by Quarterback 25 Replies latest jw friends
There was a small blip in a km around '92-'93 that stated an announcement be made if someone was no longer pioneering. Our congregation never made the announcement.
I wish I had pioneered for the prominence and title. I would have quickly tired of it and realized the bs of it all. I really thought it was the right thing to do and forced myself to continue when the going got tough.
YAY me
Badmouthing is hardly a Sister/female only thing. Everybody does it and for years, way before learning TTATT, it always amazed me how many JWs enjoy nasty gossiping or even slander. Made me wonder how that could be if it were "God's Organization" (and you can't blame everything on imperfection).
Speaking of Pioneers, some of the most annoying, most obnoxious people that I have met in the Org happened to be Pioneers. And they had their noses up so high they might have sniffed the dust in the Orion Nebula. They would often categorize people in Pioneers and non-Pioneers, the latter being beneath them. For many it's all about the glory they get.
and what about elder-meetings ? How often are false motives put into actions of the flock ?
He/she is working overtime because of materialism, he/she is missing meetings because of loving pleasures more than god, etc..
If they are really worried about the motives of those who pious-sneer, why not simply discontinue that title? Problem solved.
That way, if anyone really wishes to do more, they simply do more. People should seek the point where the next unit just starts to cost more in terms of money, time, and other resources than the actual benefit received. If they want people doing more, they need to raise the benefit so that happens at a higher level. If Jehovah wants everyone doing 200 hours a month, then he should fix it so the maximum net benefit comes around 220-240 hours a month instead of beating people into doing more.
Of course, if that point happens at or below zero, people will not do anything unless they are stupid. You cannot do below zero (unless you count directing people to apostate sites or dissuading people from becoming witlesses as negative time). So, if the point where it just starts to cost more than it's worth is below zero, do zero.
"rather, do not let your left hand know what you right hand is doing", says some scripture about only letting your works be known by God, for then you will have a reward from God rather than from men.
If a Witness loves God enough that they wish to devote that many hours to the work, then surely God knows how many hours, so just do them, you can still write 90 hours a month on your slip without ever asking to be allowed to do so.
Of course, if you Love to worship the Golden Calf whose rewards will only ever be here on Earth, then yes, you must get the label to announce to men your righteousness in order to reap the rewards of men.
You are right. Usually the busybodies question why somebody DOESN'T pioneer. I was criticized because I work full-time. My critics?? Comfortable retirees and housewives who didn't need to work. These self-centered idiots couldn't care less about me but yet they talked about me behind my back !
I had the same thing, being a single sister working full-time. I didn't have family members to live with so I HAD to work.
And the elders are often the worst gossips. The ones in my cong had to know what everyone was doing and why. No allowance for people to act like adults.
The Pioneer Welcome letter.
Bangalore
Bangalore
1,000 hours a year, just like Jesus said you should get! Pioneer meeting?! What a great bargin! 1000 hours a year for a 1/2 hour bi-annual meeting with a sales rep/CO. My poor wife ran herself into the ground to auxillary pioneer ( not as spiritual as a regular pioneer, no dinners for auxillary pioneers ) she said that the 15 minutes that she was allowed to be in the precense of the CO was worth it! So that extra 15 minutes for pioneers only must be ultra-spiritual! Of course we can't forget all the special dinners that pioneers get invited to. If you REALLY believed you were teaching people the truth, I can see the allure of pioneering. I also have to be honest, there are some peoples lives that are sooo bad that studying with a pioneer saves their lives. I think that is pretty rare, and saved for the motivating experience section of the yearbook. Of course, some people go to 12 step programs that incorporate priciples from the Bible and improve their lives, so being a JW isn't the only way to go. Just don't say that out loud or the love stops.
I can't remember....do we announce it when someone stops pioneering?
No we dont. They simply come off the list with the CO and Service Committee hoping they can eventually pioneer again sometime in the future.
At least within the last year, it was publicly announced if someone came off of the "pioneer list".
Simply: "So-and-so is no longer serving as a Regular Pioneer in the Blah-Blah Congregation."
If it was for "legitimate" reasons, then they might add "but don't we all appreciate the xx years that they served the Cong in that capacity!" Rah Rah
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