neither did I at the time) no kids, no home to call your own and what happens if the CO dies, the wife is abandoned. He can go into bethel but not her ! or so I heard.

  Its a farce, give them a salary, for gods sake, and stop being so hypocritical ( im taking to you WT)

  On the other hand, my husband couldnt stand any of them. Said they where so aloof, kept saying things like"Why dont they get a proper job, and their not in the real world"

  Ah well its all academic now !