Life in a spiritual (UN)-paradise (page 2)

LongHairGal

BETH SARIM:

I remember those days years ago when young regular pioneers were put on the ‘pedestal’ as you mention. I was compared unfavorably to them. I remember hearing about those special dinners with whoever and those other perks they got.

But, what about Today? These pioneers have reached their senior years.. For those of them who DIDN’T get married and/or somehow manage to save for retirement - what does it matter NOW if they were the congregation darling forty years ago???.. (It wouldn’t mean anything to me.).. I mean, can they track down any of these admirers and ‘spiritual’ friends and ask them for money?? Maybe some of those ‘great ladies’ 🙄 who hosted those dinners are still living?

These RPs might have been in their heyday back then and high on admiration from everybody, but that doesn’t mean anything now if somebody is struggling.

BluesBrother

Thus is the story of small country congregations the world over. Reminds me of the one we moved to when we could get a mortgage and a house. We left the big swinging cong. In the large town and went to dullsville. It was a huge mistake. It was dominated by one or two entrenched families and sons daughters-in-law. I had no idea of the politics of the BOE .. and sad rivalries going on.. Human nature I guess… We moved back a.s.a.p.

I await the next episode of his story

stan livedeath

@ Blues--

swinging ? sounds like my kind of fun

Reasonfirst

fulano (and others) - this was in the 1960's. And, apart from occasional invites to a meal by individual people, there were no organised 'special reward' activities.

Drearyweather. A good question, that involves not just an individual (like me) but the whole religious concept. In deciding to post these experiences, I intended to discuss that aspect as a final post.

This period (I think I was about 22) was somewhat formative in my life. And, of course, I was following the 'official' line of thinking and acting.

Leathercrop

I moved to a different state to "help" a cong "in need"...there were only two elders and no servants but had close to 200 publishers...needless to say I said wtf, why?? Turned out the two elders there didn't consider not one other guy there worthy of being a servant much less an elder. The two elders handled every single part at every single meeting plus me once I got there. The elders' wives were always either pissed or depressed. One elder eventually lost his home because it was far more important to stay holed up in his "office" preparing parts for meetings rather than going to work to pay bills. The turning point for me after three months of this shit was going out in service one evening with another guy in the cong who complained about the elders nonstop til about 10pm. We were sitting in a parking lot of a Red lobster, and while the guy's bitching away nonstop I looked out my car window at the neon lobster and thought to myself wtf am I doing here??? Took my wife and left the next week fuck that.

Reasonfirst

OK, I'm assigned to this country town, where everyone knew nearly everything about everyone else. My assigned partner, a Bro J. was about my age and also came from Sydney. He had spent some weeks at his parents home, before I was assigned as his partner. So we travelled to this country town by train, arriving there early in the morning. A few people were on the station when the train arrived, including a group of youths.

As we got off the train, they spotted bro. J and one yelled out, Hey! J, is your mate M. still fukking the XXXX girl???

Australia was still somewhat conservative about sexual matters in those days, and topics like that were usually whispered about, not shouted out in public. Bro.J answered non-committedly, and hurried me out of the station.

So finally, I knew what had happened to my predecessor. I knew him, of course, and had actually spoken to him a few weeks before. I'd asked him why he'd come back to Sydney and stopped pioneering, after only about 6 months in that assignment. He'd been very guarded in his answers.

Still, not bad for a Sp. Pioneer, not only getting to know a non-jw girl (a local Bank manager's daughter), but shagging her as well.

Beth Sarim

I remember those days years ago when young regular pioneers were put on the ‘pedestal’ as you mention. I was compared unfavorably to them. I remember hearing about those special dinners with whoever and those other perks they got.

LHG

''But, what about Today? These pioneers have reached their senior years.. For those of them who DIDN’T get married and/or somehow manage to save for retirement - what does it matter NOW if they were the congregation darling forty years ago???.. (It wouldn’t mean anything to me.).. I mean, can they track down any of these admirers and ‘spiritual’ friends and ask them for money?? Maybe some of those ‘great ladies’ 🙄 who hosted those dinners are still living?

These RPs might have been in their heyday back then and high on admiration from everybody, but that doesn’t mean anything now if somebody is struggling.''

Great observation. Look where it got them.

It got them a ticket to the poor house. And in retirement age totally unprepared.

But that was pre-internet age. You can't feel sorry for such naievity and ignorance any longer.

LongHairGal

BETH SARIM:

Yes, that’s true. We are in the internet age and you just can’t feel sorry for such naivety and ignorance any longer.

But, if you read some of those Reddit posts, there are individuals still imagining elderly and other needy are going to ‘depend on the organization’. 😳 Last time I checked the religion/organization had No social programs whatsoever to help anybody... Ah, so that would mean anybody sitting in congregations anywhere are going to have brothers coming up to them with an envelope asking for money for people who never worked. Anybody who wants to tolerate being viewed like a walking ATM - well that’s their business.

So Glad I’m not there anymore.

Beth Sarim

This is when you realize who the borgs interests are in and helping .

None other than themselves.

enoughisenough

I never could figure out where that "spiritual paradise" was...the more I got to know people, I could discern their unchristian behavior-the selfishness, greed, lying, theivery,immorality.

Life in a spiritual (UN)-paradise

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