Posts by snakeface

18

Get to the point!

by Mr. Falcon in

two jehovah's witnesses walk up to a house and knock on the door.

a younger man wearing a t-shirt with all kinds of swirl-patterns on it (think tie-dye, but not quite) answers the door and the first jw goes into his presentation.

he is offering the watchtower on the "occult" (cue spooky music).

snakeface

AGuest, thanks for pointing that out to me.

Quendi, I've always felt the same way as you, regarding being alert for clues about the householder and to listen. Years ago there was an Awake on Birth Control, which a young publisher proceeded to present to a householder in her 80's. Another time, an elderly householder said he was in pain, had health problems, poor eyesight and so on. The elder simply told him that everyone has problems, we can't sit around dwelling on them but instead we need to fill our minds with the positive upbuilding articles in these magazines....

And what about the times we'd go to a door and realize the householder (or return visit) had company? Or were in the middle of eating a meal? I'd always quickly acknowledge I came at a bad time and then I'd leave. Other publishers would go on and on with a lenghty presentation and even tell the householder to share the message with their visitors.

We can add to the list the householders who obviously had been sleeping. Some publishers wouldn't care. While walking away from the door they'd even be saying things to each other - which the householder can hear - accusing the householder of staying out late drinking and partying. How do they know what the householder was doing? Maybe they're working two jobs to pay off hospital bills. Maybe they were up all night taking care of an ill loved one. Or maybe they just want to sleep in. Who knows? No explanation is needed. Deal with things as you can see they are.

35

Do not let work get in the way of pioneering

by life is to short in

the april 15th wt is strange and it just throws things in here and there that are kind of out of sort.

i think it sticks in your mind more like hey i probably should pioneer when they throw things in that are kind of in left feild.. like this example on pages 16 and 17 it is talking about making decisions and in paragraph 15 it says "for example a congregation publisher might decide to pioneer.

will he succeed?

snakeface

I remember, the elders who stood on the platform and gave talks about materialism ("Ask yourself, 'do I really need that shiney new car or that bigger and better house?' Can that car or that house give me everlasting life?") were always the ones that had the newest and most expensive cars and homes, whereas those in the audience lived in old trailers and drove 17-year -old clunkers. Those one the platform had stay-at-home wives whereas those in the audience had wives who had to work and who also auxiliary pioneered.

18

Get to the point!

by Mr. Falcon in

two jehovah's witnesses walk up to a house and knock on the door.

a younger man wearing a t-shirt with all kinds of swirl-patterns on it (think tie-dye, but not quite) answers the door and the first jw goes into his presentation.

he is offering the watchtower on the "occult" (cue spooky music).

snakeface

In the first century, Jesus' followers went from house to house, and they spoke to people in the marketplace, at wells, and anywhere people would be found. However, in those days there was no mail service, telephones, internet...in other words, that was the only method of communicating something that needed to be spread thru the community. The sending of "letters" is mentioned in the Bible; by Paul, and by various kings. These were handwritten notes, delivered by a messenger. In that era, if you and your family were inside your house, it would have been "normal" for a stranger to come to your door to talk to you.

However, in today's world, other forms of communication are used. No one else goes around knocking on strangers' doors, not even the government. The only time the government comes to your door uninvited is if they have a warrant; other than that they contact you via mail. So today, when people are in their house and strangers come knocking at their door, they know that is not normal social behavior. Most of us do not even go uninvited to our next door neighbor's home to borrow a tool without calling first.

I agree with Mr Falcon's statements, especially: "lame 30-second sales pitch."

"JWs giving their presentations to annoyed, bothered and busy householders trying to be polite. The presentations were AWFUL. And some of the worst presentations were given by men who are elders."

"What really is the effectiveness of the door-to-door ministry? Have you ever had to endure an horrifically awkward presentation given to a impatient and irritable householder? If JWs are actively enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School and participate during the Service Meeting, why are most of them so bad at the door?"

