by miseryloveselders 64 Replies latest jw friends
"So are you going to auxiliary pioneer this April?"
"Well I need to give it some prayerful consideration. I'd hate to make a commitment I couldn't keep, especially on something so serious. As the Proverb says, 'it's better to not make a vow than to make a vow & not pay it.' Thanks for asking though - I'm sure Jehovah will bless you in your efforts."
The WTBTS has lowered some invented measure of 'supposed service' to god,
and the (r and f) love them for it.
It's actually a genious way of boosting the numbers. We all know that there will be a follow up KM article that talks about the blessings that were bestowed on people that did this. The numbers have been dropping so drastically in this country that it really is smart of them to do this. It sent a buzz up all the JW panties and they are all geared up and ready to go!
But alas, GB, don't you realize that you are only putting a band aid on top of another band aid?
If I'm already averaging anywhere from 15-20 hours a month, and accomplishing absolutely zilch, why would I want to spend an additional 15-30 hours extra accomplishing "double zilch?"
rofl
I didn't really pay that much attention to this new 30 hour thing when it was first introduced. I kinda figured that even most R&F dubs wouldn't either...
But I've seen indications, among what JW contacts I have left, that they're quite excited about this. I've heard of a lot of dubs that have never pioneered before, regular or aux. that are going to give a go this April. They're all giddy with Jehovah's spirit...
I guess I'm removed enough from it now that I don't really feel the impact of a change like this...but to JWs, whose very life is the definition of boring repetition, any new change to schedules or meetings causes short-lived euphoria, enough even to cause them to volunteer more service time when they normally wouldn't have given two thoughts about it. Give it a few months after the change though and things will settle back into that same old routine and everyone will be coming up short on hours just like they did when the requirement was higher.
I really think its just a trial balloon. If they get more hours overall by lowering the requirement from 50 to 30, then it will go in place probably Sept 2011 (start of new service year).
They might decide to go to a two tier program. You can sign up for the 50 hr or the 30 hr aux pioneer program.
The announcement is the same at the meeting no matter which you choose so everybody gets the same little pat on the back and you never have to disclose that you were a 30 hr slug and not a 50 hr religious zealot
I do believe at the very least it will be offered twice a year. My guess then being April and Sept.
Pirata, your response was well-put: "...I quoted the scripture in the letter and said that I will do as I have resolved in my heart, not under compulsion."
I was actually surprised that no one really talked about the letter in conversations after that meeting, or since-- which is strange since reading it was how they ended the meeting. I have yet to hear a single person mention it. I keep waiting for someone to excitedly ask what I thought, or whether I plan on signing up...but alas, not a single soul has.
My guess is that they're floating it as a trial balloon of sorts.
- First, they'll repeat it for the 2012 "Memorial Season" since 2011 turned out to be such a huge success!
- Eventually it will be offered as a "Auxillary Pioneer-lite" to those who serve as MS's and elders...that way they can "take the lead" by "pioneering" as well. Finally, that will morph into an explicit (or implicit) requirement for those who wish to serve. Perhaps the FDS will allow the MS/Elders to count talks and shepherding calls toward the 30 hours (similar to how pioneers are allowed to count RBC hours as "field service time").
R_O
P.S. And of course it's no accident that everyone will spend this "Memorial Season" focusing all their time distributing Memorial invitations. It's a great way to get a ton of publishers to spend 30+ hours passing out invites ("Hey, this pioneering thing is EASY!"). The hoped-for result? A huge spike in Memorial attendance and a further indication of his blessing of our work.
Gosh I almost feel like I need to apologize Misery.....
I am being one of those zealous uber-ites too.....
I am now wondering how bat-sh*t crazy I must have been sounding.......
Granted I was pushing the 'informal and silent' witness option
These high control groups... they are masters at Reality Replacement. From the woman's perspective, as you stated, she was merely trying to encourage you in a playful even flirtatious way. Her reality has been completely replaced! Her perspective is almost the polar opposite of what actually is happening.
It's not encouraging to be pestered continuously about donating your time (it's not like this is your JOB). Volunteer work should never be coerced in this manner it's a simple truth! This type of rightously dogmatic approach pushes people away from the volunteer position... unless the attempt is made on a mind that has been conditioned to believe it actually is encouragment.
-Sab
Call me paranoid, but its possible that this 30 hour initiative is a weeding out process.
Isn't that the prominent consciousness levitated at Kingdom Halls along with a whole bunch of pertained anxiety.
If it isn't the religious teachings itself , its that staid paranoia of what someone else perceives you as
and what your talking about and what you are personally doing, your always under a magnifying glass
when your a Witness and being constantly scrutinizingly judged on so many levels, from Bethel HQ, right inside each KH itself.
No wonder some unfortunate few cant take it all and end up taking their own life under all of this personal pressure.
