My sister and I, are my mothers only two children. We were both Witnesses at one point, I left ten year ago and my sister left in 2005. My mother remains as the only Witness left in my immediate family. While my sister and I make good money, with our careers and duel income in marriage, we don't talk about it much. My mother, on the other hand, is married to a man who owns a airplane engine manufacturing company. I know it sounds all prestigious and all, but don't over estimate it, it is not Boeing. They rebuild engines that work in fire bombers, and other prop planes. My mother lives in a small town, and in that town, the 30 people they employee is a big deal. They moved the business there from a large city in California, as it does not matter where they are based for their business, as they ship to people and no one comes to their plant.
As a Witness, my mother is the king of all nags. Always making small attempt to bug my sister into wanting to go back, using guilt and other control items. My sister is closer to her, then I am, so that is the reason for the focus. Constantly we hear about how spiritual she is, and how she will live through Armageddon. Yet at the same time, my mother is the most materialistic person I have even known or met in my life. She will call me out of the blue to brag about a car she bought, when she hears my father bought my son something, we will suddenly get a shipment from UPS with toys or clothing in it to compete (We use it to our advantage at times, I admit). My conversations with her are always about, what she owns, what she is buying or how the town kisses her butt for having so much money spent in their town. She brags about her money, over and over and over and over again. If she does it with me and my sister, what about with the Witnesses?
Well my sister decided to check. She called a friend she knew up there, who attends from time to time and asked what people were thinking of my mom. She explained that the elders wives wont talk to her, as they think she is too materialistic and they have wondered why the elders do not do something about it. She mentioned that my mom does not shut up about what she owns, is buying or how much money they make. People have been driven away in disgust, and are irritated with her arrogance. Why then do the elders do nothing? Well two of the five elders in this small town work for her, and rumor has it, that they do not want to rock the boat and ruin a good job. Weird!
Do you know anyone actually disfellowshipped for being materialistic? In all the time I was a Witness, or around them, I know none.