They are so bad at the doors because their hearts are not in it. Their consciences are telling them they are doing something not normal and that they are bothering their neighbors and alienating them.

19

Anyone else get stabbed in the back?

by WontLeave in

jw
friends

i was a gung-ho advocate for jws.

i got on the message boards and would argue down any detractor, apostate, church pastor, disgruntled ex-jw, you name it... i was out in the ministry constantly, practically running from door to door, preaching.

i started studies left and right.

snakeface

I remember the elders calling me a "maverick". Maybe they just finished watching "Top Gun"?

39

Getting upset with children who cannot sit through the meetings.

by life is to short in

ok this thought came to me the other day.

i was thinking of the co who told me that he liked to see parents spank their children for not sitting still during the meetings.. i remember how hard it was to sit through two hours when i was four or five years old.

it was like forever.. i was thinking of comparing the hours that we have been alive to how long two hours is for a child.

snakeface

I don't have children, so anywhere I go, whether meetings or restaurants, crying babies and fidgeting children are a distraction. But I have to learn to share the planet with them. I am the one who has to adapt to the situation and cope with it, not them.

Doesn't the Bible say, "Continue putting up with one another..."?

I have heard parents say in their comments that if the child can sit thru a 2-hour Disney movie they should be able to sit thru a one hour meeting. I tell them if they (THE PARENTS) can sit thru a one hour meeting they should be able to sit thru a one hour opera or sit in the doctor's waiting room for an hour and not complain about it.

15

facebook will be the end of me!!

by finallyfree! in

jw
friends

so lately ive been getting friend requests from jw's who i knew from before i faded.

now my mom is on facebook and just sent a friend request, ya cant ignore your moms request...lol!.

i will accept her and this will probably be the end to my fade.

snakeface

I haven't been to the Hall in almost 2 years. Recently I set up a facebook page and in my photos I have a beard. I purposely have a different religion listed. But some of the witnesses have been sending me friend requests. How odd. Why weren't they my friends when I was attending meetings and driving them around the territory?

20

Lease cars for circuit overseers (worldwide arrangement)

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

yesterday evening a letter of the dutch (netherlands) branch of the watchtower society was read to the congregation.

it stated that the governing body has made a new arrangement for circuit overseers worldwide: the society provides a lease car.

it was backed with some bible texts (...) and the conclusion was that it was financial cheaper for the congregations.

snakeface

In the US there used to be a company called Circuit Leasing, which apparently ceased to exist in 2007. Then there was The Service Car Group, was does not seem to be around either. But the arrangement was, Circuit Leasing was not owned by the WT; it was owned and operated by some brothers. Each year Circuit Leasing purchased a couple hundred vehicles and leased them to the WT Society for 3 years. At the end of the 3 years, the WT would swap them out for new vehicles. This arrangement was staggered; by that I mean for example, let's say there are 30 CO's in one state. 10 CO's would get new vehicles in 2000. 10 others would get theirs in 2001, the remaining 10 would gets theirs in 2002. In 2003 it would be time for the first 10 to swap their 2000 models for 2003 models. The next year the second group of 10 CO's would swap their 2001's for 2004's. And so on.

The old vehicles would be returned to Circuit Leasing (as would happen with any lease company), and Circuit Leasing would offer them for sale to the individuals in the congregations. The cars would also be available for "outsiders" if they wanted them. The cars were all in great condition, and the prices were fair market prices.

I purchased one in 2005 and I still have it. At my request they emailed me a list of the available cars in my state, for me to choose from. The list showed the colors and the mileage; all cars had the same options. I could have chosen any car from any state - for example if I wanted a particular color - but then I'd have to go get it. I choose one off the list and sent a deposit. Then they notified me what date I had to pick it up. When I got there, the car had been completely serviced, new tires put on, and the gas tank was full and it was in showroom condition. Some of the factory warranty was still in force since it was just under 3 years old. The CO who had it drove it there and was picking up his new one. He gave me a folder containing all the maintenance records and all the receipts for all the maintenace that had been done - which was pretty much just oil & filter changes, wiper blades, and such. Almost 6 years later I still drive it. I've never had any trouble with it and it's still in perfect condition. I replaced the battery and now it's time for new tires.

