Yesterday, Thursday, July 26, 2007, a conversation with a street witnessor (isn't that what you would call someone involved in street witnessing?) got joined by a walk-up elder turned into a great opportunity to witness to several bystanders (who even joined in the conversation).
I began by declining to accept the offer from the elderly woman who held up a "What Does God Require of Us?" brochure with a hopeful glint in her old eyes. I explained that I had already studied the whole publication and had some questions about it that couldn't be answered by the JW I asked about it.
Of course she asked for the questions. I asked if I could hold her brochure and said, "Well, first of all, the title of the brochure made me believe that the only things I would find in here are things the Bible says God requires." She readily assured me that was all I could have found.
Poor creatures. I can't fault this lady too much, all she is guilty of is trusting that the religion had the only truth and that it only teaches what the Bible says.
I turned to chapter 16 ... the baptism one. I said, "Both this chapter and chapter 15 say God requires things the Bible doesn't say God requires." I didn't say it meanly and I think she knows I am a kindly sort of person. I just said it with a quiet confidence that prompted her to ask the worst question a JW could ever possibly ask me, if they want to remain a JW: "Why do you say that?"
This is a humble question. She didn't take the position that she knew everything there was to know and demonstrated she was open to discussing the validity of her beliefs. It is a start. Starting there, I showed her that the Bible didn't require anyone to preach prior to baptism. I mentioned that Cornelius was a Roman army officer and didn't resign prior to baptism. The eunuch didn't attend any meetings, didn't make a prayer of dedication, and—like the Philippian jailer, Cornelius, Lydia, and the 3,000 in one day—were baptized the same day they learned about Jesus.
As I went, I asked her to stop me when one of the speakers started teaching the potential Christian about Jehovah. When I got to the Philippian jailer (Acts 16) I asked her whether he had formerly been a Jew. She said, "No, he didn't even believe in God." I said, "So, like I said, the JW I asked couldn't explain to me why JWs have so many requirements for baptism."
She sat and thought for a minute, reading over the account of the Philippian jailer, and she said, "You know, I never thought about it before. But it's right here. He didn't go to any meetings, he didn't go in field service, he didn't have to know anything but Jesus. And he got baptized. The same day he started to believe God. I don't know what to tell you, either. It seems like he ... well, it's right there. And you are right about Cornelius, too. All I know is that's what I was taught ... that you had to do all those things to get baptized."
I said, "I know. I believe you were taught that, 'cause that's what Jehovah's Witnesses teach. But, you do see that it isn't in the Bible, don't you?"
"Yes. It isn't in the Bible. I see they didn't have to do any of it to get baptized. I just know that's what I was taught."
I said, "Yes ma'am. That's why I stopped studying with JWs."
She said, "What!? What do you mean?"
"Because they tried to teach me to do things—things they said God required—but then they couldn't show me where God requires it."
An elder who just happened by while working approaches us. He's in his work uniform. He asks if she's okay, she readily admits to being okay. So he starts listening in. I smell "elder" on him, so I figure I'll just pretend like I have no clue that he is anything other than a regular ol' garden variety JW. In no time, he interrupts her answer to a question to ask me a followup question.
Now, I am talking with him and she is sitting there unable to "witness" to passerby because "Verne" and I are talking. His real first name is the first name of a famous author whose last name is the one I just gave him. So, I basically repeat the same conversation I had with her, to the delight of a local Pastor who stopped by to see what was going on.
The Pastor attracted the attention of two of his church members who all gathered around giving Verne an unexpectedly large audience. A talkative fellow who was smoking a cigarette stopped to listen (and talk gobbledy-gook at inappropriate and humorous junctures) much to Verne's consternation. Now there are three church-goers, a smoker, me, Verne, and the initial elderly lady.
I was having the time of my life. Every time Verne said, "Well I'm goignt o have to do more research on that." I responded, "You don't think it is odd that even the first stuff you guys teach is tough to prove Scripturally?" Which got a chuckle from each church-goer. Because of the impromptu gathering, Verne was pressured to make a good showing. I am sure without the audience his conversation would have been much more terse.
