How many of you would have spent the hours "pioneering" if it weren't for the pats on the back and being looked up to as someone special in the congregation? I will admit that back in late 1970's I attempted to aux pioneer during a campaign because it was promoted and seemed the right thing to do,but I didn't get the hours and it was stressful trying to...and I didn't feel like a cheerful giver. I never attempted it again.
question for those who either aux pioneered pioneered
by enoughisenough 21 Replies latest jw experiences
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Phizzy
Looking back, I guess I did it because it was the "right thing to do", back in the late 1960's. My older siblings had both Regular Pioneered, so I did for a while, then dropped down to Aux, one month on, next month off, to earn money while "off".
Before long I started courting my wife to be ( she is still here ! nearly 52 Bloody years, and she won't take the numerous hints) and had to earn money to pay for our Wedding and gawd knows what, she was no good with money, at the time.
I only did one more stint of Aux. in the late 80's I guess, I really don't know why for sure, it wasn't to impress, or "the right thing to do" or anything, I had got beyond that by then. I must give my motive some thought, but suspect it may have stemmed from the Elders exhorting us to Pioneer, and not doing it themselves, so I picked on an Elder I knew hated D to D, and got him to sign up, to "help" me !
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enoughisenough
phizzy "right thing to do" yeah, there is a lot of emotional blackmailing going on in the org-guilt tripping people into even selling their homes, taking advantage of others and taking odd jobs, etc. to continue to do it. But it seems to me, there were the Kudos---the organization has special meetings/schools for them. Others in the congregation put at least some of them on a pedistal. ( Pioneer only parties or maybe dinners where only pioneer and elders/family were invited.) James said not to be comparing ourselves with others, but the org itself sets up these divisions. I personally never fell into the trap of thinking the elders or pioneers were better/more spiritual minded than me.-Bible says there are gifts in men, and not all have the same gifts..( that being said ,I don't think for the most part that others considered me "spiritual minded".) I also felt that some of the pioneers were more judgemental of others who didn't pioneer and even had a jealousy over other pioneers. -some who have pioneered can speak to that......
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Foolednomore
I DId after high school because it seem the right thing to do. But for real it all was BS. No interest from people you would meet at the door. Was all a waste of time.
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stan livedeath
i got sucked into the pioneer garbage by taking too much notice of what DO Drage banged on about at a circuit assembly. I was 16..working in a crap full time job--so i quit that and became a vacation pioneer. Got a job 2 days a week cleaning windows with another pioneer--i could earn a weeks wages in 2 days. It was summer time and life was fun. Most pio days were spent in a greek coffee bar playing pin ball with yet another pio, till we hit the streets when folks were home from work and sold magazines for an hour.
By christmas the weather was too cold for window cleaning so i got a full time job and quit pioneering with no regrets. I could have quit the cult completely but i stuck around because all my mates were dubs and i didnt really know any outsiders.
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Nathan Natas
I pioneered in New York City - Queens County - in the very late 1960s when the "goal" was 100 hours each month. There were times I failed to meet the goal by 10 hours or so, so I tried to make it up the following month. After I married one of my pioneer partners I had husbandly responsibilities and gave up pioneering for a job that paid me for my time. A short while later my wife followed my example - I was her spiritual head, after all - and she too found an employment that paid her for her time.
I strongly support the concept of being PAID for one's labors.
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truth_b_known
When I graduated high school I did so with about a dozen other kids from the 3 congregations that met at the Kingdom Hall in my town. It was usually a tradition that you regular pioneer just long enough to go to Pioneer School and then quit. When I graduated my parents told me I had to get a job. So I auxiliary pioneered every month for a year putting in 100 hours a month.
I did not regular auxiliary pioneer. In all honesty I did it to 1) hear my name from the platform every month during the announcements and 2) to hang out will all my friends who were regularly pioneering. In the eyes of Witnesses one might say I did have some success. I placed dozens of magazines and started a couple of Bible studies.
Once my friends got to go to Pioneer School they all stopped being pioneers. Some got jobs. Some got marries. Some got disfellowshipped.
I quit too. I got a fulltime job as a laborer with a construction company. Whenever I got laid off I would pioneer again because it kept my parents off my back while looking for work.
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hoser
Auxiliary pioneering and ministerial servant. The most depressing years of my life.
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SnakesInTheTower
Funny, I never auxiliary pioneered. I jumped right into regular 90 hours a month. Did several stints. Wasted time. Also single elder, MTS, RBC volunteer, Assembly Hall volunteer. Could have had a career in IT. BIGGEST regret of my life not going to an excellent vocational school and pioneering instead.
Fuck 'em.
Snakes
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BluesBrother
When I was young and stupid I gave up a job and Pioneered. It didn’t last long . The ones who were doing it with went off elsewhere and I was left alone and soon got dispirited. I got another job.
Once, much later the PO had the bright idea that all the elders woul Aux. Pio. One May . I guess it looked good…. I was bullied into it and managed somehow in between work. I hated it.. it was soul destroying to have to go out just to be able to write figures on a report.