Climbing the Corporate Ladder - Why They Do It

by Black Man 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  Black Man

  That the WTS is nothing more than a business is painfully obvious in the way many brothers seek 'positions'. I was always HIGHLY doubtful of the 'appointed by holy spirit' BS that we were always fed. Appointments often came down to who kissed up the most to the decision-makers. There were very few times that you could genuinely see that a brother was really concerned about the flock over his position. That applies to the local congregations AND Bethel. If I ever get some time I could relate story after story of the downright cut-throat politicking that would go on. In fact, I've had many CO's express the fact that they could've been in the District work if they had've kissed up to the right people.

  I think what accounts for this (especially at Bethel) is that many of these men forsook college education and life in the business world. They take their ambitions and put them in a 'theocratic context'. This is why many stay in the org even after they know that it's rotten. Having a POSITION gives them a sense of self, validates their existence. You get some good ones who try to 'reach out' for the right reasons (out of love for the flock) but they're usually burned by the corporate sharks. Life in the WTS corporate world.............discuss...........
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  Gopher

  Black Man,

  Your post accurately describes the way it is, at least here in the United States. I wonder if others from other countries would add their 2 cents in.

  Jesus said, "Call nobody your leader" and "all you are brothers". The way that some seek prominence and power, and the way they look down on the average JW's once such prominence is attained, is truly stunning. They may give an appearance of humility and/or following Scriptural principle when it serves their purpose.

  As you said, there are others who serve humbly and meekly. But if and when there are conflicts between the humble class of elders and those who insist on their way, (whether the conflict arises from a matter affecting the congregation or a judicial case, guess which side wins? It isn't the "reasonable, humble" side.

  GopherThe sieve says to the needle; you have a hole in your head.
  Indian Proverb
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  noidea

  I was thinking about this earlier.
  It all boils down to man wanting to dominate over man. There is toooo much division and conflicts between elders to be representives of Jehovah. If they had the best interest of the Cong. at heart and always followed Jesus example there would be no conflicts. It's all a power play and they are learning from the best.
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  cornish

  Very true!
  My father became so disenchanted about not being an elder that he became inactive in the late seventies,now he is an elder he seems to thrive on his position and the prestige,I think he knows in his heart there is a lot wrong with the org,but tends to push it to the reseses of the mind.
  I am quite sure if you took away his position he would be more open to the possibility of leaving.
  My younger brother was also very distressed when he was not appointed as an elder as soon as he'd hoped,when he was made up he was elated.
  As for me,when a witness I never ever desired to be an elder,so that power enticement offered by the borg did not work for me.
  Its just a boys club!
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  Simon

  The dangerous thing is that the people who seek out the power and position do it because they could not achieve it elsewhere. Most companies would not put them in charge of 100 people yet they get this and to wear a suit in the society. It goes to their head. Nobody's who think they are somebody's.
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  chipster

  great topic!!
  when i was a young, hotshot elder i was accused of climbing the "theocratic ladder"...i was incensed at such an accusation.
  later , i realized that the elder that made the remark was absolutely correct.
  i was coached on how to get the "promotion" from MS to elder... get your hours up, and DO NOT auxilialary pioneer...the hours for that month will be taken out of the average...just put in 20-30 hours for a few months, and stay above the national average for the rest...you will look real good when the CO comes to town and reviews your publisher card(which incidentally is NOT your property anymore).
  and then, kiss ass. take the CO and his wife to dinner; tell him how loving all the elders are (you are not a dissident, but a team player); tell him of your aspirations to get into the "full time work" (sheeesh, i thought being a servant of Jah WAS a full time undertaking) and then kiss some more ass, and send the CO and his wife (if he is not gay, LOL) on his way with at least a $50 dollar bill, better yet a $100 dollar bill , and say "jehovah be with you my brother"..
  i'll be damned if it doesn't work EVERY time!!!!! LOL

  today, i no longer climb any damn ladders, corporate or theocratic. i am an artist and an entrepreneur. i love life, and i live in the "NOW"...without fear.

  i have two great sons, lots of "worldly" friends, and an ex-wife in AZ....what else could i ask for....i count my blessings every day, and thank the creator for my awesome life...
  chip
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  chipster

  sheeesh, that post felt good!!!!
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  bigboi

  Hey All:

  Black Man, that is so true. Especially true is what Chipster said. However, one of the times that many bro. scramble for position is when the congregation is known to have probs and the C.O. brings in a brother or two for outside help. This happened at the congregation I was attending down here in New Orleans about a yr or so before I left.

