I have no religious home...

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Take along some Prince Albert tobacco and a Book of Mormon, and you've got cheap cigarettes for days!

Very sorry to hear of your bad experiences. From what little I've seen you write about it, you seem to be fairly well adjusted now; if so, I'm glad.

You mentioned money to pay a career minister in churches...I'm curious. I think I read somewhere that there's no "pastor" as such that leads KH's. All I really know about JW churches is that they're presided over by elders or some such. Exactly what is the structure like, as someone who's been pretty close to it and come out of it?

If you say you're quite liberal then perhaps you could consider Unitarianism (a denomination that isn't really represented in my country though). I think you might also fit in well with the Friends (Quakers).

I went a few times with a friend of mine to a small sect years ago which never even spoke of money. They had no collection plates at all. Their belief is that their full time workers should not get paid, but go out in twos and stay over at members who supply their needs - food, accommodation etc without money/cash as such. They were conservative in some ways (you had to wear a suit, and women weren't allowed make up or jewellery) but women could speak or preach provided they wore a hat. You weren't permitted to talk before the service - always held in people's homes as they don't believe in church buildings. You had to sit in silence but could nod to other people!

Kingdom Halls are run by a group of older men (elders) with varying levels of authority. They don’t get paid for what they do. Many of them work full-time jobs and have families on top of stuff they do at the church. Beneath them are ministerial servants who handle various stuff like preaching territories, financial stuff, and doing various leadership type things like carrying microphones during services, overseeing cleaning, and taking care of electrical equipment. Below them are young, baptized males who are in training.

If a 12 year old (or younger) baptized male is the only male present during a meeting for “field service” (preaching), he’ll be in charge of that group of ladies.

Above elders are traveling circuit and district overseers who make sure that elders are complying with the rules of the organization (they are paid a small but livable salary). It’s highly organized and there’s not a lot of variation among JWs, even in very different countries.

At the top, the organization is run by older dudes called the Governing Body. The GB lives and rules the roost in the cult compound in NY. I didn’t think that they got a lot of money for what they do, but one of them was filmed buying $1,000 worth of expensive whiskey last year, so it seems as though I was wrong...

It’s such a highly structured and regimented thing. Individual elders don’t have a lot to do as far as determining what topics will be covered at any service. All of that is determined at headquarters, including outlines for sermons.

Fascinating. Thanks for the info!

I was aware that they had a tight organizational structure, but not clear on specifics. It’s interesting to me that they are so regimented. Scientology is like that, only maybe a little more extreme. Catholics are fascinating for the same reason. Each mass with little exception is handed down straight from the Vatican. There is no autonomy. People criticize SBC for being so conservative but have no idea just how open it really is as a denomination. I get amused when Catholic friends start going on about what Baptist’s believe. I’m like, we do? And even though you and I come from differing worldviews, it’s fascinating to me that you describe it as a cult in NY. I feel the same way.

I used to be good friends with a Mormon lady and her daughter. We’d gotten on the topic of religion when the girl mentioned she was going on a mission. Her mother pulled me aside and whispered that we have so many cults where we live. It was all I could do not to laugh. I suppose the JW might consider me part of a cult, idk. Meeting JW and LDS are always interesting experiences.

JWs consider various groups including LDSs cults. LOL They aren’t a cult because it’s “the Truth.” Mormons think the same thing about themselves.

When you preach, you do hear all the dirt that’s going on in the various churches in the community. It could be quite amusing at times. Gossipy and silly.