What's the big deal about a Circuit Overseer visit? (page 3)

luna2

I was very surprised at the first CO visit I experienced at my initial congregation. I couldn't believe how so many of these people, who'd been teaching me that JWs don't have a clergy class and don't "worship" man, went absolutely apeshit over this guy. The brothers would fawn all over him, the sisters would simper and blush (why I don't know cuz he was married...maybe they thought his wife would keel over soon as she was always battling some allergy or illness), and kids were encouraged to go talk to him and bask in his holy glow. Barf Of course, I really, really, really didn't like this guy, so I think that set the tone for how I thought about all CO's from then on.

What was really sucky was that about two years after I'd moved to CT, he suddenly appeared here as a CO. Oh. my. gawd. Made my stomach turn to watch everybody get down on their knees to request permission to kiss his ass. I used to refuse to go to the KH during his visits. The pioneer sis who'd designated herself as my minder kept pestering me until I told her why. Ha! I can be a pushover about some things, but I do have a stubborn streak.

LongHairGal

I might have mentioned this on one of my earlier posts but I feel all this ass kissing is a few short steps away from kissing somebody's ring.

funkyderek

The circuit overseer is the equivalent of a bishop in the Watchtower hierarchy. He is considered more spiritual (or holy) than people on lower levels. The ordinary JWs clamber to do things for him or with him, so some of his holiness will rub off on them, and to impress him so as to work their way up the hierarchy.

JWs claim they don't have a separate clergy class, and that's true, strictly speaking, but they do have an elaborate hierarchical structure that, in many ways is exactly the same as that of the Catholic Church. The Watchtower is just savvy enough not to pay their clergy.

delilah

The circuit overseer's visit, allows every single faithul witness of Jehovah to "role-play" that they attend every meeting, faithfully adjust their schedules to knock on doors several times a week, and display a greater degree of kiss-assity. It represent the "ideal" that the JW's are told to be. In other words, its how you act at work after the boss has come back from a 6 month vacation.

PRESTON, I couldn't have said it any better. Except to add, that this is usually the time when the most "shepherding" calls are made, to try and bring the attendance numbers up.....

Delilah

Lady Lee

I think that JWs are allowed to celebrate so few things that the visit of the CO becomes something special - like the DO and CA and Special days.

The elders want to impress him and in turn the apply pressure for the cong to work to impress him.

Hey if you can't celebrate holidays or birthdays anything different becomes an excuse to go the extra mile

inbyathread

I remember cringe-inducing notices read by elders from the platform instructing sisters who were preparing meals for the CO to "not over do it" and stick to plain nutritious meals, that Jehovah knew what was in their hearts so they did not need to try to impress the CO, etc..

Many years ago I and my wife were "encouraged" by the local BOE to host the CO and his wife for lunch. We had very little financial means but over-extended ourselves to to provide a nice meal for them. Somehow during the meal it was mentioned that we could only afford soup and a toasted-cheese sandwich (they receive much more), the CO's wife stated "Well, if we wanted toasted cheese sandwiches we could have made them ourselves." No humility there.

Never again.

What's the big deal about a Circuit Overseer visit?