I was at a gas station the other day, and while I was pumping the fuel into my SUV, I noticed a man standing at the far end of the gas station. I looked over at him, and he was dressed in khaki pants and a white shirt with a tie. I continued pumping my gas and then all of a sudden, the guy was behind me. He had a "Watchtower" and "Awake" magazine rolled up in his hand like he was about to beat a dog. He asked me in spanish if I spoke spanish. I said no and then he walked off to a car with heavily tinted windows. In that car was more witnesses. By the way... this was at 7:45 in the morning! They "scouted" other people for a few more minutes and then they drove off in brand new cars. I couldn't help but wonder what part time job they had in order to afford a new Toyota Camery and Mazda 5. I remember when I was growing up as a JW that it was preached to me that full time jobs got in the way of doing the ministry! My wife had told me that when she was walking to the supermarket, she was chased by witnesses who wanted to talk to her. What is going on?! Since when did JW's begin to ambush people in trying to talk about their message?
Have You Been Ambushed?
by karnage 6 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
compound complex
Howdy Karnage!
Welcome to the Forum! This may not be much help, but I felt really weird going back to my original KH in the not-too-distant past, driving a 15-year old car. Most other cars in the lot were newer $XX,XXX types. Perhaps more typical of a certain good-economy region. Per your wife's comments, when we kids were pioneering pre-1975, we were getting by on a wing and a prayer, in our this-will-have-to-last-till "Armaggedon" cars. My JW friends et al APPEAR well-off and zealous in service. It's just SO different now, 40 years later.
RE: the apparent ambush you described. It may be only anecdotal, isolated cases; however, some non-JWs have commented on lack of warmth and friendliness of JWs in the ministry. In a rush, get it over with. No observable commitment to those in the field. Again, the ministry 40 years ago was a joy, even though we were misled. We pioneering kids loved it, and we were not living double lives.
Thanx for this topic. We welcome many more fine thoughts from you!
CoCo
-
Hortensia
My husband and I were having a nice weekend in San Simeon watching the elephant seals. We were the only people on the beach. A man drove up in a nice car and parked. Jumped out, dressed in a suit, with a plastic smile, headed our way. I told my husband, that's a JW and I'm not letting him spoil my day. So when he walked up I just asked him if he was a JW and when he said yes I told him I wasn't interested and didn't want to discuss anything with him. My husband thinks I was rude - he was never a JW - but also he has a warped sense of humor and likes to string the JWs along in long strange conversations. He would cheerfully have talked to the guy for hours. Yuck! So yes, we have been ambushed.
-
sspo
Pioneers usually start early in the morning, bus stations, mcdonald drive in, shopping centers and so on.
They're every where early in the morning late at night in order to try to get their 70 hrs a month.
30 years ago when new in the "truth" did the stupid thing
-
Tigerman
Yeah, 33 years ago . . ' 73. Wife took the bait about 1975, but it was my son, daughter and myself that
got shot in the back. I just feel bad for the millions that have been ambushed since then ( will it ever end ? ). . .like the old
" Rawhide " song . . " keep them doggies rollin', rawhide! "
-
karnage
Thanks for the warm welcome. I have been around for quite sometime, but this was just something that I couldn't keep quiet about. Hortensia, your little experience made me smile. It seems that no matter how remote you "think" that you are, they will find a way to get to you. I remember the times when I would go out in service when I was in my early 20's. I never thought of chasing anyone down to offer the "Awake" or "Watchtower" magazines. It's almost like it is an act of desperation. Whatever happened to being tactful?!
-
choosing life
This is called parking lot witnessing. It is both taught and encouraged at the service meetings. They can't get anyone to answer their doors anymore, so they have resorted to getting them where they're at.
I can't imagine anyone being receptive to this harrassment. They were doing it while I was still going out in service. It was something I strictly avoided. I would not even go in a car group that decided to attempt it. But it was encouraged by the CO when he came around.