JWs and socio economic status

greendawn

Do you think that someone's socio economic status determines how they get treated (behaved to) by the JWs?
Can someone high up the ladder get away with more things especially if he made big donations to the society and do they look down upon those lower down?

luna2

I doubt there's any formal policy of favoritism to wealthy, but if I've learned anything, it's that JW's are pretty much like the "worldly" folks they so look down upon. Money, fame, power all make a difference. There is no one so low in the congregation as a poor, single sister (no money and no husband = no power and an easy target for disciplining).

EvilForce

I agree with Luna.....

You will get some leeway being rich or a prominent biz man that employs Dubs...but only to an extent really. No matter how powerful / rich if you get caught committing adultry and someone sees it...pretty tough to get out of. My grandfather was a city overseer back in the day and rather powerful...not rich...but still got booted.

Wealth usually equals power and people suck up to powerful people...so I'm sure an rich elder driving a new BMW to the hall won't get counseled but a 17 yo single male that buys a used 2 door sports car does get admonished....that 17 y.o. was me. The elder driving the BMW was given leeway...sick really. But I wasn't being "Service Minded". I was like...I'm 17 and single. The car cost me $ 5,200 in 1986. A 3 year old Ford Mustang w/ 36,000 miles on it.

HappyDad

Do you think that someone's socio economic status determines how they get treated (behaved to) by the JWs?

From my over 30 years of experience, I have to say........of course! The dubs that had money, fab houses, etc., from inheritance or business, or coming into the truf after getting a college degree had their arses kissed clean by the faithful........as long as they followed the organizational rules.....field service, excellent meeting attendance, etc.

It seemed to me that the average lower income, struggling to make ends meet dub thought that being friends with someone of this stature, made them feel they were up the ladder of associates just because they knew such ones.

Can someone high up the ladder get away with more things especially if he made big donations to the society and do they look down upon those lower down?

I have never seen this done. To the contrary.......I have seen a couple of "high up the ladder" dubs get DF'd or reproved because of wrongdoing..........regardless of their position or money. In my area, I must say that the majority of the dubs, from the lowly to the uppity, followed the rules. I still don't have much animosity for individual dubs, including the ones who hurt my family. Their motto is....."Ve vere chust vollowing ordeerrzzzzzzz!" I am one of those ex's who has forgiven........but I cannot nor will not forget the ones who caused hurt for me and mine. They are just as I once was.......victims of a cult!

What would make me really happy is to find out that some........or even one of them has seen the truth about the truf.

HappyDad

greendawn

I believe the overall spirit of your postings is correct the JWs are strongly influenced by someone's socio economic status,the higher ups enjoy more leeway though that does not guarantee them total immunity from expulsion if their behaviour gets way out of line. But perhaps the really big financial donors like Michael Jackson will have near immunity.

Marx and his materialist theory that one's social status is determined by his financial (material wealth)strength can be applied even in the JW, so called, spiritual family.

Mysterious

I would say more social status than economic. A dirt poor family with 2 kids and strong dub parents is looked on as a good example and the first to be given any hand outs. On the other hand a lone sister with an unbelieving husband is lucky to get invited to anything let alone helped out.

Gill

Oh yes! If you've got money and power you're literally quids in.

A single, faithful, constantly pioneering JW sister I knew was disfellowshiped for going out with a brother who had a few months to go before his divorce became absolute. All they were doing was going out for dinner once a week.

An VERY wealthy Elder, with a business and power, who had been having an affair for a year with a pretty young thing was just reproved. He carried on seeing her. Still reproved. The congregation kicked up such a stink and he was disfellowshiped. He was reinstated in 4 1/2 months and is an elder again.

jimakazi

My experience was that they liked the donations from wealthey brothers and sisters, and had no problem using their finances to fund kindom halls, provide security for loans. However the weathy were often treated like somehow they were not really as good as the poorer but intial set of PO and elders. There is definately a power structure.

My parents have provided the funds to build at least 3 Kingdom halls, put food on the tables of borthers and sisters worse off than them [hell they still do it], paid for operations, cars, travel etc. It seemed to be held agains them and I know they had absolutely terrible treatment at the hands of the elders [false accusation, lies, back stabbing etc - and they wonder why we didn't stay?].

Needless to say my now retired parents are no longer wealthy. They are thankfully now in a congregation where where they are now actaully being treated like the great people they are. Kids are allowed to play sport [gasp shock horror], where several are very sucessful business men, where a sister plays sport for a national team, on a Sunday afternoon the brothers play sport, where you are greeted on your bithday - and mum and dad report it is the most loving, spirtual, congregation they have ever encountered. I was hoping this was the new 21st centruary face of the witnesses.

rebel8

In my cong the poor had higher social status than the rich. The rich were seen as having a constant temptation to be apathetic. The poor were considered good because they were suffering for the religion.

ljwtiamb

I sent this PM because I am still anonymous & the details might give me away.

True Story:

A very wealthy Jewish (non-jw) visited jw-hq one day, with his family.

I was called to the office of someone high up on the bethel food chain.

My assignment was to tour & 'take care of' this group, since he appreciated the work of the jws & had contributed a considerable amount to toward the work.

I had assumed that at least one was a witness, but no such luck. It was MHO that he just wanted to show the fam where ~~their inheritance~~ his contribution went.

JWs and socio economic status

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