Over the years I heard from various JW's that they were very happy with the cars they purchased this way. I would buy again although I do not like the Buick LaCrosse they started using after the LeSabre's were phased out. I'd buy a Lucerne though.

29

Having the Circuit Oversear over for dinner...was it like a royal visit for you??

by Witness 007 in

i rang a sister who i haven't spoken to for years who said "she couldn't talk since she was cooking for the c.o and his wife who have special dietary needs......was this like a royal visits at your cong and whats with the "we can't eat flour, or yeast" or blah blah blah!

!.

snakeface

There was on particular CO I really liked, so on his next visit I had them over for dinner. Used the good china, crystal stemware, did a home-cooked, 5 course gourmet meal from scratch. Rolls from scratch, salad dressing from scratch, cheesecake from scratch....went all out. It was really nice. Served champagne too. A few weeks later I got appointed MS.

Later we got a new CO who was grumpy. He and his wife had a long list of things they supposedly could not eat. Ordinary things like corn. I took them to an All -You-Can-Eat place and they went crazy eating all the desserts especially chocolate cake. I quickly went to the store next door and bought chocolate for them. That's all they ate were about 6 or 7 desserts each and the whole package of chocolate that I sneaked into the restaurant. The CO told me he found it amusing that when a congregation knows he's coming they clean the place and all the elders and MS get haircuts and everyone is on their best behavior till he leaves.

28

"Field Service Groups" are more important now than ever before?

by easyreader1970 in

the scare bells are ringing again in the congregations.

this past week, the field service group leader/commander/overlord/whatever made a pretty lengthy announcement that, going forward, the field service groups are going to be of the utmost importance as we wind down towards the end here.

while no indication on when this end might actually be, it was hinted that we might not always have access to the congregation proper and that the few families that are part of the fsg would have to become close knit that they might depend on one another when things get ugly.. i haven't read everything that has passed through the wbts' sphincter lately, but did i miss something?

snakeface

Yeah they used to say that about the book study groups, that we all might have to share a house together if others lose their homes/jobs due to persecution.

29

Why I stopped the Bookstudy - Field Service from my home

by Witness 007 in

snakeface

I had a book study in my home in the mid-1990's. My living room was very large; we had about 22 or 23 in attendance and plenty of room for at least 12 or 15 cars. We would clean the house and set up the chairs the night before.

People would show up 40 or 45 minutes early. I was usually in the shower at that time. (One time an elderly sister arrived even earlier than that. I didn't even know she was in the house, and I came out of the shower naked and started walking to my bedroom to get dressed. Normally I would lock the door until I was dressed and ready for people to start walking in but I guess this time I had forgotten. ) Instead of pulling their cars in to allow others to pull in behind them, the early ones would park so that no one else could get in. Latecomers would park blocking neighbors' driveways; we'd often have neighbors coming and ringing the doorbell during the study asking people to move their cars. I would always turn off the ringers on all the phones so we wouldn't be interrupted. Some people started bringing their newly-interested Bible students with all their kids. We'd keep discovering that items were missing from the house, and things would get broken. Things like faucets, light switches, and doorknobs. The conductor always wanted the heat and air conditioning at extreme temperatures, resulting in higher electric bills. After the meeting, if it wasn't goodie night (which lasted till after 11PM) the conductor wanted everyone to stay and rehearse field service presentations or demonstrations for the upcoming service meeting.

The group also met at my house for Saturday field service. After field service they all wanted to come inside again, to use the bathroom and the phone. Eventually I told the elders it had become burdensome and was taking time away from my personal study and family study. So the group was moved elsewhere "temporarily".