by BurnTheShips 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Seriously? It seems like a massive waste of time.
How many people would successfully convert to the Witnesses from Field Circus? It was pretty much a waste of time in Spanish language the last several years, and yet English language bros would join the Spanish congos because they thought it was so much more productive!
BTS
It kept us busy chasing our tails.
It kept children away from those evil cartoons.
If you're a member of a works-based cult, you must EARN your salvation.
It keeps the dedicated and spiritually strong rank and file busy...one of the many ways the bOrg uses busy work to keep the rank and file from thinking.
Josie
To know how productive something is you first need to determine what its function is.
If the function of field service is to recruit new members it is probably not very productive. For all the time spent on formal ministry perhaps as many conversions are the result of witnessing to family, friends, colleagues, school mates and neighbours.
If the function of field service is to provide opportunity for existing members to demonstrate and reinforce their commitment to the cause then it is probably quite productive.
It has been argued (by James Beckford and Andrew Holden) that the real function of door to door preaching among Witnesses is to reinforce commitment among existing members. At the end of a week when they have been out maybe a few times trying to tell others about their beliefs if the question arises in their mind: "do I really believe all this?", the answer presents itself, "of course I must believe it, otherwise why would I be out on the ministry telling people about it".
well it made you look good to the prospective single brothers.
It's a mechanism to control people by using guilt on those not doing enough and as a reward (public praise, promotion) for those who are. Whatever 'enough' happens to be.
it let me spend a lot of time with the girl that became my first wife....she made service a lot more fun!.......oompa
It stimulates the american economy by burning through tons of gasoline. (And chocolate milk and donuts)
- Lime
