Or not, as the case may be. In-laws' family members were visiting from out of town so we went over for the evening. My uncle-in-law is EXTREMELY religious. Extreme. He also claims to be anointed, and of course, he is one of those "exemplary" JWs who nobody would ever dream of doubting he is actually anointed. He pontificates and preaches CONSTANTLY, even when it is other witnesses. But tonight, he had an even stronger reason to go on and on about the absolute moral and legal and bla bla bla rightness of Jehovah's Holy and Blessed Organization, because my husband and I were there, and we are known to be inactive. Depending upon what MIL/FIL have told them, they may even be aware that we are "opposers." And three other family members were there who have recently let it be known to family that they are not participating as JWs.
Well, out of all of us, I was really the only one who did not handle the situation with grace by just smiling, nodding and agreeing. I had a couple of words, and left the room. I was very impressed with the hateful look I received, but I'm relatively certain I had a matching one of disgust on my face. U-I-L was going on and on about the perfection of Jehovah's Legal System, he even had the gall to bring up how just it is that "as long as a woman screams when she is raped" it doesn't matter if nobody hears her, "as long as she screams, she will get justice." Also he was going on about how perfect the 2 witness system is, and how it protects anyone from unjust accusations.
Yeah, well I couldn't keep my yap shut, and I pointed out that many women don't scream when raped because they are terrified, or being threatened with their life if they make noise, or for whatever reason. Also, I couldn't help pointing out that rapists don't usually stand around waiting for a couple of witnesses before they rape.
His reply of course was that "That's okay because Jehovah will take care of it." I said that I'd rather trust the legal system. I got the evil look, and he went on about how corrupt the legal system is and how only the truth can handle stuff like that the right way. Segue into "the best advice the Society ever gave regarding rape is to make yourself vomit on the rapist. That's the best way to stop an attack cold, just vomit on the rapist."
I said "surely they aren't saying that anymore because that so-called method has been shown without a doubt not to be a reliable way to stop an attack." It was like I wasn't even there. He actually pantomimed vomiting several more times after that and said "best method, best advice, that's what the Society says."
Jebus Christmas, I am so mad I could spit nails. I can't even remember the last time I was that mad at a JW. Seriously, it has been years. It was offensive. And I only had to suffer through 10 minutes of that spew because I went in another room. Another family member (a kid who handled himself quite gracefully,) got hammered on for at least 30 minutes with gloom and doom and how everything is rotten and wicked and evil and bad all the time with no relenting, everything is getting worse and horrible, etc etc ad nauseaum.
I mean, HOW do they SURVIVE such intense and all-pervasive negativity? Seriously, he is probably the most negative person I've ever had the displeasure of listening to. He's worse than Rush Limbaugh, and possibly just as bombastic. He'd give some of those cable TV preachers a run for their hellfire and damnation money.
*beats head on wall*
Oh and the best part? We are supposed to go over there and visit again. Guess who's going to have a migraine. Go on, guess.