I've often wondered this during the twenty something years that I pioneered. But it doesn't add up, literally. Seventy hours a month is only about 17.5 hours a week. By what standard is that full time? Even when we had to get 90 hours, it just didn't add up. Does anyone know of a reason why the society refers to pioneering as full time? What am I missing? It seems dishonest. (By the way, after I woke up to the reality of the organization I went from a regular pioneer of 20+ yrs straight to zero hours in 2 months time.)
Why is it called "Full time service"?
by no lies please 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
lepermessiah
Its all about the statistics, the titles, and the accolades.....IMO..........
I am learning more and more to throw logic out the window when reflecting on why things are the way they are in JW land!
-
teel
Because it makes them feel special? They give their whole time in service to the company God.
If you add the time the pioneers waste doing other "spiritual" tasks (preparing for service, study, meetings, etc) the time wasted gets quite near 40 hours a week, so it's pretty much full time.
-
dissed
Because the GB said so.....and their word is law
-
RubaDub
I could never understand the "90 hour" thing anyway. It was 1,000 hours for the year. Divide 1,000 by 12 months and it was 83.3 hours per month, not 90.
When the change to 70 hours was announced, many thought that there was a drop of 20 hours. In reality, it was only a reduction of 13.3 hours per month or about 3 hours per week.
Rub a Dub
-
Olin Moyles Ghost
I always thought the title "full-time service" for pioneers was silly. Now Bethelites, traveling overseers, missionaries--sure, they're "full time." But spending 70 or 90 hours per month is not full time by anyone's standards.
-
no lies please
I casually brought this up once in a car group of fellow pioneers. I said that maybe the society would eventually start calling us part-time servants. Well, of course that didn't go over well. One person said "We're JW's 24 hours a day!" My response was this is true of all Witnesses not just pioneers. The logic didn't work. I think it made them not like me so much.
-
MMXIV
And why "full time service" was even needed to boost the ego of anyone after calling them a "pioneer"? When I pioneered I opened up no new area of thought, research or development. I never ventured into unknown territory to settle. To call me a pioneer was a misstatement of epic proportions.
But then when I was a publisher - I never published anything either. I think ministerial servant was kind of not far from reality.
MMXIV
-
DaCheech
it's full time service because you gotta do filed service for 4hours a day, work another 8, study for another 2, meeting for another 3 eat 1 and the rest is sleep.............. for running around fulltime with no rest
-
Titus
It should be called
FOOL-TIME SERVICE