Analysis of a typical congregation (page 3)

Frog

Speaking on behalf of the group E class, I can only say that you have given a very appropriate analysis of a typical dub-cong! I can just about pigeon whole every dub I ever met and slot them into an appopriate category. Nice work, frog

Honesty

Where are the Parrots? They comprise 100% of the congregations don't they?

ozziepost

It's about right!

AK - Jeff

Pretty close - but I think you missed a category or two -

Nosy Elderettes and their invisible husbands -
Future Circuit Overseers [otherwise known as the Brown-nose Boys] -
The 'I have been here so long, I don't know where else to go' crowd - the saddest of all!

Jeff

Dragonlady76

The Social Structure in the Congregation

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/86425/1.ashx

This is a really good thread that Mary started some time ago here.

DL76

willyloman

Even dubs themselves "classify" the congo. When I was part of the local elder body, we often discussed the "condition of the flock" (excuse to gossip, really). This inevitably led to pigeon-holing people into three categories: the true believers, those where were somewhere in the middle, and the walking wounded

The first category included all those who were "really serious" or who attended all the meetings, were out in FS more often than not, and who wouldn't think of missing a minute of the district convention. They comprised the inner circle and were known as the pillars of the congo.

The second group missed some meetings, were a bit shadowy in their attendance for Saturday service (but still reported 5-9 hours a month), would be late to or miss some of the convention. They weren't viewed as weak, but certainly weren't counted as "serious."

The walking wounded missed a lot of meetings, seldom if ever showed up for service, and turned in 0-4 hours a month. They were often irregular or inactive (as officialy defined based on field service reports). In addition, they often had severe physical or emotional problems, which meant they were a pain in the ass to busy elders who -- despite all the propaganda to the contrary -- were usually too busy tending to congo housekeeping stuff to pay much attention to people and their problems (yes, I know there were exceptions).

The percentages were roughly one-third of the congo in each group, but over the past 10 years or so there was clearly a shift. The first group now numbers no more than 20% in any given congregation. The middle group is probably 35-40%, and the bottom rung accounts for 40% or more. These third-tier people were widely disparaged by the rest of the congo. I vividly remember a pioneer sister (married to an elder) telling an unbaptized couple who were studying: "You'll be all right. You don't run with the weak ones." This statement turned up as she was discussing the need to associate with the "strong" ones in the congregation in order to make any real spiritual progress.

AK - Jeff

I vividly remember a pioneer sister (married to an elder) telling an unbaptized couple who were studying: "You'll be all right. You don't run with the weak ones." This statement turned up as she was discussing the need to associate with the "strong" ones in the congregation in order to make any real spiritual progress.

Willyloman - she had to get them 'judging' early. Otherwise they might start to imitate Jesus!!!

Jeff

diamondblue1974

This is so accurate...there was a typical power hungry elder in the hall I went to; he was obsessed about organisation, structure and would politik any time he had the opportunity; he also made himself out to be the supervisor in any of the halls activities which was pathetic.

Sure enough he was a middle management lapdog in charge of an administration department but made out he was like the Chief Executive. His qualifications included a management/supervisory certificate but he made out it was like an MBA. Of course those less intelligent and more naive in the congregation ~~were in awe~~ frightened of him and would just do as they were told.

Truth be told if you threw any kind of intelligent comments or questions back at him it would frustrate him and he would either try to quash it or would walk away. I think back and smile nowadays but hate the way others were manipulated by him.

DB74

DanTheMan

Spot on analysis, I think that we all can relate. I was kind of a mixed bag, I gravitated towards the "Drones" and the "Nice Ones" but I was so irregular and eventually inactive that usually these ones didn't want to have much to do with me outside of the KH.

It used to piss me off that the power guys with their big fat brief cases and the endless closed-door meetings thought they were so the shit in comparison to the Joe Blow non-servant types.

Pubsinger

10% hypocondriacs.

My last cong on had 45 - 50 people who went. 15 were under 16. There were 5 cases of ME.

Without getting embroiled in in a discussion on the validity of that condition that seems abnormally high to me (sic)

Analysis of a typical congregation

Share this