30+ years of Field Service Observations

by Tulsi Das 30 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  BluesBrother

  I guess that the thread just about sums up my own recollections. Also my anger now at all the time i wasted and all the things i could have been doing all those years

  The truth is that it is a very unpleasant thing to do. few people have the natural confidence to knock on a strangers door and enjoy telling him something he does not want to hear, especially when the arguments dont stand up to scrutiny.

  I knew that I had to do it if i wanted to be in the organisation, so i summoned all my courage ,said a prayer and got on with it
• 

  Kristen

  Tulsi Das,
  I agree with your observations.

  Ironically, I find myself quite irked at the large amount of telemarketing calls and door-to-door kids (and adults)we get selling candy, newspapers, trinkets, and *secular* magazine subscriptions we don't want and didn't inquire about.

  Now on the other side of the JW door, I understand why we got the response we did. Here we were, intruding on other people's lives and personal spiritual beliefs telling them that they were wrong, and we were right. At that, a 16-year-old telling some 40-year-old householder this stuff. Sigh.

  I was really happy to pass over the homes with the "No Canvassing" signs though. But were were told to ignore the "No Soliciting" signs.

  Kristen
  ready to hang up both a NO SOLICITING and NO CANVASSING sign
• 

  William Penwell

  It is funny but a number of years ago a friend of mine got me involved with Amway. You know a lot of their recruiting techniques are much the same as the Jdubs. It was quit the eye opener.

  Will

  "I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's."
  Mark Twain
• 

  ozziepost

  G'day Roomie,

  Most JWs privately wish it would go away and pray for Saturday morning rain when they go to bed Friday nights.

  Oh yes! I can relate to that!

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "If our hopes for peace are placed in the hands of imperfect people, they are bound to evaporate."

  
  - Ron Hutchcraft Surviving the Storms of Stress
• 

  Prisca

  Ozzie, I'm shocked!

  This is a really great thread. So many accurate observations about how ineffectual the witnessing work is, and the Witnesses' view towards it.

  I was with pineers one day and they were really
  draging their feet I kept trying to push them and finally they
  told me, you are today but we are here everyday so don't push.

  I had this said to me too. Our cong had a proportionally large number of pioneers, and although they did set a good example in many ways, they did drag their feet when it came to putting in the hours. "Coffee breaks" were common, usually around 11am. Lunch was at 12.30, and another group met at 1pm. "Afternoon tea" came around 3pm, and the day was finished by 5pm.

  I never really thought about the socialising aspect of witnessing, but it does make sense. In my cong it was a way of keeping up with the "in" crowd (made up of pioneers of course). If you weren't out witnessing, it was noted, and the others would comment on your absence. Naturally, gossiping was a major way of passing the time when you're out witnessing.
• 

  Sirona

  Excellent observations!

  I recently asked 2 JWs how the field service was going. They both sighed and said that its "worse than ever". They said that any attempt to witness in the daytime was useless because noone is home, and the only time its "worth it" is 6pm in the evenings. They thought street witnessing was the way to go and said that the society were pushing that more.

  I know that I only went on service due to the pressure.

  Sirona

  ** http://www.religioustolerance.org **
• 

  Prisca

  Ah, good ole street witnessing! When you'd be on a street in a busy part of town, trying to catch someone's eye, when they are deliberately trying to avoid you, because they know exactly who you are and what you're trying to sell. I did street witnessing with my group several times, and once I saw this guy deliberately cross the street twice so as to avoid us.

  No one really liked street witnessing. We'd meet at the group, try to psych each other up to do it, have a chat, walk out to the cars, have another chat. We'd get to the area, and slowly walk the streets. Many of us would window-shop instead. Or volunteer to work in a quieter spot, so no one could see that you were pretending to be a shopper and not witnessing.

  Then after an hour (yes, only an hour) you'd all meet up at a coffee shop and chat for another hour or so. The bookstudy conductor would do a count of how many mags we managed to place. Then, at 11am, those pioneering would go on RVs, while the rest would have excuses to go home.

  And that was considered a good morning's witnessing!
• 

  joelbear

  Tulsi,

  I think your concepts are correct for the great majority.

  My witnessing and pioneering were done to prove that I was worth something.

  I felt worthless because I was a homosexual. I realized for sure that I was homosexual when I was about 13. I was racked with guilt. I auxiliary pioneered every summer. Pioneered after high school and eventually went to Bethel.

  I was dismissed from Bethel after admitting I was a homosexual (still a virgin). More pioneering followed with even more intense fervor. I had to prove that I was worthy of being a Jehovah's Witness.

  My goal in service was strictly to get Bible Studies. At one time I had 7 Bible Studies going at one time. Once I had 4 Bible Studies at the Hall at the same time.

  But, the pioneers around me were pretty much going through the motions. It was tough. Most of my good pioneer time was put in with my mother, who would go out with me anytime to help me get my hours.

  She truly enjoys field service. She lights up at the chance of talking about the Bible to people. I think she would rather go in service than do anything else. I agree she is certainly the exception to the rule. But then, to me, she represents what is really meant by being one of Jehovah's Witnesses. She wants human suffering to end with all her heart and she wants to help people.

  Obviously I admire her loving Christian spirit.

  Joel
• 

  curlers

  I agree with the other poster. FS is a big joke and about socializing or really gossiping. There are a few who really love preaching the "truth."

  What I hated was our territory was 8 to 10 towns. Elementary school kids were half of one town. Middle school was the whole town. High school was two towns. For me, the biggest humilation was going to a fellow students house to preach. Of course, it felt like a consiparcy b/c it seemed us kids were tortured into going in territories that were our home school area. There were 6 to 8 other towns to choose from but no, we had to go in our school area.

  My father is on sadistic, mean man. When he would give a sermon on Armagaddon, he would do it gleefully, almost rubbing his hands together, laughing, he, he, he, it bliss over the desruction that was at hand. He would love to see his kids horror when he'd make us go to a school mate's house. JWs very loving bunch.

  curlers
• 

  William Penwell

  What about the street witnessing? or what ever they call it now. When I was a teenager, all the pioneers in the congregation would get half their hours standing on a street corner. I mean really a waste of time. Most people would just ignore you and think you were a bunch of idiots.

  I know here at the bus stop, I have seen a couple of dubs standing they’re handing out their rags. They had a whole stack of older issues and as you walked by they would hand them out. It must sound impressive at the service meeting to brag about how many mags that were handed out. Anyway if you walk around the corner and see all the Wackytowers and Asleeps all over the ground or thrown on the buses. Some witness that is. I bet the garbage man reads them because that would be the only one that might read them.

  Will

  "I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's."
  Mark Twain