I'm amazed at seing how that religion has spawned a new brand of globe-trotters. With a view to creating new foreign congregations in big cities, the WTS is encouraging publishers to leave their original congregations, learn a foreign language (tuitions are set up for that purpose) and go supporting these groups. Some publishers are just too happy to add variety to their lives and engage in the venture, even though they may not know even a single word of the foreign language. BTW, I wonder if the WTS has well assessed the depleting effect of such moves on existing congregations. Anyway, a few months later you find these publishers travelling in the foreign country, supposedly to further their learning, at a small cost since they are put up by the local JWs. From there on they can extend their trip to other countries. Among other examples, I've particularly in mind a young JW girl who, in this way, has covered Asia from India to Japan, including China and Korea, and thence down to Viet-Nam, Cambodia, Thailand and what else. I'm not sure the process is very cost effective for the WTS in terms of making disciples but it certainly is enjoyable for these crafty youngsters who have learnt how to take advantage of the worldwide network of congregations.
You want to travel abroad ? Join with JWs !
by aligot ripounsous 2 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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WTWizard
It is not often cost effective to the publisher, either. Why? The money is only part of the cost. The publisher will have to put in special pioneer hours because technically, it is missionary work. That is like working a full time job. Then, you go, not where you want, but where the Watchtower Society wants you to go. You might be able to request a certain region, but if they feel the need is greater elsewhere, you are going to where they want you instead of where you want to go.
Another major problem is that you need to remain in good standing or you will be left in the lurch. People in that position especially have to be careful since they know they can tightly control such people. Doing something that normally will result in a hounding call while on this work will result in your being stranded, possibly in a place far from home and with no support, with the expectation that you are somehow going to have to return to your home congregation. People in this sort of work are supposed to be exemplary, meaning no doing things that are "conscience matters" or things that they frown on (like listening to questionable music).
If you really want to travel around the world, and you are ready to have others control your life to the extent that you will be stagnant and have little or no time to enjoy it, then go ahead. But be warned that they have many ways to cause you to be stranded or have the opportunity cut short. You have to be exemplary. And, is it really worth the time to spend all day, every day, in field circus in a new venue? I don't think so.
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aligot ripounsous
WT,
I'm afraid my thread is not clear enough and is misunderstood. I'm not talking about WTS sending SP abroad but about the creation of "ethnic" congregations (Chinese, Tamil, Thai, Rumanian, Russian, etc) in big european cities. R&F publishers are asked to support these groups and have to learn the language, sometimes from scratch. It's not cost effective for the WTS, not in financial terms but because "able" elements are distracted from congregations. In addition, the whole process is, IMO, inefficient (imagine a frenchman preaching in Paris in the Thai language) and viewed by the publishers as a way to escape the daily routine.