Placing Publications - The Reality

by Joe Grundy 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  Joe Grundy

  I'm not, never have been, a JW, etc.

  A couple of months ago, on a MB entirely unconnected with religion a poster told of her concerns that her pre-teen step-daughter had started to study (with her mother) with JWs.

  The poster knew nothing of JWs - her concern was because her step-daughter had asked her not to tell her husband (the girl's father) of this and keep it secret. (Apparently the mother had previously had connections with JWs and the father was not happy with this).

  I posted on that MB, mentioned some concerns, and later got into e-mail contact with the step-mother. I put together a brief note about some history of the JWs, some concerns I had (mainly gathered from reading JWD) and sent it to her, just to make her aware of what she may be dealing with. I also gave her some links to sites, including JWD. I don't know if she followed them up or not. Later the step-mother got back to me and told me that her step-daughter had decided of her own volition to discontinue the study and have no more to do with the dubs.

  Today I had an email from the step-mother on an unrelated matter. But she mentioned in it that she recently had to take her car to a body repair shop for a quote. In her e-mail she included this:

  In the reception area was a big table absolutely covered in recent copies of the Watchtower as reading material! Needless to say I have not taken my car there for repair. Don't you think that is strange? I didn't ask but it seems to me that they support this group. I would have thought it was not good for business.

  Just goes to show - a little knowledge about JWs goes a long way. This is also relevant to the question about the effect of information about the dubs and the internet, I suppose.
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  kid-A

  Well done, Joe!
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  Joe Grundy

  Cheers, kid-A!

  I am wondering whether I should apply for inclusion as an honourary apostate!

  (Me, I'm just a long-ago apostate from ordinary, boring, mainstream christendom. But wait! Does that make me an apostate from the Whore Of Babylon? Now, there's a title to cherish!)
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  fullofdoubtnow

  Good work Joe.

  I am wondering whether I should apply for inclusion as an honourary apostate

  Yeah, come and join the rest of us.
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  juni

  G'day Joe!

  That is common practice about leaving mag. in waiting rooms. Unless the business specifically asks that they not be left that's what people do.

  I know of one hospital who requested that they not be left on the different floors in the waiting rooms.

  Also you see them in laundromats - though you are not supposed to leave more if there are already some there. You can take the old ones away and leave newer, fresher looking ones if you want.

  Also, the cong. has specific "business territories" that are covered by those who want to dress business-like and are comfortable talking to the chief honchoes at that business.

  Hope this helps you understand better what was going on.

  Juni
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  You probably saved at least one person from eventual disfellowshipping. Good job.

  The literature on the table- I think most people will forget about that if they are happy with that business. Most will read

  some out of curiosity. I know many people carry their own stuff to do while waiting (laptops, too).

  If I ever frequent a business and that happens, I would read it. I would hope they think I was interested, and any JW

  behind the counter would try to win my business over permanantly (so he can offer a bible study) by doing a good job.
• 

  Joe Grundy

  Thanks, Juni!

  This is what I sent in my e-mail reply:

  Re the jaydubs - I was surprised to find when I started researching them that this leaving (or 'placing' as they calll it) their literature in public places (launderettes, hospital waiting rooms, etc.) is very common. The reason is apparently that JWs have to submit a return to the 'elders' every month of their missionary activity. ('Missionary' as in outreach work, not as in 'wifely due'). Too few hours means that you are regarded as 'inactive' and thus likely to die at Armageddon, or at least get grief from the 'elders'. So many JWs go round likely places and leave the magazines. They can count their hours for the visit, and if they find (or can assume) someone has actually read one they can count some more time for that too. I wonder if the repair place owner is a jaydub or one of his staff is, or whether someone just asked to leave the stuff there and he didn't object because like the vast majority of people he has no idea of what the JWs are/believe and cares even less. Certainly wouldn't be good for business if other customers realised that JWs consider all religions other than theirs the 'Whore of Babylon', etc. Might offend the local vicar when he brings his Morris Minor in for a paint job!

  I had a later thought and sent this PS:

  An interesting (well to me, anyway) philosophical/religious thought just occurred to me. If the owner of the repair place is a JW he must (if he's a real believer) believe that Armageddon is 'just round the corner' 'some time soon' 'any day now' etc. So why would he bother to do a lasting repair job? After all, all the rest of us are going to die at Armageddon soon. Wouldn't give a lot of confidence in his offer of a long-term guarantee on the repair job, would it? (Or am I just being mischievous?)

  I really do think it's best if I don't go to any more KH gigs, don't you? Signed, the apostate of the Whore of Babylon!
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  rudycat

  Hi,

  I'm new here, and also and non-never-was JW....but my mother-in-law's one. We went to visit her recently, and she had the Awake! magazines strategically placed in the bathroom so that they couldn't be missed when using the toilet. She's a dear sweet old lady....but I just hate those magazines with the creepy sci-fi look to them, and all the pictures of Stepford people. They even portray Jesus as blonde, fair skinned, blue eyed man with a short sensible haircut. They should change the name from Awake! to Oh Brother!
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  jayhawk1

  An interesting (well to me, anyway) philosophical/religious thought just occurred to me. If the owner of the repair place is a JW he must (if he's a real believer) believe that Armageddon is 'just round the corner' 'some time soon' 'any day now' etc. So why would he bother to do a lasting repair job? After all, all the rest of us are going to die at Armageddon soon. Wouldn't give a lot of confidence in his offer of a long-term guarantee on the repair job, would it? (Or am I just being mischievous?)

  Then again, if he felt that was a car he wanted in the new system, he might do a better than usual job. I remember riding along with some sisters as they talked about what houses they wanted in the new system. Seems like they was breaking the do not covet rule to me. Joe, you missed out on some good fun by not actually being a JW. In order to be a true apostate, join up for a year, get baptized, grow a beard immediately after baptism and then leave. LOL.
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  tan

  I've seen them in laundromats, the library, bus stops and on the ground...