The "Regular Pioneer" title has now become a total joke

by pistolpete 38 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  pistolpete

  

  We just had our CO visit a few weeks ago. Apparently, he was encouraging all who could to regular pioneer, to at least try it out for a year. Because of this, we had a few people in our hall become one.

  So this weekend we were on zoom service, and the sister that was just appointed was talking about it. She had told the CO that she would like to try, but there was no way she could even get close to 70 hours a month. She works full time, plus has a family. At most, she could put in 20 - 30 hours a month.

  You know what the CO told her?

  At this time, there is no hour requirement, so just do the best you can! So she joined.

  When she said this, there was a look of horror on this other sister's face.

  She has been pioneering for 20+ years, always out in service.

  One of those type of PIMI's that actually take the 70 hour requirement seriously.

  You could tell how flabbergasted she was - she basically realized the title she held on to for so many years has become a joke.😂😂

  Now I'm wondering what is going to happen when the requirement comes back. The GB have a couple of options:

  (1) Bring back the 70 hour requirement. Problem with this is all the people who joined for the easy title will simply drop off, making the stats look bad

  (2) Bring back the requirement, but maybe lower to 50. You will still have a drop off, but not quite as bad.

  (3) Never bring back a requirement. Yay, everyone gets to be regular pioneer now!

  https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/q5z6n0/the_regular_pioneer_title_has_now_become_a_total/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
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  MeanMrMustard

  Everyone should be regular even pioneers... it's just good health.
• 

  road to nowhere

  Title. Several have jumped on it.
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  hoser

  It definitely is a conundrum for the organization. If anyone can be a regular pioneer it’s like everyone gets a participation ribbon. There will be no special privileges for anyone so why be one?

  When the CO came around and had a meeting with the regular pioneers the auxiliary pioneers could attend the first half. The carrot was that if you would reach out and be a regular pioneer you could find out more “spiritual gems” in the second half. Then the internet was invented and it didn’t matter anymore.

  They will have to figure out again how to reimpose class structure in the congregation.
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  exjwlemming

  Do you remember the parable of the workers in the vineyard? Matthew Chapter 20? This is really simple for the GB to spin. They will have a Wt study on the story of the master that hires workmen for his vineyard. He hires workmen at the start of the day and agrees to pay him a day's wages. He hires more later in the day and agrees to pay him a day's wages. Even later in the day, he hires more workers and agrees to the same wages for a day. Then, he hires workers at the end of the day and agrees to pay him the same. All the other workers are upset that they worked through the heat of the day for the same pay as the ones that worked less. The master says that I paid you for what you agreed to....so STFU (shut the fuck up).
• 

  slimboyfat

  Very good point. This is a slap in the face for those who took “pioneer” status seriously.

  I can’t see any good reason for it either, because surely it is far easier to count 70 hours writing letters from home than it ever was to go around doors and all the travel involved. So what’s the rationale for dropping the hour requirement at a point in time when it’s actually easier to do the hours?

  It doesn’t seem very well thought through at all. Those who claim pioneer status under the new rules will feel good about themselves for a short while, I suppose. But the long-standing pioneers will probably be dejected permanently at what is effectively a demotion in status.

  The whole concept of pioneer status has been a bit iffy since the new donation arrangement anyway. In the olden days pioneers got the literature from the book room at cheaper rates than ordinary publishers. That was a tangible benefit and demarkation. After charges for the literature were dropped pioneer status was reduced in importance.

  Have they been running pioneer schools during the pandemic? If they are ongoing, or if they resume at some point, won’t the pioneer schools be overcrowded?

  As for the pioneer statistics - the simple solution to that it to stop publishing them. They have already fiddled around with them in recent years. Pioneers and auxiliary pioneers used to be listed separately for each country in the annual report. Now they only publish the pioneer figure for each country, plus a worldwide figure for auxiliary pioneers. They also stopped publishing the number of hours and number Bible Studies for each country.
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  waton

  You could tell how flabbergasted she was - she basically realized the title she held on to for so many years has become a joke.😂😂

  and slaved for 150 service hours + heavy duty meeting work a month, and $ 45..- !

  with new arrangement: message from mother:

  kids, you have been had, sincerely: wt inc.
  
  
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  slimboyfat

  Did pioneers get cheaper meal tickets at conventions too at some point?
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  a watcher

  What happens to these 'Covid pioneers' if they go back to the KHs and the 70 hour requirement is enforced again?
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  I recall getting reduced prices for literature, and for subscriptions, when I pioneered (early '80's). I don't remember getting discount on food at assemblies, but it might have been. It has been so long ago.