CHEATING ON FIELD SERVICE

by chuckyy 50 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  AlmostAtheist

  We as witness need to be more about the SPIRIT of the Law not just the LETTER of it.

  
  Wow, DefD. Spot on, dude. No wonder you can stay in the org, you're not really "in". You're more like "on", using it to increase your Bible knowledge, associate with others with a similar belief system. But when it crosses the line and says things like, "Don't visit apostate sites" or "Don't talk to DF'd people" you make up your own mind.

  I'm impressed.

  In answer to FreedomFrog, when I went to pioneer school (because *I* was good enough! ) they gave you 50 hours. But it didn't really "count". For instance, at the time the pioneer requirement was 1,000 hours a year. If you had less than 900, the elders had to write a letter to the Society with their recommendation to keep you on or drop you off the list. I had 850 something, plus my 50 from pioneer school, so I should've been in the clear. But the elders wrote their letter anyway, and the CO said they were right. (I remember this REALLY bothered me)

  The 50 hours is also not counted in the annual report. I don't really know what the hell the 50 hours are supposed to do. edited to add: I missed my hours by 100-150, I guess I wasn't "good enough"!

  Dave
• 

  inquirer

  @AlmostAtheist,
  
  If that was me, I'd say "ah, let him go. That's good enough."
  
  Also, if I was a school/college teacher, do you really think I would be bothered to read 30 odd essays the students would hand in to for me to mark?!!! I would just take a quick look at them, look at the paragraph style, the content, the main points.... and just think yeah... 10/10, 9/10, 7/10.... Who cares, right!? lol You don't spend hours and hours deciding if it's a 9 or a 10 or an 8.5 -- if you do the marking that often you know very well what the mark should be. :)
  
  So with this "field service padding" or in your case not putting enough hours in, I would let you off the hook with the "law of love." No one should be so legalistic about everything. If I thought you were a good bloke and t(You seem alright to me on here) I'd just say "try and do it better next year." I'd have a 5-10 minute conversation with you and try to help you how to meet your goal next time, with the law of love of course. :)
• 

  defd

  I think that is one of the problems with people. They forget who it is they must please. Jehovah God and Jesus or the brothers. Like with feild service. I know we are encouraged to get at least 10 hrs per week. If we cant, people start to worry how they will look to the BROTHERS. Jehovah is the one we want to look at us and approve us. He is more UNDERSTANDING and insightful than the Brothers.
• 

  Scully

  we are encouraged to get at least 10 hrs per week

  per week?!? No wonder so many JWs are on antidepressants. It was hard enough with a family and everything that entailed to do 10 hours a month, plus all the meetings (including having the book study in my home, plus a Saturday and a Sunday morning service arrangement).

  But you're right, going in service to please others (including Jehovah and Jesus, I might add) is not a good motivator. I found that when I went in service for my own sense of doing what was right - not because I thought it pleased anyone else - I felt that it was a better experience overall.

  Of course, once I realized that the Organization as a whole was corrupt, that it wasn't just "problems with individual brothers", my conscience would no longer permit me to participate.
• 

  defd

  I am sorry I meant 10 hrs per month. My bad!
• 

  PaulJ

  Defd. Good point from a JW perspective but that doesnt and never will Elders etc being judgemental towards ones that do not do enough in their eyes.

  I truly did whatever I could, more in fact at times. With a 12-hr a day full time job and 3 children, no car in an area with terrible public transport I still made it out on the ministry as much as I could. It came to a point where I had a nervous breakdown not being able to juggle all my responsibilities. If in a month i didnt make the 'congregational average' am i to blame for not 'making time'? Now who judges me from day to day? Who do I get feedback from despite the problems I had? The elders- NOT Jehovah.

  An arguement might be that Jehovah will right things that are wrong. Perhaps he will make the elders 'see' my efforts. That didnt happen at all, not once in the time I was in that situation.
• 

  defd

  Paul I know what you mean. All I can tell you is to be patient. "Vengence is mine says Jehovah I will repay!"
• 

  PaulJ

  Defd. I left 3 years ago now. I needed help on the f/s and my marriage was having problems. I couldnt cope with all life was throwing at me, including aspects of the truth. This of course makes it worse because I had a lot of guilt to deal with, as I felt I was letting Jehovah down by not complying as I'd like to.

  Any elder hearing that would encourage me to ask for a shepherding visit in which I could be helped and encouraged. Perhaps it could be arranged for someone to help me get out on the ministry. So I did, and I prayed about it- a lot. Then I asked an elder to visit, and again and again and again. You know what I asked every meeting attended for months on end.... but we didnt have one elder come to see us. We didnt even get a phone call. Not a sausage, despite my begging.

  In my DA'ing letter I described myself as a sheep calling/bleating for help from the bottom of a big hole. Why would a true shepherd leave a sheep in the hole? Or would he get muddy and put himself in the hole in order to get the sheep out?

  So, did I not pray hard enough? Was it not Jehovahs will that I go on the ministry? Or was I let down by the spirit-led organisation I had dedicated my life to?

  I have to say that now I have left my relationship with God is better than it has ever been.
• 

  defd

  Paul

  I cannot say anything bad inretun to your statement. It sounds all to familiar to mine. I am not Apologising for the FDS/Society, but I would like to say I am sorry for what you went through from the bottom of MY heart. I am going through that right now. I know all about the lack of skills of the Shepards and the lack of ability to Shepard Jesus sheep, the flock of God. That is why I am thoroughly convinced that Jehovah God and Jesus understand and will in the end BLESS individuals like you and me and the others who have been stumbled by them. All I can say is do your best to Listen to jesus and continue in the things you learned. Jehovah is more understanding than the brothers.
• 

  PaulJ

  Thanks for your comments Defd. I realised that I could go on and on in that condition, always being made to feel guilty or decide that the relationship I had with God didnt need to be influenced by the organisation. I left very downhearted and convinced I let jehovah, my family and myself down and that at any moment I would die at armageddon.

  Then I found this site and learnt a lot about the organisation that claimed to represent Gods earthly kingdom. I realised that there was no-way God could allow the things they are doing and saying IN HIS NAME. I decided to develop my relationship with him on my own, I mean that it is between me and God, not with men asking me to show how much I worship him by knocking on doors, attending meetings and answering up for them.

  I truly belive leaveing was the best thing for my spirituality, and the burden of guilt no longer sits on my shoulders.

  PaulJ