I was counciled for putting in Pioneer hours and not officially "Pioneering"

by RubaDub 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  TMS

  I will limit myself to one account, but I know of several unrecognized, unofficial pioneers.

  In a small town in Arkansas a man I will call "Jerry" became a JW. Jerry was a WWII veteran, a war hero who came home from the war with a shot-up right arm. His right arm was just useful enough to hold a board in place or a cue stick. He built his home, managed his farm, fed his animals, drove his truck left-handed.

  Although JW's were not liked in this town, Jerry was. When we were builidng the Kingdom Hall, all you had to do was mention his name and a truckload of lumber and supplies was on its way from the building supply company. I recall once one of the elders wanted to see an invoice. The driver said: "I need Jerry's signature."

  In field service, Jerry was usually warmly received and invited in. His humble, self-effacing manner and reputation in the community caused many to agree to bible studies, subscriptions, literature placements that they would not have accepted from just anyone. Jerry's wife was a nominal JW who worked in the local diner, not out of necessity but out of pure work ethic and to some extent to keep the pressure to pioneer at bay.

  The ultimate plan was for Jerry's teenage daughter to eventually become a pioneer on graduation. Actually she and Jerry planned to submit their applications at the same time. During the daughter's senior year in high school she and a boy from another congregation engaged in what the Watchtower calls petting. I can only tell you, this was the most innocent form of this transgression imaginable, actually just a touch. But it bothered her conscience and she confided in one of the elders. Immediately a judicial committee was formed. The daughter was found to be "repentant" and given private reproof, but this disqualified her from pioneering.

  Jerry decided not to submit his application either but nevertheless to fulfill the commitment he had made in his heart. He and his daughter made pioneer hours(100 a month) for three years before she eventually married and started a family.

  This may sound morbid, but I used to keep up with Arkansas obituaries. When I saw Jerry's about 13 years ago, I got a funny feeling because I knew it was in his will for me to give the funeral talk. But I was no longer a JW and no one had my phone number. Within three months I read his wife's obituary.

  tms
• 

  Stirred

  I put in several months of between 35-45 hours....then after a meeting in full view of all, an elder and his wife stopped me in the aisle and said how worried they were about me being spiritually weak since I had to visit other hall due to work and other reasons at times. I was just at the prior meeting with several Bible studies. I guess they missed that one.

  They never questioned me when my hours were under 10. Personally, my conscience would never allow me to take a title of pioneer or aux. pioneer. They are not biblical and remind of the Jews who would wear extra long fringe or pray out loud in public to bring attention to themselves.

  • Matthew 6:1-4: “Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. 2 So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.

  • (2 Corinthians 9:7) Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

  • (Ephesians 5:10) Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord

  Since I don't celebrate myself on my birthday, why would I want to celebrate myself for spiritual service to my God? This is not a graduation or anniversary, some milestone. This is my personal service to God and it is between He and I.

  I fully agree with RubaDub that no one outside of the KH cares what our title is. In fact, I think it sounds pompous and self-righteous. You announce to all that I am super zealous and more appreciative of Jesus since I have qualified for this voluntary title. I don't know many volunteers in the community who are super dedicated in what they do to help others also want to seek recognition or a title for it.

  Peace
• 

  cultBgone

  Once upon a time when we lived in a small rural congregation with only one pioneer (and she was an anointed sister sent there by the wts), a family member and I decided we would try to support her efforts and submitted our pio applications. While waiting to be approved, we did 100+ hours just to see if we could. The weather was good and we had the time that summer/fall, so it was kinda fun. Well, the eldubs never got back to us and when we asked about our applications, they told us that they weren't sure we could do the hours. Right.... btw, before we stepped it up, our regular hours were 40-50. So then they said, well if you can keep up the hours then we'll announce you in January. So they made us be reg aux pios for four months instead.

  Turns out the real reason they held us back was so the p.o. could be announced at the same time. They apparently didn't want us to take any of his "glory." We kept it up for years....he was deleted as an elder about a year later.

  Things that make you go....sigh....lol

  .
• 

  stillin

  My wife is "all in" with the pioneering thing, except she won''t apply to "just men" for the privilege. She won't give them a chance to say she isn't good enough, so, the hell with them, she does it anyway. I really do respect her for that. She has a good grasp on some things but then she loses it on other things.
• 

  stuckinarut2

  So on the flip side, we were told as appointed men (refer to the previous thread about "all appointed men are being told to pioneer") that we should all pioneer.

  When some said they could not meet the time requirments, we were told "well, just put in the form, do your best and it will encourage the rest of the congregation"

  So, the motive here was just for show, even though many would not actually get in the required time!!!!!
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  Splash

  If you put in a form, you are under the authority of the elders who will interview you then judge you worthy or unworthy. They also get to tell you to be a better example because of your label, and can threaten removal of your status at whim.

  Just do the hours and you remove all that authority from them. That makes them fume!

  Splash
• 

  JWinprotest

  My mom put in aux poineer numbers every month for about a 2 year span, and received constant pressure from the elders and other pioneers to make it official. Again citing the "encouragement to the cong...blah, blah, blah...but I also saw one brother get flak for putting in over 100 hours one month he was aux pioneering. They implied he was showing off. He probably was because he was trying so hard to become an MS, but he should not have gone through that abuse.
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  cultBgone

  They are such control freaks!!! And these examples are surely just the tip of the iceberg. SO HAPPY to be away from this.
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  lisavegas420

  I aux. pioneered one summer. The following summer I applied again and was declined. All I could think of was how to you decline someone for a volunteer service. I was actually relieved, I felt like I did what I could. I never applied again.