A good reply to the "pioneer or you're nothing" crowd.

by B_Deserter 14 Replies latest jw experiences

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  SirNose586

  I'm glad I never got hassled like that. My fam never really made an effort to get out as a family and witness; too many health issues, and lack of time. One CO made the only effort to get me to pioneer. It was before the special "auxiliary pioneers too" meeting that they get before the pioneers' meeting with the CO. "So, [Sir Nose], you've made the sacrifice to auxiliary pioneer. Can I encourage you to pioneer?"

  "You can..." I said, sheepishly. I think I wiggled away from him and I heard nothing else about it.
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  shopaholic

  If you pioneered, plus worked to support yourself, and by that I mean you alone paid your rent or mortgage,

  utilities, car note, insurance, groceries, clothes, etc. etc. with no help from anybody...even NOT living at home

  off of your parents, then I applaud you.

  I did for the last nine years of my pioneering. I think it depends on the area. I knew several men and women that pioneered, worked full-time and did not live at home. I do agree that most pioneers are looking for a handout. I refused "donations" offered to me and always asked folks to drop it in the contribution box, including donations for gas.
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  Bonnie_Clyde

  Actually, my mother was opposed to my pioneering. It was my own decision and I had to leave home and I had to leave home to do it. My parents became witnesses later. I already had my own car which I bought when I worked full-time for awhile, and I shared an apartment with two other pioneer sisters and we split expenses. I really learned how to economize.

  In retrospect, I realize that the biggest motivating factor was the attention I got from the congregation. We were put on a pedestal. I also had several brothers who were interested in me for marriage. That's how I attracted Clyde. I think afterwards Clyde wished he hadn't married a pioneer.

  Funny, even though it's been over 40 years, I remember some conversations with householders that I should have paid more attention to. One man brought up the 1914 date and stated that it wasn't supported by the Bible. I also found the FDS doctrine hard to explain to my Bible studies.

  It was such a waste of time. During the 2-1/2 years that I pioneered I could have gotten a college education. Instead Clyde and I struggled with three children and low income. We're doing better now, but no thanks to the Borg.
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  WTWizard

  On a similar thought, what would happen if everyone on the planet became Jehovah's Witlesses and pioneered? Who would there be left to maintain the infrastructure that makes pioneering possible? There would be no one to fix your car or get gas to put in it, nor would anyone be there to fix roads that go bad. They would all be out in field circus.

  Who would grow the food? There would be no one to process the food. This means that there wouldn't be any fast "food" places, or any food places at all. No one to grow or prepare food. No one to sell it. They are all in field circus.

  Ultimately, the whole world would collapse. Houses would fall into disrepair while the owners would be in field circus. Garbage would pile up, since all the trash collectors would be in field circus all the time. There would be no electricity since all the people running power plants (and the power grid) would be too busy in field circus. Before long, people would start getting sick from unsanitary conditions or from accidents. Again, there would be no one to take care of them (allopathically or holistically) because all the doctors would be in field circus. Self-care would also be out of the question, because even if you knew what cures what, no one would be there to grow and process the ingredients or sell you the pills because they too would be out in field circus.

  And, humanity would ultimately all die. No one would take care of anything except field circus. Since field circus cannot sustain life, it is total waste. The world would be without value of any kind, since no one would create or produce any. What a waste.
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  Open mind

  I spent close to an hour on the phone the other day with my elderly JW-brainwashed mother. She has always been a member of the "If you're not a pioneer, you're not a JW" club. Well, I guess you're still a JW if you're missing a limb and can't pioneer (maybe). Have you prayed REALLY, REALLY hard about it? Are you SURE you can't get those 17.5 hrs/week in?

  Over the course of an hour she must have "updated" me on 25 different JWs in her area. (The majority of whom, I can barely remember their identities.) The one thing they all have in common? You guessed it: Pioneering. "You remember cousin Joe's friend in High School, Fred? Well, he's pioneering, and his wife as well. They've been pioneering now, oh, for probably 4 or 5 years now. Blah, blah, blah." She ONLY tells me about people who are on the Spiritual "A" List.

  One of them is even a Dad, elder and working full-time to support his family. Hint, hint. Guilt, guilt.

  So after this last thinly veiled attempt to make sure I'm not resting on my JW laurels, I decide to "go negative" for just a little bit. I ask her how Brother Former Superstar is doing. ( I know he's inactive.) And how about Sister Depressed And Burned Out? (Same story.) Oh, that's too bad. So Sister Depressed is facing old age and has no resources? Boy that's really tough.

  A nice little dose of "keeping it real" helps my Mom remember I was alive through "75" and was also around for the redefining of the word "generation".

  So Mom, just on the off chance the Big A doesn't come next year..............

  I'm keepin' my day job.

  But thanks for trying to make sure I don't sleep too soundly. Doesn't work anymore, but nice try.

  Open Mind