The good way to be a Jehovahs Witness

by ball. 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  ball.

  Did anyone know witness families who were seemingly able to juggle getting a good education and career while maintaining good standing and even high positions in the congregation. While from the platform, encouraging ones to pioneer from school (like I did), they themselves would be leading a completely acceptable double life, encouraging their children in their careers. Some people were better at that kind of double life than others. (Better Witnesses?) This might be controversial but I think that factor often co-related to wealthy witness families.

  I was very surprised at the negative reaction of one elders wife when I said I was pioneering straight from school. I imagined at the time that she thought I had been pressurised into it by my bully of a step father, or maybe my motives were wrong. But it has taken me all these years to figure it out, and I can still see the look on her face now. The penny has dropped. Her elder husband had died a few weeks earlier expecting to live straight through into paradise. Many people in that older generation knew the score. While from the platform we were constantly urged to pioneer, people had another agenda - an agenda based in reality.

  So what is my point? Just that there is a way to lead a double life that will get you sharply disfellowshipped and then there's a right way to lead a double life, or "double think". Talk all the time about "putting Kingdom interests first" but put your career first. I couldn't quite put my finger on this when I was "in" and such witnesses used to frustrate me.
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  willy_think

  It's no longer shameful to be a dissembler; hypocrisy is now a fashionable vice, and all fashionable vices pass for virtues. The part of God-fearing man is the best possible role to play nowadays, and in our present society the hypocrite's profession has extraordinary advantages. It's an art whose dishonesty always goes unchallenged; even if the whole world sees through the imposture, no one dares denounce it. All the other vices of mankind are subject to censure, and anyone is free to upbraid them roundly; but hypocrisy is a privileged vice which knows how to silence every tongue and enjoy perfect impunity. The hypocrite, by means of pious pretenses, attaches himself to the company of the devout, and anyone who then assails him is set upon by a great phalanx of the godly--wherein those who act sincerely, and have a true religious fervor, are always the dupes of the others. The true believers are easily hoodwinked by the false, and blindly second those who ape their piety. I can't tell you how many men I know who, by means of a feigned devotion, have glossed over the sins of their youth, wrapped themselves in the cloak of religion, and in that holy disguise are now free to be the worst of scoundrels! It makes no difference if their intrigues are sometimes exposed and their true natures laid bare; they don't cease, on that account, to be respected, since by soulful groans, and bowings of the head, and rollings of the of the eye toward Heaven, they can readily persuade the world to excuse whatever they do.

  This is form Moliere's play DON JUAN [Act Five - Scene Two] first Printed in 1665.

  1665-2004; how long we have travled and how little we have moved.
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  Jasmine

  I do understand your point. It seems that many times the encouragement is there in theory but lacking in actuality. Pioneering right out of high school is easy for the first bit, while your young, living with your parents or with room mates, things are financially simple. Then there's all the praise and admiration heaped on these "self-sacrificing" youths, making them feel secure in their choice. But once reality hits and it's time for a mortgage, medical bills, taxes, insurance and the like, it's virtually impossible to keep up. They are left with no career choices, no education and no experience. That is why there so many 30 - 35 year old witnesses up to their eyes balls in debt and under immense amounts of pressure who eventually resent the decision they made so long ago out of "faith".
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  ball.

  Hi Jasmine - welcome to JWD. I still have a few regrets about the way I wasted my time pioneering. But I did go to college after I was out, 6 years late. Here in the UK, compolsory schooling ends at just age 16 and at 22 I went to college.
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  Jasmine

  Hi Ball

  I had a full scholarship to the university of my choice (in Canada) and turned it down in favouring of pioneering. Thankfully, I was able to land a job at the same place I had my co-op program, but I feel really trapped since I have no career choices beyond staying right where I am.

  Just as a side note, (since this is my first time on a forum of any kind) how do I start a new topic? As a newbie am I allowed, or can I only reply with posts?

  Thanks for your help....
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  ball.

  You have to be in one of the actual sub sections like "friends" or "watchtower...", see the pull down menu above where it says "Jehovah's Witnesses". Then you will see a "new topic" link on the page.
• 

  boa

  great thread ball.....and Yes, I know of several who straddled the fence perfectly. They remained 'faithful', 'active', and even had 'privileges' such as the father eventually making elder.

  The common component was

  This might be controversial but I think that factor often co-related to wealthy witness families.

  MONEY. They had lots, made lots, and spent lots. Their kids would never have to worry even if they did some pioneering. The people I knew 'witnessed' through business contacts thus reducing the amount of time to have to do the 'humbling' door-to-door work. The mother of this family hated meetings and service but was able to play the game anyway and live a good life. They were always looked at out of the corner of the eye by their less wealthy brethren but what the hell would they care about that!

  Welcome to JWD Jasmine!

  boa
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  ball.

  Yeah, for someone like me who always tried so hard and loved Jehovah, getting thrown out in the gutter can seem pretty tough. Of course things are different now, and I still haven't written to thank them.
• 

  Confucious

  Ball, I was one of those JW that you described. By the time I left JW, I had pioneered for 9 years with my wife. I had two Lexus, a limousine. A limousine driver. Two homes. A SUV. And a bunch of other stuff. Most of this was acquired while I was a pioneeer. I got into the arts field and became "worldy" popular for it. But in the Cong, I can't tell you how much flack I got. I did everything. Plus, me and my wife BOTH pioneered. Brought many people into the "truth." But the more money I made, the more I was persecuted in the cong. They were very mean to me.