Counting time
by Emma 59 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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StephaneLaliberte
The worst I have heard comes from my mother: A special pioneer she studied with wanted to travel from Montreal (QC) to Victoria (BC). Still, she wanted to keep counting her time, so every time she had to stop for gas or food, she'd make sure that she would offer publications to who ever was around. So, she actually counted her time for the entire duration of her travel.
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Ding
All these techniques for making personal errands and down time seem like time spent witnessing shows what many JWs really think about their "life saving work."
Of course, the GB doesn't care because they can publish impressive statistics about how many hours JWs spend "witnessing."
It's all about appearances...
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blondie
I knew a regular pioneer brother who managed to go skiing during the whole season but got his time in.
He would yell out single at the chair lift and go up with a non-jw and witness to them and given them a tract. Captive audience..........
He kept tracts in his pocket, counted all the time he was up there skiing...no shame
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ShirleyW
I've seen a sister on the subway train holding the rags in front of her for the whole ride. If she does that every morning and evening she must be racking up some serious hours, these folks are such blind jackasses and they don't even know it.
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Listener
If it was a job it couldn't be considered a busy job, it could only be viewed as laid back.
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StephaneLaliberte
There is also the other side of the coin. The "Time Counting Nazis". Those, who at the end of the service day, confirm with everyone the time at which they started, the time allocated for the break, and basically tell everyone to stop counting time at the moment the last door was knocked on.
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dozy
I remember one of our pioneers had a reputation of being one of the most creative guys in the congregation when it came to counting time ( and that was quite an achievement , as there was a lot of competition. ) Long leisurely coffee breaks , all the pioneer methods of starting time and ending with a drive-by "call" etc. Hanging around empty houses for ages until wandering slowly to the next door. Wandering up to the end of the street to write down a call or phone someone. Amble along to other streets see how everyone else was "getting on". The 90 or so hours a month he claimed probably related to maybe only 5 or 10 real hours.
He was an insurance salesman / collector and occasionally I used to drive him around his weekly cash collection round if his car was in the garage. What a contrast when it actually came to a meaningful activity. He used to literally run from the car to the door and jog to a nearby house if one was close by. 3 hours between 5:30pm & 8:30pm were done at a manic pace with dozens of houses called on - all paperwork to be done afterward. I couldn't help but contrast his incredibly lethargic effort when it came to the so-called "lifesaving work" & the busy industrious nature of his secular work when productivity really mattered.
Regarding privileges , one of the sisters in my congregation had volunteered for cleaning at the convention for many years when she told me that she was delighted that she had been given a "wonderful privilege" - promoted to the "special cleaning crew". This was a crack team sent to clean up any "bodily fluids" - vomit , urine , excrement etc. She was so delighted that finally she had made it. I was happy for her.
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Island Man
Counting time period, is ridiculous. It fosters and encourages a host of unchristian attitudes.
~ The attitude of making time instead of making disciples (this attitude seen especially in pioneers).
~ The attitude of quantifying and comparing the sacrifice and spirituality of individuals based on the number of hours they do. This contradicts the principle Jesus taught by the story of the widow's mite. Jesus' showed that it is the subjective personal effort that one puts into their acts of devotion that counts, and not objective measurable quantities.
~ The attitude of comparing oneself to others. Because time can easily be measured it becomes very easy to measure your time against another persons or against the pioneer time threshhold. This contradicts the scripture that says not to compare yourself with others but with yourself.
~ The attitude of objectifying the persons they preach to. Because spirituality, social standing and fitness to move up the theocorporate ladder are all determined in large part by average monthly output of preaching hours, many JWs treat the preaching work as a business to be profited from where making cash equals making hours. In this mindset, the people they preach to are treated as resources to be exploited for personal gain. Ever wonder why JWs call the person they're studying with, a bible study instead of a bible student? It's because they see the person as a bible study that they get to record on their field service slip. They treat people as 'study objects' and 'preaching hours objects', just as some selfish perverts treat women as sex objects.
One time I was riding home from a meeting with a group of JWs and they were discussing how best they can pair up to do their various return visits and bible studies. One practically optimal scenario involved 3 of them going on a bible study. As soon as the thought came up it was quickly dismissed with disappointment because "oh but we wouldn't be able to count the time".
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baker
I don't go out anymore with my spouse to restaurants because of this time counting requirement. I felt sorry for whichever waiter or waitress that approached us, cause I knew she was ready to "bend" their ear and place a tract. Once in a while a waiter would say they had a relative who was a JW, and this info was fuel for her to annoy the waiter and I even further, to just reach out to them and "study". I just gave up going anywhere, cause I just cringe when I see the tracts come out. Ive come to enjoy stopping at Mcd or whereever to eat alone in peace, and if someone approaches me with a tract, lookout...