by kaik 47 Replies latest social family
I am wondering, Kaik, if it is simply a language miscommunication, or... Are Elders supported by the congregation? Do congregations cook for elders all the time? That does not happen in USA....
Or, is this "overseer" that comes around a circuit overseer?
Either way, it sounds like Czech has a few "rules of its own"? Is this a repeat of the Bethel adventure there?
CC. no, congregation does not support elders. It pays only expenses related to KH like taxes, garbage collection, and utilities. However, what I have heard from relatives in three different KH scattered in across country, either in the capital or countryside, the KH has set amount of money that should be collected for international work and support overseas operations.
CO on the other hand is supported by KHs, and I know it from Czech Republic and Slovakia. When he visits the KH the local members are paying his expenses like gasoline, and meals. This was and is a source of anger among many, it was channeled to me by my mom, siblings, niece, and aunt. All of them are going to different KH and they live as far as 300km apart. So it is not an issue for one congregation. I have relatives in Slovakia as well, but I do not have contract on them directly, so I only heard it channeled through my family. But I know my mom and my sister do not like supporting CO, and they told me explicitly that they feel he and his snobby wife is abusing/fleecing congregation(s). My mom does not have problem with donating money for her local KH. She donated a lot over the years and we put a lot of money when we build our first one in the city. However, nobody in my family feel that they should support CO for nothing
When it comes to Bethel in Prague, the case could be obtained from court responsible for Prague city district. This issue was also reported on media and it became a source of embarrassment for WT. According to police report one of the elder there was also an owner of brothel. It been 15 years or so for me to remember all the details. But eventually, Bethel in Prague was closed and CZ territory is serviced from Slovakia, which is weird considering that CZ twice that big and the facility was brand new and had better base. What I have read/heard it was a way to sweep the problem away. The issue of financial abuse were heard well in 1990's when some people donated properties to WT operation. 25 years ago, they had a nice, luxurious villa in one the best addresses in Prague. Why?
Thank you, kaik.... I was very interested to know how life was in other countries... I wondered, maybe, if elders had just decided to start doing things differently, asking for $$$....
You used the term "overseer", and although it is used for Circuit Overseer, this term was used long ago in USA as a word for "elder."... So, I thought maybe, since your mom was irritated, saying "Why doesn't he work for himself" that he was actually an elder (not a CO).... Especially after you told us the story about the problems in Prague..
I thought, 'Hey, maybe CZ became isolated, they did not know what it was like in other countries, and some men took advantage of that and told the bro's and sisters that they had to support the elders... ???? You never know, right?
Thanks for the insight!
cha ching
CC, it is hard to translate the word for overseer. We used a word "dozorce" as someone who has responsibility over the many congregation in one specific country or territory. She did not mean anyone at her congregation. My mom is pretty much regular, she seldom skips KH and she will attend even when I visit her from overseas.. talk about priorities. She is pretty much religious, but loving; but she has mind of her own. She does not like to get bossed around. She had surgery in October, but she developed complication and caught some infection. So she was unable to attend KH and my mom's husband did not want to go among people until she is healed. She also was on post operation rehab center.
So, what my family told me, the elder who is half of her age decided to stop by... and asked about report card and if she can't provide some $$$ donation because overseer will be in town. He even did not ask how she was doing. So my mom told him that she won't be giving him any money, and the overseer should be working instead fleecing the congregation. This instigated the argument, and the elder told her that she has a weak faith in Jehovah, etc.. So, it pissed her off even more and he left on bad mode. He went to my sister and complained about my mom. Since then pretty much everyone in the KH knows about the incident, so they think my mom should be taught a lesson, and nobody talked to her when she appeared.
I know my mom does not care much about TATT, nor flip-flopping doctrines, and unfulfilled expectations about Armageddon, but she does care about giving away money to support someone else lifestyle. She is telling me this for years, and I have heard it from other family members as well. My last conversation with my mom she told me that people at the apex of the WT behave like medieval royalty and bishops who traveled from castle to castle and eat out from local population. I think she will be attending KH with my sister or niece even if it means to travel.
Kaik - you said it right when you said your mom said, "My last conversation with my mom she told me that people at the apex of the WT behave like medieval royalty and bishops who traveled from castle to castle and eat out from local population."
That is so true. That's exactly how they live here in the U.S. Shameful.
Kaik I know you're mum is a believer, so working with that perhaps just stress to her that as a forgiving god maybe jah tolerates real ass*@£es in the congregation and that this is certainly not from god but that he is a (very) bad apple that has not been dealt with yet. When they ask for money tell them to " WAIT ON JEHOVAH!!!!"
Swine's, bullying a sick old women. You have my sympathy Kaik.
