Did you loathe going in field service, if so why?

HappyGuy

I always felt like I was not a "spiritual" person because I loathed going in field service. I'm not even sure why I loathed it. I am very outgoing and can talk to anyone, anytime, about anything. so, it wasn't that. I loved God (at the time), so it wasn't that. I don't know, something about field service just didn't feel right. And, I REALLY tried. I didn't play any of the games that I saw others play, like pioneers who would start their time with a "return visit" right near their house so that they could count all the driving time as time in field service. Or, like taking 30 minute coffee breaks and counting the time by putting a Watchtower magazine out where people could see it. I really tried to "put in time". But, invariably I would end up with 10 hours or so just so that I wasn't "marked" as not being spiritual. About two years before I left the cult I said "I can't do this anymore" and I stopped going in field service altogether.

The idea of selling magazines and calling it preaching just made me feel like I was hit in the stomach with a baseball bat.

I don't know that many ex-JWs but it seems like one thing we all have in common was a strong distaste for field service. I wonder if it is because we all knew deep down inside that it is disingenuous, that it is not at all like the preaching that the apostles did.

What was your experience with field service?

teel

A JW reading this would say: "see, this is why you left the Truth, you didn't wanted to do God's work!"

Yep, hated it too. My reason was very clear to me: I didn't like bothering people! If I happened to find someone who seemed genuinely interrested I loved going to him/her, talking about just how bad this world is, how good God is, etc. etc. But knocking on an unknown's door, and in 99% getting the houseowner pissed off was just not right.

I knew I didn't like it when that happened to me. When I'm home most of the time I am busy with something, either some housework, or watching TV, etc. In all cases a distraction is not welcome. If it's a distraction I don't even want, then it's an annoyance. And I knew I was the person who delivered that annoyance to others.

Aussie Oz

I think i got kinda worn out. I started door to door at 10, pioneered for 3 years near the end. The last year or so i just lost my confidence. I didnt want to offer magazines any more, prefered going it alone with just a bible. In the end i just felt like it was a huge waste of time, an imposition on the householder. In the end i just said at each door '' i am looking for people who are interested in discussing the bible with one of jehovah's witnesses''. That was all. if they said no, i just thanked them for honesty and left. I had had enough of formula sermons/ magazine presentations with crumby lead in lines to try and get them to listen.

Oz

cantleave

I quite enjoyed some aspects of it. Once I had a few tea and cake calls, I focussed my activity around them. I never really enjoyed first call, but living in a ruaral area meant I had some nice walks in the country. Every now and then I had to work the Urban territory (especially when I was service overseer) and I hated ever second of that!!!

boyzone

I quite liked it, but then again I was good at it. In the end I couldn't stomach carrying any of the Society's literature with me once I knew it was a lie, I just carried the bible.

Funny enough, people opened up more, they showed me their favourite scriptures and what it meant to them etc. It was nice just to chat to people without having an agenda.

four candles

I worked with a bro once who just used the bible ....nothing else....it was quite a revalation(sic) for me as I'd been doing the old sermon and mags jobby with no effect. But to just go with a bible...and then basically talk about anything was great.....I'll talk to anybody,I'm not shy.

But as for organised FS.....absolute bobbins!!!

highdose

eh up boyo! whats "bobbins"??

inbetween

hate to disturb people, its absolutely not my nature, and as "teel" mentioned, i do not like it either to e disturbed in my daily routine.

some aspects though of FS are indeed enjoyable, when you were able to use the bible and have a good discussion. I didnt mind even if someone did not agree and had reasons for it .

and I prefer country areas, where long walks are between houses, hated door to door in an apartment complex,....

Black Sheep

It was bad enough just being brought up by fruit loops without advertising the fact by dressing up like Little Lord Fauntleroy and banging on your schoolmates doors to sell magazines full of doomsday prophesy.

life is to short

If I could have talked to someone with out the other JW I was with judging my every word. As soon as I got back into the car I was told that how I talked at the door was horrible and that I should have said bla, bla, bla instead.

When I got married my husband was the only elder in this country hall. No one would walk to any door, we drove and drove and drove. It was even more frustrating being told I was horrible at the doors in the rural's because once one started in on me the others in the car did too. Honestly I did not think I was that horrible, in fact I once started a bible study on the first call the lady at the door was very excited to study with me. As soon as I got back into the car this elder told me I was not able to handle a study and gave it to another sister in the car group. The householder was even upset that I was not the one studying with her.

I know my stories sound strange, but this is truly my life experiences in this religion. Once one person in this religion starts to pick on you the others soon join in.

Also in the country there were a lot of places where people were growing pot. The last thing they wanted was one of Jehovah's Witnesses showing up. We had guns drawn on us, shot up in the air at us. It always freaked me out because many of my fellow car mates had no brains. I have been with JW's who would snoop around the place look in the sheds, etc. I was like you have no place to be looking around like this.

All in all I hated field service because we never tried to help the householder come into the "truth" it was all just such a show of who was better then the other.

LSTS

Did you loathe going in field service, if so why?

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