Yes. I heard this.....one elder told me that pioneers of old would place their songbooks in the mailbox, to reserve their ‘spot’ - I presumed he was joking.
Another exprsssion has been mentioned here... ‘They’re having their reward in full’ said by contemptuous ‘publishers’.... yes’ heard that many a time.
Somehow, I managed to overlook all this, as human imperfection on the part of some publishers. Although it really troubled me.
As one of tte very privileged few who lived in a high wealth suburb with all the usual trappings, I’d often wonder if this was seen as being materialistic? But brothers and sisters seemed to be almost proud of the wealthier amongst us....whilst dismissive of the wealthy who were not JWs.
I remember on one occasion driving down an inner city street lined with high end restaurants and eateries, it was a summers day and the outdoor tables were full of folk. My pioneer companion laughed, and said ‘look at them all, scoffers in the last days’. I just felt it missed a point. That even though she’d help anyone who needed it, this way of observing these people was unhelpful to keeping in mind that they are humans with needs and hurts...who knows their stories?
Maybe I was being uber sensitive but her comment made me squirm inside, I hated it. Because at those tables were perhaps some needing comfort from eachother, sharing their stories and lives with friends..not just mindless ‘scoffers’.