by chuckyy 12 Replies latest jw experiences
HI
Do you think that the better the job that you have or the higher the social standing you have, makes it more likely that you will be an Elder in comparison to those that are less fortunate??? Quite a few Elders in my old KH even had their own private car plates.
CHUKKY
There was a post not long ago about two types of Elders...I sort of agree with that thinking.
I think there were Elders who got there because of who they knew and/or sucked up to within the org social standing. (These always seemed to be the most successful)
Then I think there was a group that meant well and had a hard time kissing up or faking it and because of that usually were not well liked by the other Elders.
Now I am probably a little biased because my father was an Elder of, in my opinion, type 2. Because of his lack of suckupery skills and also due to my deciding to DA he was "deleated".
I also know that I was being cultivated (fertilized was a better word I think) to serve as an MS because of the social relationship I had with the other young people at the KH but that was way too much of a lie for me to live...just pretending to still believe at that point was getting to be too much.
RandyW
Dad's an elder - he's just a nice guy to be around, I think that's how come he got to be one.
There are some that are just made to fit the bill. Born to be elders. I know some, and if they had taken to any other evangelical type religion they would have been elders. Or if they had taken to Mormons, they would be highly regarded there and would have that same power. These guys are the Republican-slanted witnesses who believe in a strong family and strong america thing and are successful business people and have exquisite houses and nice cars and so forth. They would listen to Rush Limbaugh if they were political (and perhaps some do). These guys also donate alot of money and get special perks from the SOciety, from the CO, and at the assembly in parts. They have it all figured out how many meetings they can miss without arousing suspicion, how many vacations they can do without looking too materialistic. They usually never have book studys or meetings for field service at their exquisite homes - you can't have all those people traipsing through their hardwood floors! Also, you will never really be out in service in their cars either. Who wants to take their Mercedes or BMW in service anyways? If they do take their cars out, it is usually only with their immediate family.
Others are the humble ones. They are usually the most sincere and blissfully ignorant of the hypocrisy of the WTS. They also usually take an interest in the more mundane things in the congregation. They are the ones that like to take care of the Kingdom Hall, yardwork, and so forth. They usually do the less-visible things that the Republican-slanted witnesses don't want to be bothered with. They run their service cars in to the ground - but at least the rich elder families pitch in $3-5 for gas.
There are certain OTHER indicators that get you to be an elder - and these help make the difference between the previous two I mentioned less obvious. For instance, if you are a regular pioneer and have a penis, you can be fast-tracked to elder. They LOOOOVE to have elders that are pioneers. By association it actually creates more elders because they are supposedly the "role models" in the congregation. That way this guy can give all the parts on the service meetings guilting people into going out in service without looking like a hypocrite.
There are a few others too, but those are the most obvious at the moment.
-ithinkisee
There are certain OTHER indicators that get you to be an elder - and these help make the difference between the previous two I mentioned less obvious. For instance, if you are a regular pioneer and have a penis, you can be fast-tracked to elder. They LOOOOVE to have elders that are pioneers. By association it actually creates more elders because they are supposedly the "role models" in the congregation. That way this guy can give all the parts on the service meetings guilting people into going out in service without looking like a hypocrite.
I meant to say:
" by association it actually creates more PIONEERS because these elders become "role models" in the congregation."
good summation ithinksee!you hit it on the head!
chuckyy- I know what you're talking about. The majority of the elders at my old KH were well off. And all I could think was that they got endorsment because of there finances and how good they sucked up. But then again, I have known some elders (my grandfather included) that didn't have a cent to rub together.
I guess I would say that money does help some aspiring to be elders. I'm not sure that they have to go through as many social hoops as those without money.
You are so right with one twist....the humble elder gets all the crap jobs while the "cool"ones live their life only to play the holier than thou when it counts like when the CO is around. then you'll see the fancy cars come out in service to carry his holy butt around to "calls" and "coffee break". And only then will some high and mighty elders take a day off during the week and do pretend service to look oh so good....why do they think the other sheep are so dumb not to notice......but God Sees all...so we are told.
Many of these elders with lots of money to donate would get special invites to the Annual Report and Gilead Graduation at Bethel. They would get put up in nice penthouse guest rooms at Bethel, get shuttled around, sit at the "head" table in the dining room, and get to sit with the Bethel "Heavies" at Jersey City Assembly Hall.
As a new Bethelite I did security and transport details for these kinds of things. We would make special trips to carry these no-name families around. When we asked what the deal was with these people, our department head gave a "wink" and then rubbing their thumb and two fingers together (the international sign for $$$$).
-ithinkisee
ithinkisee;
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