My undercover saga - Part 1

by BonaFide 15 Replies latest jw friends

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  BonaFide

  Actually, this is part 8 or 9, I can't remember, but I thought I would number them from now on.

  I am an active Witness, and I want to help my friends and family. I have had some success in trying to get them to reason, because I always state at the outset, and at the end of the conversation, that I support the Faithful Slave and GB no matter what.

  So since I have a big vehicle, some of the older ones asked me to take them to Special Assembly Day this past weekend. I had already been, and I told you all about it, but I agreed. A younger MS went along. Some of them I had already tried some Theocratic Strategy with, about blood and a couple of other topics.

  Here's how the conversation went on Saturday:

  Bonafide: "Wow, I am so glad to go the the assemblies, I love the experience. I remember last time they interviewed a sister that had Lupus, what an encouraging experience. I almost cried really."

  Rest of group: "Yes, we loved that too, wow, yes, nice, good, etc."

  (That was the SET-UP)

  Then........

  Bonafide: So here's something I have been thinking about. I love field service, always have, but don't you think its better in a way that people don't hear the message? Because at Armageddon if they didn't listen to us, they will die. But if they die BEFORE Armageddon, they will be resurrected, because Acts says there will be a resurrection of the righteous and unrighteous. (I know I completely stole this from another poster, can't remember who, but thanks.)

  Bro: Ha ha, here you go again Bonafide. Where do you come up with this stuff? The really wicked like Hitler won't be resurrected.

  Sis: Yes, even the Society says that they won't

  Bonafide: Yes, but thats only a few people. What about the hundreds and hundreds of millions of others? Its better they don't hear the message at all, so they will be resurrected.

  Bro: Something about that doesnt seem right. I see what you mean, but I don't know.

  Sis: I think we have to preach to save people, it's a lifesaving work.

  Bonafide: Is it really lifesaving? I mean, people don't even know who we are and they don't accept the literature.

  Sis: So they had their chance. Jehovah reads their heart.

  Bonafide: Thats right, Jehovah reads their heart. So why do we preach to them if he reads their heart anyway?

  Group laughs

  Bro: I have to think about that one.

  Bonafide: Well, my opinion is that we have to preach for our own salvation. Jehovah already can read hearts, and there are billions that need to be preached to anyway, so Jehovah wants to see our faith in action. Its not for the people, its for us.

  Sis: Yes, that's right.

  The kicker is this, I have been working undercover trying to help my friends for months. AND ALL OF THEM WANTED TO GO HOME AFTER LUNCH. We took off early. A year ago, that group NEVER would have done that. NO WAY.

  I really think that little by little, talking about the Faithful Slave, mistakes, no reason to go in service, truth changing, that it is having an effect on some of my friends.

  We went out to eat and had a great time.

  As more stuff happens I will continue the Saga.

  KEEP IT COOL PEOPLE, DON'T CRITICIZE THE ORGANIZATION OPENLY IF YOU ARE GOING TO MEETINGS. USE THEOCRATIC STRATEGY. IT IS WORKING FOR ME.

  Bonafide
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  cognac

  Nice!
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  mindmelda

  I think I love you!

  I tried this sort of thing for years, and it did me more good than anyone. I did get one particularly annoying elder's wife to quit preaching at me constantly, though.

  The last time I went out in FS, I was with a Mexican sister who I dearly loved. She's been through a lot, including living with an alcoholic abusive husband for years, who thankfully, finally is sober and non violent.

  But, there were two really "Bertha Than You" sisters with us, both have elder husbands who are well off, and they were dressed to the nines, thin and tanned.

  We were in the Mexican sister's car and she and I became the target of the other two sister's catty comments on everything from our weight to our clothes, and then about how we could fix all that about ourselves and be wonderful and perfect like they were.

  The sister whose car were were in started to get visibly upset, then to cry, and she had to pull over. I lit into Bitch and Witch and told them off. It was the most unspiritual, unkind and just plain old IGNORANT experience ever.

  I'd love to say it was isolated, but this happened to me dozens of times of the years, sisters turning car groups into catty picking sessions.

  It could be about anything from how you were raising your kids to your clothes or your housekeeping, but it was almost ALWAYS initiated by pioneers or elder's wives.

  I got to where the very idea of FS was enough to give me a panic attack. I quit going.Now, I'm a very extroverted person who has no trouble talking to ANYONE. I've done substitute teaching and a little stage acting. I have no stage fright. It wasn't the people in the field that I was afraid of, it was my fellow JWs and their criticism!

  I finally got my nerve up to go out a few years later, showed up to the appointed place for FS, and was told TO GO HOME AS I DID NOT make prior arrangements with the pioneers or anyone else going out that morning and they could not put me in a car group. So, I went home.

  No brothers there, just the elderettes.

  That was 8 years ago...I only went out once after that, and it was to deliver a few tracts with a sister. I did it an hour and had to go home. I couldn't stomach it anymore.
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  Waffles

  What you are doing is no easy task - walking a line that fine. Kudos to you if you can pull it off successfully. I have similar plans of my own after getting reinstated.
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  BonaFide

  Sorry that happened to you Mindmelda. When I served as an elder, I volunteered to handle a very difficult case of malicious gossip. Of course, the persons involved turned on me, which I told my fellow elders would happen. But the bro's went after me with all kinds of crazy accusations. This was the same couple who accused those that made them mad of murder, child molestation, fraud, incest, yep anything.

  No matter how I tried to reason with them, they were cruel. The one elder that never shows at the meetings was there for every meeting with me.

  It's incredible how cruel some people can be in a cult.

  BF
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  middleman

  Good stuff bro...did you get my PM?
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  whyizit

  This is EXACTLY the kind of thing people both in and out of the WTS need! We need to see how to slip things into conversations that will have an impact. No JW in their right mind is ever going to let it show that they are really moved by the questions and ponderings, but deep down, it is stirring them up.

  Keep up the great work, and please keep sharing your experience with us.

  Gratefully,

  Whyizit
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  BabaYaga

  Bonafide's conversation: So here's something I have been thinking about. I love field service, always have, but don't you think its better in a way that people don't hear the message? Because at Armageddon if they didn't listen to us, they will die. But if they die BEFORE Armageddon, they will be resurrected, because Acts says there will be a resurrection of the righteous and unrighteous. (I know I completely stole this from another poster, can't remember who, but thanks.)
  
  Bro: Something about that doesnt seem right. I see what you mean, but I don't know... I have to think about that one.

  Brilliant! This is positively absolutely BRILLIANT!!! Bonafide, you are the hero of JWD/N.

  I believe it was Witness007 who started that thread... I meant to comment on it... I think I'll go find it and give it a bump.

  Funny thing is... my Sweetie who thankfully has NEVER been a Witness asked me this very question a few years ago... he brought up the fact that (according to JW teachings) all of the hapless souls had a MUCH, much better chance of being resurrected if they had never HEARD of the Witnesses!!! Oh, the irony!

  Perfectly fabulous... please, please do keep it up... (as long as you can maintain your sanity!)

  Love,
  Baba.
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  flipper

  BONAFIDE- You have a very subtle skillful way of infiltrating their thought processes. Keep up the good work. If you can infuse doubt into them by letting THEM think they are causing it themselves it is an ingenius way to get them to think for themselves. Good job. Keep it up ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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  moshe

  Eventually, Bonafide, all these little stories will have enough details, that just like links in a chain, when they are put together will lead back to , YOU. Ah, the walk of shame at the KH, when the elders expose your true self. The Internet is a small place- somebody will recognize the stories . If you must be undercover, stop talking about it on the Internet, unless you have nothing to lose when the expose' happens.