are congregation revolving around mini-moguls or dynasties of elitist JW?

cyborgVision

In your experience, did you ever see congregation being revolved around clan-like, all-influential families?

I don't know about your experiences, but in my personal experience and basically wherever I went I've seen congregation being influenced by mini dynasties of elitist JW.

In fact their influence goes far beyond of what you'd normally consider "spirituality" and branches down to some absolutely bizarre issues such as what type of car you should drive, what brand of clothing is "Christian", what sort of barbeque is appropriate, even what cereal you should not buy since it supports "Babylon the Great", etc.

In this one congo that I used to visit when on holydays for example, as congregation they've shared facilities with another neighboring congregation. This meant that, as in other congregations with similar arrangement there would be revolving of meeting times to ensure fairness, i.e. say one year one congo has morning service and another one afternoon. Next year you'd switch, so that everyone has equal share of morning meetings.

Interesting, thing about this congregation was that elder's wife didn't like waking up in the morning as I later realized. And by the time I was there last time around they've had about 5 or 6 years of constant afternoon Sunday service, usually around 2:00 pm. Funny thing was they've always had a show of hands to pass resolution, but it was so obvious that everyone wanted to please this powerful elder. So you'd have about 80 % of congregation voting for afternoon, even though, and I'm convinced of that some of them absolutely detested afternoon service.

Another story that was related to me not long ago was that in this other congo powerful elder (and his wife, I would imagine) had idea to install close-circuit cameras in parking lot and funny thing was that out of about 100 publishers only one didn't vote for it and started asking questions before resolution was passed. Needless to say he was laughed down and basically silenced.

Which is also another question in itself, if resolutions are only a joke of free will or skillfully crafted maneuver whereby charismatic elder can decide anything he wants and then blame congregation if something goes wrong ,since - hey you've voted for it.

But let's first see this: are congregation revolving around mini-moguls or dynasties of elitist JW

Duncan

Hi cyborgVision,

I think you're absolutely right about the influence that a powerful personality can have.

I posted something a couple of years ago about a situation in my old congregation. Dubs are particularly prone to sheep-like following.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/20694/1.ashx

Duncan.

blondie

In one area, voting for the morning or afternoon Sunday meeting was eliminated by the CO at the direction of NY because of a similar situation. The Sunday meetings rotated, changing every January 1. The same is true of KHs with 3 congregations, 3 times, 9:30, 12:30 , rotating. Always a lot of complaint from the one who got 3:30 on Sunday.

But 'elitist" families usually have a large family goups, have been JWs for 2 to 3 generations, know everybody and where the bodies are buried.

I can remember NY had to send in a specially appointed elder to break a deadlock in a congregation with 2 major family groups.

Blondie

jula71

I can truthfully say that has been the case in every hall I have been in, no question.

Bryan

In Woodvile, TX there was/is one. One elder, I know, has moved on now, but they were the richest family in the hall. Two brothers and one son were elders. Two son-in-laws were servants. I wouldn't doubt that the next generation is already installed.

Jokes were made about about the hall being names after the family.

Bryan

Have You Seen My Mother

La Capra

This happened in my congregation when I was ten or eleven. We had the Sunday morning slot for years, and then it came down that we were supposed to rotate it. At some point, after a year or two in the afternoon, it was supposed to switch again. The BOE put it to a congregation vote to leave it the same (I'm not sure if it was our dynasty that wanted it in the afternoon, or the other congregation's dynasty that wanted the morning). Our congregation voted to move the Sunday meeting to the morning. The P.O. was p.o.ed. He had us re-vote about four times (interspersed with guilt-laced spiels indicating that we would keep voting all night if necessary) until we voted the way he wanted. If a fifth-grader could see the pointlessness of a congregation vote, how could the adults not? I referenced this situation in my disassociation letter eight years later (as evidence they did not have "Jehovah's spirit"). I don't recall there ever being another congregation vote after that debaucle. Just another reason disassociating was easy. Shoshana

upside/down

It's rampantly practiced and runs throughout all the congo's.

Conversely, I've noticed that many of these "icons" in the troof... are now "has beens".

The 70's and 80's are OVER and it's a new world (tm) out there, the clans are losing most of their influence... but that doesn't stop some from trying to create their own dynasty and legacy.

How sad and pitiful... and totally un-Christlike. Although very Jehovahish (my made up word)!!!

u/d (of the hates big fish in a little pond class)

kittyeatzjdubs

i remember one congregation that my sister went to that i visited a lot when i was younger. there is one family that takes up about 75% of the kh....we're talking the grandparents, their kids, the kids kids, aunts, uncles, cousins....the list goes on and on. and let me tell you. they milked it for all it was worth. i remember this one brat that i hung out with (why, i'll never know) and when the younger people had get togethers, she'd run around bossing everybody, saying what food we should serve, who can hang out with who, and what music is appropriate or whatever. the appropriate music was usually her FAVORITE music which sucked ass!!!! and all the kids actually listened to her and she wasn't but like 17!!!!!!!!! they would go out of their way to kiss her rear and make sure she was happy. as did everyone in the kh to that family. so yes i DEFINITELY believe that there's an elitist system in the congos.

<3 kitty

ValiantBoy

Most definitely. Every cong I've been in has had these families. In fact, I am felated to one of these families from Central Oklahoma.

The last cong I was in...the PO has a son and son in law who are both elders also. I am convinced that in any other cong the son and son in law would not be elders. Anyhow, they are all very materialistic and lacking in compassion. They all have sports cars, pools, go on cruises, etc. This in a cong that is by and large poor. I recall once the PO was told that a very elderly sister in a town about 15 miles from the KH could no longer drive. He was asked if the cong could make arrangements to pick her. He said no, the cong could not be expected to make such a sacrifice on a regular basis. It was disgusting. This woman was one of the first witnesses in the area and had been a witness for nearly 40 years.

But my favorite thing they did was change the Sunday meeting time. For many years it was at 930. A lot of pubs wanted it changed to 1000. SO a vote was taken. It was close, but the cong did vote to change to 1000. Well, this elder and his fam were upset because they liked getting out at 1130 so they couls get good seats at restauraunts before the church crowds came in. ANd they made that known.. So, after a couple of motnhs, an announcement was made that the body of elders had reexamined the issue of meeting times and it was decided to go back to 930. No vote was taken or anything. At the time, the only elders in the cong were the PO, his son and son in law. It was so obvious what had happened.

kittyeatzjdubs

that sickens me...especially about the poor elderly sister....

sick sad stuff....

<3 kitty

are congregation revolving around mini-moguls or dynasties of elitist JW?

Share this