Can you be a JW in good standing and NOT go door to door?

by Terry 32 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  thetrueone

  To simplify an answer to Terry's original question yes, particularly for the elderly and infirmed.

  I knew of some very elderly people who didn't go out in service or give talks because of there

  health but were still loved and respected by the rest of the congregation.

  They did answer at meetings which was about all they could do.

  But to the healthy and young the constant scrutiny of supporting zealousness shown by service, talks,

  parts in assembly programs and otherwise is always a paramount observation within the organization.

  The adjoining bragging of ones supporting zealousness was also a means to support an individuals good

  standing in the congregation.
• 

  3rdgen

  Therevealer, Thanks- good points.
• 

  thetrueone

  Terry's point about Rutherford is notable for he was more consumed in supporting his publishing organization

  spending time writing articles for his books and organizing the operations of the WTS.

  After all of that he had leave some time open for boozing, womanizing and driving around in his Cadillacs.
• 

  Mary

  Wow! Terry! I've never seen that quote before.......Of course, what Rutherfraud really meant was:

  The Lord has graciously given me about as much as one man can well do. When I have looked after the management of the work at headquarters with its many departments; when I have given attention to a voluminous mail; when I have managed thirty odd branch offices in different parts of the earth and kept in close touch with them by correspondence and examination of their reports, and given advice and counsel as to what shall be done; when I have given attention to many legal matters that have arisen against members of the Society by reason of the opposition of the enemy; when I have given counsel to the various parts of the radio work; when I have prepared copy for The Watch Tower and other publications; and occasionally written a book or booklet and followed it progress through the manufacturing thereof; and when I have attended to many other details, Ensuring that I have plenty of good Canadian whiskey that's been smuggled across the border, I have not had very much time to go from door to door. If all of your time is as fully occupied in some part of the Lord's service trying to obtain illegal alcohol from another country so that my mistress and I can booze it up on a regular basis, then you have no time either to go from house to house.
• 

  life is to short

  What about all the pphantom pioneers. I have known of many who pioneer and you never see them out and I mean NEVER but they brag at the service meetings about how much they do in the DtD work. Where are they?

  When I was pioneering we had many who I never saw out and yet I had a really hard time making my hours. So how did the phantoms do it?

  Also what about all the elders who never go out. I never saw certain elders out or if they did meet they went out on their own. We have a attorney elder and I went out for a whole year never missing a Saturday myself. I saw the attorney twice in that year. It was right at the beginning of my learning that this was not the truth. That really woke me up. Yet this attorney elder always has his hand up saying what he did in field service. Yeh right just like Rutherford.

  LITS
• 

  iclone

  Some time ago I was at a Field Circus group and the elder conducting the arrangement went a step further and asked if someone who is a baptised witness ceases his/her witnessing activity; would they still be considered a JW? Nobody wanted to answer so finally he turned to me and I answered, “of course they would still be considered a witness”. He then said NO! I rebutted that saying there are a variety of circumstances that prevent people from engaging in the ministry. He then said well there are many examples of our faithful brothers that are disabled etc. and still manage to do what they can.

  After the arrangement I challenged him and said when someone stops ministering they are known as “Inactive Witnesses” only. I was really pissed at his comment because there were some at the arrangement where their spouses were very irregular in the ministry (I am one of those now!) I just hated his cocky judgemental tone and said if they were no longer considered Witnesses then what are they? Disfellowshipped, reproved what…can we still talk to this person? Has there been an adjustment from headquarters? He finally conceded that he was wrong. dah
• 

  FatFreek 2005

  Good post, Terry.

  Remember reading about Rutherford's Children, the book? The one that was a bit optimistic about Armageddon being only months away?

  Note the following following 1941 Watchtower quote, having to do with ministry hours back then -- by the same Rutherford who did zero hours in door-to-door.

  SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, "CHILDREN’S DAY" ...

  ... I am going to have handed to every

  one of you 15,000 children one of these books as a gracious gift.

  I ask that you first study it faithfully. Ask someone else to sit

  with you under the shade of a tree and study that which leads

  to life and endless blessings .... It is your privilege between

  now and before the day school opens to spend 6 hours a day

  in taking the book Children to others." The parents should encourage

  their children to do this very thing, if they would have

  them live. The Watchtower, 1941, p. 287

  Len Miller
• 

  thetrueone

  ." The parents should encourage

  their children to do this very thing, if they would have

  them live. The Watchtower, 1941, p. 287

  Anybody is up for exploitation by the power and money hungry WTS.
• 

  redvip2000

  the bottom line is that going door to door is by far the most inefective way to preach to people. What a tremendous waste of time. You can spend an entire day preaching door to door and speak to no one. At least if you do informal preaching you are sure to speak to someone.

  I know a few JWs who barely go D2d yet they always have a report. IF i was an active witness today i'm pretty sure i could get away with not going door to door at all and still report.

  I know of witnesses who "claim" to write letters and place phone calls. Others use the informal witnessing excuse. Others simply go to field service but have already arranged to go with someone they know who hates it as much. So when they go out, they spend the entire time having coffee.

  When i was a witness i always felt less than others, because i could never seem to report as much as they did. I thought God surely didn't approve of me. It really is liberating to know that it's not about that and that you can spread the message by talking to others in a natural friendly way when the occasion presents itself, and without having to submit a formal report.
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  Band on the Run

  My gm was raised as a Bible Student. She entertained Bethelites so they had decent meals and always engaged in field service. As she aged, it became more problematic. When she was in her 80s and close to death, she just could not do FS. She was up to date with knowledge of the lit. I saw her write letters of cheer to sick Witnesses and even some preaching letters. Her relatives were arrested in Patterson, NJ with the Bible Students. She was so proud and spunky about being a Witness. She found the restrictions on women very hard to understand but complied in the second. These recent converts at the KH retracted her JW identity card.

  She cried so hard. She should have reached out to people she knew at Bethel but she felt she had to stay in her place. My mom and I were no longer active so our ability to help was limited. I hated the WTBTs but I felt so bad for her. She had about 70 years of active service. I doubt those brothers stay committed but I hope they became old and unable to do FS.