One thing about this site that bothers me

by keyser soze 84 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Clambake

  So

  I would like to start off by saying I am sorry. I never met to be belittling anyone on this board or slag anyone who does blue collar work. Allah knows I have done enough manual labour in my life and I don’t have a large amount of post-secondary education.

  I wasn’t really making a reference to manual labour. I was just making more of a reference how the WTS can either make people socially inept of just down right lazy.

  I know pioneers who are not driven by their sincere love of teaching the bible but because they are just too f-ing useless to hold a job or put an honest day’s work in. Of course they are living with Mommy and Daddy or some spouse is killing himself to make ends meet.

  I knew a guy who would leave watchtowers in the coffee room at work and the boss would ask him not to do that. Of course he would make an issue of it and not listen and would lose his job over it and it would happen over and over. Daddy Elder thought he was a real hero for it. Truth is he was one dam lazy bastard.

  I hope that clears things up of what I consider a loser and how it relates to the WTS. Please no offence to the working joe’s on the board because I am right there with you.
• 

  Scully

  Window cleaning isn't easy work, it's physically demanding, and most people who do it independently need to have other skills too - it requires some business acumen if you want to be successful at it in the long term.

  That said, I do not go around telling a window cleaner how to do their job. I know what my skill set is and I try to stick to my area of expertise. The JW Elder™ who happens to be a an expert window cleaner or office custodian doesn't do that. His position as an Elder™ bestows on him a level of hubris whereby he thinks he can (and should) advise Congregation™ members in matters beyond his scope of expertise, such as medical advice, marital advice and even child-rearing advice. The WTS doesn't equip these men with appropriate training beyond parroting what the WTS has written in its Publications™, regardless of how out-of-touch-with-reality that information is, for instance, the Watchtower article "A Time To Speak" about reporting people to the Elders™ based on confidential medical information learned during the course of one's employment - a practice clearly prohibited under HIPPA and other regulations that protect medical confidentiality of patients. Despite it being over 2 decades old, that article has NEVER been re-visited, and some JWs feel it still represents appropriate behaviour.

  I don't think anyone here disrespects individuals who perform this kind of honest labour at all. The disrespect deservedly goes to Elders™ who enjoy the power play over others' lives, who feel they have the authority to spout WTS-approved nonsense in the guise of "counselling" Congregation™ members, in matters in which they have no real understanding.
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  FlyingHighNow

  I agree, Scully. It very much has bothered me when I see people with serious mental illness reproved or disfellowshipped for "conduct unbecoming of a christian". What mental health professional would tell family and friends not to be supportive to a loved some suffering with mental illness? This is one of the big things that helped me to see how bogus this organization is. It is dangerous for elders with no degrees in mental health to be dealing out judgment and punishment to the mentally ill.
• 

  no lies please

  Thank you for this post. Excellent point. Using 'window washer' as a pejorative term seems unique to former JW's. It seems that people who have never been affiliated with the JW's don't see it that way at all. Many here may be surprised to learn that there are people in the window washing business that also have college degrees. I know some personally. If you have good business sense there can be great money in it.
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  Found Sheep

  For about 14 years I did cleaning. I did homes, offices, floors and yes windows. My favorite was windows. I made more per hour than I do as an RN now. I didn't clean blood, poop, pee, vomit and snot like I do now. So who has the better job?

  I say I do not because I look down on my last job but because I have saved lives, loved those that needed it and feel like I am helping those that need it.

  just my 0.02$
• 

  NotNew

  Keyser soze...thanks for bringing this up. Your point should be well-taken. So many that I know are doing the best they can with their abilities...why degrade them or their occupation.

  SW
• 

  badcompany

  As I remember the window washer/janitor craze happened in the pre-75 days. I started a business in it when I was a teenager ~73-74. I made great money at it and continued til 79. My presiding overseer father and pioneer mother thought it was a shame for me to pursue this career and talked me into going to college (engineering). It took me many, many years to match my ww/j business income (and I enjoyed my ww/j business much more). Hanging on the side of a skyscraper with the wind in your hair and a squeegee in your hand rules!
• 

  problemaddict

  I agree that no blue collar worker or job should ever be demeaned. I don't think however, that has ever been the INTENT of those comments. Basically, it is a way of stating that the elders have ZERO TRAINING.

  It is less about the "janitor" statement, and more about the elder being unqualified to do things that they do. Such as

  investigate a crime

  marriage consultant

  trauma counselor

  spiritual advisor

  life coach

  Elders are not qualified to do these tasks.....just like most window washers would not be. So it becomes a pejorative meaning when stated.

  That being said....i get that it is offensive and i still vote we strike it from the vernacular. I have never used it myself, but I don't think i blinked very hard when someone else did.
• 

  Indian Larry

  +1 to the original poster
• 

  rebel8

  ITA with the OP.

  I do believe though, when we're talking about window washers giving people false and harmful legal, medical, psychological and marital advice, then it's appropriate to call them a derogatory term that refers to their arrogant pursuit of these acts despite a total lack of qualifications.