He ended up explaining to me that sometimes people are like the Ethiopian eunuch. They need help understanding what they read. So, I asked, "Verne, I agree with you. Where did Philip go for the answers?"
He said, "The Bible, of course!"
I said, "But, Verne, you aren't going to the Bible. Even when I ask you to go to the Bible you aren't going to the Bible, you are telling me you have to go do research. In the Bible or in the books y'all read from so much?"
Verne smiled, "Both. I'm going to research both. I know that I can't understand the Bible perfectly and I will need help, just like I believe you need help."
I said, "I agree, Verne. I need help. The Bible—in fact, Jesus himself—said where I can look for help." I read the pertinent verses from John chapters 14 and 16 from the tiny bible the elderly lady had been using and the attending church-goers cheered "Amen" and "That's right!" and "Preach!"
I asked, "Verne, if Holy Spirit is where Jesus said Christians should look for help in understanding, why do you look elsewhere? Why does your religion teach that you are supposed to look elsewhere?"
The church-goers departed, grinning from ear-to-ear, seemingly confident that I had things well in hand. The smoker was still interjecting nonsense from the periphery of the conversation.
Verne noticed and grimaced a bit. Presumably at the fact that his grand witness turned so southerly. He said, "But, Philip had to help the Ethiopian eunuch understand ..."
"At first, Verne. ONLY at first. After baptism, the same day he met Philip, he returned to Ethiopia to spread the gospel there."
"Is that what the Bible says happened?"
"Yes, Verne. That's what it says." I turned to Acts 8 and let him read the account again. His eyebrows raised and he said, "And the spirit led Philip to join the chariot ... I'm gonna ..."
I said with him, "... do some more research on that. Verne, I don't know if you realize how many times you have said that during our conversation. It seems like every single point I raise you have more research to do on it." The elderly lady was nodding, which amazed me. I said, "I am surprised you didn't research these things more thoroughly before becoming a Jehovah's Witness. What position do you have in the congregation?"
He said, "I am an elder. I have only been an elder for about two years now, but I am an elder."
Our last hanger on finished his cigarette and walked off saying goodbyes as he left.
I said, "Oh, you are an elder?" He nodded. "So, you judge people?"
He said, "No, I don't judge. I explain what the Bible says and let the Bible judge."
I said, "Okay, say that fellow who was smoking was a JW. What would you do if you saw him smoking?"
You guys know where that went. It ended up with me asking him why he judged people for things the Bible doesn't allow anyone to judge for. He said the Bible said to keep your bodies clean. I asked whether the Bible said to disfellowship anyone who doesn't keep their body clean ... deer in headlights.
"I know, I know, you'll have to do some more research on that. But, Verne, without doing more research on it you might tell this lady not to talk to someone on a judgment that is NOT Scriptural. What if you find out that there is no Scriptural basis for disfellowshipping someone for smoking? What then?"
Deer in headlights, and no more audience except for dear little ol' sister faithful. "Well, one thing I can clearly see, you and I aren't going to agree. I am not sure if there is any more need to go on with this."
"I think maybe you are right, Verne. I would encourage you to research beyond what they give you, because if you don't you will only get reinforcement in their doctrine, which may or may not be based on the Bible. You have a lot to research if you are going to keep teaching people their doctrine."
He went away. I turned to 1 John 4:1 and shared it with elderly lady, pointing out that if any teaching doesn't come from God it comes from false prophets. I told her how much I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation, wished her a good day and farewell, which she returned pleasantly, adding, "You sure do know your Bible!"
I smiled hugely, thinking, Isn't that supposed to be the householder's line?
All-in-all, I think it went beautifully. Verne didn't get a single Scriptural point across during the whole conversation and she noticed that. I was dancing all through the Bible showing examples where their rules didn't apply to God's servants in the past. He didn't really show me a single Scripture during the entire conversation.
Several bystanders were effectively inocculated by the conversation, and who knows with whom they may share the story. I was very glad I did it.
It was a cool experience. Surprisingly, I find I am not aggressive at all about resisting their dogma, anymore. Thought I'd share it with you all.
Respectfully,
AuldSoul