by MARTINLEYSHON 48 Replies latest jw friends
Victor_E,
If you don't mind I would add a couple to your list:
Mauer 3
Johnson 2
Dickson 1
Avey 1
Marlow 1
Cantwell 1
Wazchauk(sp) 4
Simon 4
Smalley 2
Grizzel 4 (sp)
Rainer 1
Borgfree
"Creative minds have always been known to survive any kind of bad training." -Anna Freud
Hello MARTINLEYSHON,
welcome on this board. Concerning this specific part:
"Let me ask you this? How C/Os declare the generous gifts of the brothers to the Taxman? I will give a dollor to charity for everyone of them that does so."
I do know for sure that in some European countries, the
Income Tax Office, ...demanded such gift to be declared
and ...to pay taxes on those amount received!
Of course to ...go around it ...it's illegal
even for C/o and D/O.
Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp
Hello Metatron
I have to congratulate
you for sharing the experience about the
honest elder.
This part it's really great...!!
"He replied "Do good to your enemies and pray for those that
persecute you!". The CO didn't know what to say."
Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp
Victor E-
What is this rating stuff?
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
if we say that ALL are corrupt, when they clearly not, we are no better than they are when they use some of their propaganda terms.
i've been out for 13 years so i may well be out of date, with what is happening in there now....
but i have to say, that in my experience, there were some wonderful guys that served on the circuit, they believed and they genuinely tried to help others.
some were veri practical in their help - in oz, peter brusaschi and frank mappin (both dead) were like that.
some were talented and could have made more money outside, if they had wanted to...
some had had families and went into full time service when their families grew up.
some had their idiosyncrisies -- yeah, and some had likes on the "showy" side - D.H.Maclean springs to mind, but even for him, (and I never got to know him that well, tho he was on the circuit when i came into dub city in 1953) when he stayed with us once, i could see something spiritual underneath.
i do not like christianity, i consider myself a POST CHRISTIAN but it is NOT a total negative whether we are talking about dub city or any other group of god-botherers.
On the subject of CO's, I am reminded of Jesus' words:
"Forgive them Father, they know not what they do"
I couldn't understand why we almost never got any CO's that
seemed like real Christian men. They seemed like corporate
reps that were put in a position that collectively went to
their heads. Not monsters, not crooks, just not the kind of men
I thought of as pastoral towards a suffering flock.
-and of course, almost to a man, none of them ever had a
family or kids.
Well, now I understand how the Society molds these itinerant
Fuehrers for it's corporate purpose. I don't think most of them
gain that much materially from serving - nor do I begrudge
them a means of living - a BOE letter about CO expenses was
downright shocking in its tightfistedness!
Still, these guys are the critical link in the chain of
Watchtower hierarchy. They can make the Society liable
from top to bottom. It's not a position I'd care to be in.
metatron
You just witness Billy Grahm raise someone from the dead. No, Harry Houdini tricks, full blown decomposing death.
You think, "This is the guy!" Obviously he has "God's" favor.
(Sidenote question: You think Satan could raise the dead?)
Anyhow you have a religious expereience, sell all your assets and give the proceeds to the poor, and become a follow of Billy.
11 others have a similar sentiment.
Some months later after watching Billy: walk on water, cure blindness, etc, all verified by CNN and 60 minutes, you recline back after some chinese take out and debate with your 11 associates which one of YOU is the greatest?!!!
Man will never, I repeat never be free from himself. He cannot divorce his ego any more than he can divorce his lungs from providing oxygenated blood. Organizations no matter how well intentioned, no matter how much of God's spirit they have will always be MENS CREATIONS. As such, threads such as are simply a commentary of men, not good men, or pious men, or any other kind of men. Just men.
Live your own life. Help others if you can or are so inclined. Consider Jesus' life and model that if it appeals to you. But be your own messiah because no organization, no man is ever coming to rescue you.
Then you die.
"If you acknowledge you are unconscious, you are no longer unconscious" ~ unknown
Metatron,
Well, now I understand how the Society molds these itinerantFuehrers for it's corporate purpose. I don't think most of them gain that much materially from serving - nor do I begrudge them a means of living - a BOE letter about CO expenses was downright shocking in its tightfistedness!
lol...I spent some while as a Temporary CO. The WTS submerges these men in avalanches of paperwork, forms and numbers enough to confuse an accountant.
I am amazed that they have any time left to think....lo...OK - I have set that one up for somebody.
Best regards - HS
Hi Martin, welcome to the forum. This is a very interesting topic and one that I know so well. I have a brother who is a Circuit Overseer and one who is an elder is his congregation.
Well, my brother the elder felt that he was always being passed over to get talks at the district level and he spoke to my brother the CO and my brother the CO told my brother the elder what to do.
So, the next time the Co came to visit the congregation of my brother the elder, my brother and his wife took a vacation from their jobs, wined and dined the circuit overseer and his wife and then just before they left he gave them $300.00 to buy themselves a personal gift.
Now, my brother says that since that time he is scheduled to talk every District assembly and sometimes the CO calls him just to chat.
My brother says it was the best investment he ever made.
Hi Martin,
Looks like you and I shared a lot in come. I haven’t said a lot about myself on this board but I served in an appointed position for over 30 years (MS giving public talks at 18 - those were the days), elder, talks at assemblies, even a spell serving in a foreign country.
Anyway, I have difficulties with the ‘higher ups’ in the organisation. Have you ever tried to get to talk to a visiting Bethel speaker at a District Assembly? Well, they are always to be found in the executive suites, with two bouncers, sorry attendants, on the door making sure the rank and file don’t wander in. Whilst the less mortals are counselled about always being in their seats, no eating, drinking, chewing chum, etc., the privileged few get to sit in comfort with tea, coffee and food on hand for when ever the fancy takes them. And of course, that is where you’ll find the COs and DOs.
As George Orwell said in Animal Farm, “all animals are equal but some are more equal than others”!
Eyeslice
