"Go Where the Need is Great" - Is this phrase unique to JW's only???

by AudeSapere 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  AudeSapere

  "Go where the need is great"... It's one of those JW buzz-words/phrases. Almost like a secret code that just pops up in what would otherwise be a 'normal' conversation.

  I was conducting an interview with a candidate this afternoon and she used this phrase when explaining that she travelled to various locations of a previous employer. On any given day, she would 'go where the need was great' - to whichever office was over-booked or understaffed for the day.

  I have never, ever heard this phrase used other than JWs when referring to visiting an area of unassigned or seldom-worked territory.

  It caught me a little by surprise.

  Has anyone here ever heard this phrase used other than by JW's?

  -Aude.
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  Stormcrow

  Nope; which is odd considering how many great needs exist. 'Tis passing strange.
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  Phizzy

  There are two or three Sites on-line about serving W t N is G. One is called "Needgreaters".... YUK !

  I have a feeling it may originate from the phrase that Jesus used "The Harvest is Great, but the workers are few", but I may be wrong about that, it may be simply Jworgese*, an esoteric phrase that has grown up amongst JW's by overuse.

  (* Jworgese = The peculiar phrases and verbal expressions used by Jehovah's Witnesses.)
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  cultBgone

  I cannot imagine anyone who had not been well-exposed to the jw cult teachings actually using that phrase in public.
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  naazira

  I know non jws who use this phrase. It is more so used in relief and charity work.
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  Simon Morley

  Actaully a large number of dubs head from cold climates to Mexico on the premise of going to where the need is great....in reality it is great to go where there is no need.
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  AudeSapere

  Thanks, everyone.

  @Phizzy - jworgese... haha!! I like it~! And I knew *exactly* what you meant when I read it. I've known a few 'need-greaters' and all were very sincere in their motives. Some where just children, though, when their parents took up the cause to 'serve where the need was greater'. Some of those children are still staunch JWs.

  @stormcrow - I agree. It seems like a phrase that *could* fit in with any situation considering the amount of projects that have a 'great need' for assistance. But, as yet, the only application I have heard was in relation to JWs. Until yesterday...

  @cultBgone - Agreed. I was veering toward 'no' for this candidate anyway. Then the comment about going to 'where the need was great', pretty much made my decision final.

  @naazira - Thank you. You are the first to tell me this. It seems like a phrase that 'should' fit with so many social projects so I wanted to check here. You validated my suspicions that it *might* be used elsewhere. If/when I hear it again, I may try to probe a little to know more about possible volunteer efforts rather than just assume a solid JW origin.

  @SimonMorley - And such a waste. All that time, energy and money. It could have been put to better, more tangible use to help real people in need have a little better life.

  The person I interviewed *could* have been a witness themselves, or... they could have just had a manager who was a JW and used that phrase when re-distributing the workforce. Or, maybe they were actually involved in some sort of social outreach/relief program. IDK. But we all know that feeling of when our ears perk up when we hear a phrase in 'real life' that is normally just heard from the platform or when in conversation with a die-hard JW.

  Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I really appreciate it.

  -Aude.
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  EndofMysteries

  Not that exact phrase but many other churches set up missions, etc, for countries and poor areas that need help.