  There's this brother who was asssigned to work the New Orleans circuit early in the 1980's. He was an an elder/pioneer and his wife was also a pioneer. They had both raised ten kids together and now wanted to serve where the need was greater. I think he even retired early to do it. Anyways, I found out that he was known as a "cleaner". In other words, if a congregation was having problems, he was the man the C.O. used to root them out. He would be assigned as an elder to "problem" congregations, usually to serve as the P.O.

  OK, so the servant body at our conregation right now is in a shambles. Two well respected long time elders have just stepped aside. The M.S. body is a group of immature nepotistic brats, who won't help their fellow MS by carrying mics at the meetings because they are tired.(that was the only congregation I attended where I saw that happen) I mean even if the guy was short handed they would not help him. There were all kinds of silly squabbles and accusation of nepotism flying around, plus we had about 3 months straight were someone was annouced as being either disfellowshipped or dissassociated at the beginning of every service meeting. So, the C.O. at his next visit holds off on all appointments and calls in the "cleaner".

  Man, when this guy came in, all of a sudden every MS was raising the amount of mags he recieved for field service. Showing upp for service event in spite of being "tired". There was so much brown nosing going on, it was unbeleivable. All of a sudden everyone on the servant body was sooooo cooperative. I was secretly disgusted at all this because these guys had really said and done really unkind things to each other, and did not show any kind of effort to change until this "man" showed up. Thie disfellowshippings stopped, gratefully. However many of the ppl that were disfellowshipped were ones who were havuing family and finacial problems. Most of them were inactive or irregular. It was implied to me by an elder who sat on jc, that the onlyreasons they stooppped working with the ppl was because it was felt that they were impeding the flow of Jehovah's spirit and thus opening up the congregation to all it's "problems".

  I know I got a little of the subject, but that's just some of the things I saw happen that led to my disillusionment with the religion I once thought it would be a dream come true to be a part of.

  ONE....

  Bigboi

  "it ain't what ya do. it's how you do it" quote from the song "True Honeybunz" by Bahamadia
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  Black Man

  Simon said: The dangerous thing is that the people who seek out the power and position do it because they could not achieve it elsewhere. Most companies would not put them in charge of 100 people yet they get this and to wear a suit in the society. It goes to their head. Nobody's who think they are somebody's.
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

  Simon, that is SO TRUE. Brothers who couldn't cut it out in the real world live their dreams through being in charge of congregations and etc. It's something the society spouts of proproganda about all of us being equal in the eyes of God, yet when you get down to it, the ORG is a status-based organization. Complete status-quo mentality.
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  outnfree

  Chipster,

  I am appalled to learn about the sucking up you describe and the cynicism in the method that is known and propagated!

  BlackMan,

  During my DA meeting two of the three brothers happened to be black, including the P.O. Both of them have risen in the outside Corporate World. One is a bank vice-president. The other is a high ranking general manager at a Fortune 500 corporation. When stressing the love and the unity of the congregation, they each pointed to their rise in the Organization (having come from 1/the south side of Chicago and 2/some other rough, urban environment -- can't recall the city) as something that would have been impossible for men like them. They pointed to the change in lifestyle, poise, and public speaking skills as having helped them on their corporate way.

  Obviously, these two were 'ambitious' both in and out of the org.

  Interestingly, the only other black brother in our sister congregation was assigned again to our congregation at a recent kingdom hall split. He lasted about three months under that same P.O. and went back to his former congregation. This was the second time he could not work with this body of elders. Personality conflicts? For sure. Holy spirit appointing these guys? Not a chance!!!

  outnfree