Full time service among ex JWs

joelbear

It seems that a disproportionate percentage of us were involved in the fulltime service at some point.

Does this have something to do with us being exes?

take care

Joel (7 months Bethelite, 2 years pioneer)

Mulan

I have wondered that too. Of all of our ex JW friends, all were either elders, ministerial servants, Bethelites, pioneers, missionaries, or more than one of those at the same time.

I think it means that we all saw a lot of the inner workings of things that the average publisher doesn't see, and we didn't accept it, and wanted to know why this was the case. Also, we were in situations due to our "privileges", where we had to study more, and we read things that didn't add up. Know what I mean?

Marilyn (a.k.a. Mulan)

joelbear

Marilyn,

My thoughts exactly.

Circuit Overseers said things to me as a pioneer and ex Bethelite that they would never say to a regular publisher or certainly not from the stage. You've heard my stories of bureaucracy from my short time at Bethel.

I think when you pioneer and you have a lot of Bible Studies that ask a lot of questions and you really research the questions, you find things out also.

Joel

metatron

I think the toll amoung Bethelites is especially interesting.
You get to see that the emperor has no clothes. The faithful
guys I know there seem to be secret cynics or just block it
out of their minds with cheerleading thoughts. It's amazing
to talk with people who probably have high IQ's but have trained
themselves to think only as children in third grade.

metatron

Sky

I was regular pioneer when I was dragged into the back room and informed i was going to be dissed. I, was one that never doubted, until they kicked me out...
*FlASHING NEON SIGN*
I sure felt stupid! Now I am thankful for all of my experiences as a JW.
THey made me who I am, and I cant deny that!
Kisses!
Sky

Mum

You guys hit it on the head. When I was a new JW, I was the only JW in my family, including extended family. As long I was not an insider, I kept my delusions.

Then I married an elder and learned the real lowdown on what really goes on among the elite. I couldn't believe the way the elders treated one another, the pettiness, fault-finding and downright meanness.

Seize the day, and put the least possible trust in tomorrow. - Horace

I have learned to live each day as it comes and not to borrow trouble by dreading tomorrow. - Dorothy Dix

belbab

I don't believe it is only because they saw and heard more in the full time work, which no doubt is true. I believe they were more gung ho, more conscientious, and devoted to serving "god" aka organization. They thought, observed and read more.

One thing though I have not seen much on the boards and that is Gilead graduates. Did a lot of them really die in their assignments, like Pappy Knorr said, Go to your assigments and die there if necessary?

Another instructor said, [Jack Redford] 'A' students crack up first!

I would like to hear of any other ex-glads especially from South Lansing origin.

belbab, clazz of thirty four.

Utopian Reformist

As a theocratic infant, I think the full-time service represented an obligation and sacrifice and made me feel righteous, for the very first time in my life.

As years passed, I think it began to represent a daily routine and responsibilities, plus a sort of club membership.

Almost two decades later, it represents nothing more than FATIGUE and INCONVENIENCE!

As I began my inactivity/freedom, I realized how much service shaped my every day attitude toward getting things accomplished. When I missed service, my grades jumped accordingly.

When I made special efforts for campaigns and special visits, my health, my attitude and my grades suffered. It is not a happy recipe.

NeonMadman

Actually, I think if you went into a typical JW congregation, you'd find that most of the active ones in the congregation had, at some time in their lives, served in a 'special' position, like pioneer, ministerial servant, etc., even though they may not be doing so right now. So, it comes as no surprise to me that the majority of ex-jw's likewise have such background.

Although I do give some credence to the theory that the most devoted and hardest working are also likely to become the most disillusioned when they become aware of the facts.

Tom
"The truth was obscure, too profound and too pure; to live it you had to explode." ---Bob Dylan

Erich

mulan:

..I have wondered that too. Of all of our ex JW friends, all were either elders, ministerial servants, Bethelites, pioneers, missionaries, or more than one of those at the same time..

I just had posted to that point last days.

This was just my experience all the time I'm JW. The most hypocritical persons were the most diligent ones. They confounded org-service with "strive to perfection", with "worldly career" and oppressed plain proclaimers with injustice.

Now, at the end of their way of hypocrisy, and gone away from the org, they are striving to proof the evolution-theory and the non-existance of God exactly with those words taken from the bible (it's an exception yes; but has indeed happen!)

I am not in the mood to forgive and love those ones anymore any time.

Full time service among ex JWs

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