Another Elevated Group of J.W.'s Now?

The Searcher

Why are only pioneers allowed to do "Metropolitan witnessing"?

Why do they need "special training" to stand like a zombie for hours, speaking only to their fellow elite?

Even a pioneer's mother couldn't answer me!

Does anyone here know the answers?

hoser

It makes them feel special. It's like being the employee of the month at McDonalds

Garrett

In France, It's been like this since the beginning of the year. I don't have the official answer, but one can speculate.

Some will reason that since we have a big JW sign, lots of literature and thus might attract more attention than per usual, the organization wants brothers and sisters that are well versed in JW doctrine so that they may correctly respond to any questions posed.

In addition to that, maybe its a way for the organization to help pioneers reach their goal hours. I'm not sure if the pioneer numbers are dropping, but one can hope.

That's all I have :)

Butyoucanneverleave

They may be well versed in JW doctrine but the 2 young men who had a cart stand across the street in front of my place of employment were to busy taking selfies and posing the whole time that they were there. My dear old grandma used to say it's not what you know, it's who you blow. Words of wisdom right there. It's all about appearances with those people.

rebel8

But being a pioneer requires no qualifications whatsoever, just approval by the elders for appointment.

careful

Perhaps the cart witnessing thing has, as one motive, rewarding those who pioneer by giving them 'easy hours' to make their quota??? It's sort of like 'doorstep Bible studies', child baptism, etc., done to pad the stats??

We all remember that 'hierarchy of worthiness' that exists in the Witness world, with just being a normal publisher (shamefully) at the bottom. This 'special service' of 'Metropolitan Witnessing', like those who rate getting invited to the Annual Business Meeting, Gilead graduations, etc., will add one more rung to their already crowded hierarchic ladder. It makes the ones chosen feel even more special as well. Then it will be viewed a 'new light' and one more step in Jehovah's earthly chariot being on the move. Looking at it from an in-house perspective, it's a win-win development.

freddo

Explanation (in the UK):

Special Metropolitan Witnessing is what is arranged at circuit level in a "big city". They typically choose areas near big shopping centres or railway stations to set up the carts.

This has been the preserve of regular pioneers from surrounding congregations appointed by the Circuit Overseer (or more accurately he rubber stamps those collated by the dumb schmuck elder that gets to do all his menial work - in return for a bit part on the assembly program of course)

Normal cart stuff is what any congregation organises outside the local shops or whatever and keen elders who want to do the same as the circuit overseer only use regular pioneers and maybe a few favourites like themselves and their wives if they want to bump their hours up. These are chosen by the Service Committee or the body of elders. More lax congregations let most of their publishers go on the carts unless they are really wackadoodle crazy.

Cardiff in Wales (pop 300,000) has these SMPW set ups and they have just had a letter read out saying that Elders can recommend good non-pioneers for this work.

OneEyedJoe

Cults have a hierarchy for a reason - if you put someone new or someone that's less indoctrinated/invested in a position that exposes the cult in some way then it's more likely that they're going to wake up from it. I think the cart witnessing is like that - it was always fairly apparent to me as a lowly publisher that we didn't use methods of preaching that were likely to be very productive, and I'm sure I'm not alone. Just imagine what a publisher that already thinks that a little would think after a day of watching people pass by him. This could be enough to wake someone up a little, or at least send them on a path of inquiry.

Also, it seems that they intend to trumpet the success of the cart witnessing at conventions and such, so it's best of if only the super indoctrinated are aware of the fact that these experiences are either fabricated or by far the exception.

Plus, as others have said, it's a reward for the pioneers and might make some strive to pioneer thinking that it will be easier now because they can just stand by a cart. The pioneers are more likely to just be thankful for the easy time and not ask questions.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

I don't understand why they need to have anyone stand next to the litteratrash carts. WT printing presses could easily print up lots of these:

The two on the left are obviously defective since they lack ties and one has facial hair. Just stand some cardboard cutouts of the pioneers, let them count the time their cutouts are next to the cart, then let them go out and get jobs or attend college instead of wasting time standing around.

The Searcher

All good answers, but the fact remains that there is no documented, official statement from the Org why riff-raff publishers are not good enough to stand at a cart - but are qualified to be statues at trollies in less "cosmopolitan" areas of a city!

See New Post for new thought on what's happening within!!!

Another Elevated Group of J.W.'s Now?

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