Terry don't feel like what you said to them did'nt amount to anything. I remember years ago I was in service and called on a man that used to be a Witness. He explained some of the reasons he no longer believed it Even though it took a few years later for me to wake up, I'll never forget the things he told me and how envious I was of him, even back then.
Knock Knock...."Who's there?" They came to MY DOOR!!
by Terry 32 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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TMS
Terry,
You're more forthright than I was when an earnest 35 year old Hispanic male and 11 year old son approached me recently. I simply asked him if his god was almighty. I let him explain omnipotence and omniscience to me. We talked about the psunami of a few years ago and how some indigenous folk knew enough to recognize the danger and run to higher ground. I suspected that his god knew enough as well to at least call out a warning.
I asked him if his god treated people equally regardless of their station in life. He said that his god did. We reasoned about the penalties in the law for the ordinary Jew who committed murder and adultery. I asked him why his god treated David differently. Was it because he was a king?
He considered carefully everything, never once shielding his young son from the conversation.
tms
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sooner7nc
That...was.........AWESOME! I literally would have paid good money to be there and just watch.
Craps, I remember me and DQ going in service in Marietta and running into one of the Ardmore Dub's son. I can't remember the guys name but I do remember wanting to get the heck out of there. He pretty much pulled a "Terry" on us.
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Jim_TX
Terry, Don't put yourself down - or your efforts at talking to the JWs at your door.
The younger gals - they're much more savvy than most folks give youngsters credit for these days. One of them (or both) may start to wonder about what you said to them... and since they have computer access (and internet) - they may research - on line - what the JWs believe.
That's all they need to do. Type 'Jehovah's Witnesses' into Google - or other popular search engine - and then read.
You did very good!
If nothing else... your address will be put on their 'do not call' list. hahahaha
Regards,
Jim TX
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Terry
I remember quite vividly, now that you mention it, the Market Hall Assembly (I think in 1966) in Dallas.
My friend Quentin and I were leaving the session and emerging outside to go to the parking lot.
A small contingent of brothers with badges were surrounding two men with signs and the warning was being passed around:
"Avoid them--EVIL SLAVE class---EVIL SLAVE!"
A delicious thrill went up my spine!!
I walked right over to them and asked a few simple questions. They handed me a pamphlet.
I clearly recall one of the Assembly potentates snatching it out of my hand and saying point blank--"Brother, don't risk your standing with Jehovah by reading this filth!"
I only responded weakly, "What does it say?"
The Brother curled his lip at me, "I don't know and I don't want to know."
And that was that, as they say.
Whatever was in that pamphlet was so powerful, so awful and so damning I was burning with curiousity to find out!
I started looking for books to read that might reveal what it was they were scared for me to know!
Unfortunately, it took a decade for any of that to do any good :)
But--the seed was planted!
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Mad Sweeney
That's all we can do in an at-the-door situation: plant seeds. Someone else will water.
I remember a fast progressing Bible study I had back in the day who came to a screeching halt because of 1914. He couldn't by the convoluted explanation and after giving it and hearing myself say it I wasn't so sure of it myself. That Bible student planted a seed for me.
What's the message here? NO, it's not "go out in service more to start more studies so they can stumble you!" LoL. It's seeds and little tiny drops of water over a period of time are better than a downpour all at once that makes you run for cover.
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nugget
I fear your time to shine is over you are probably a do not call.
Never mind you did great a truly impressive display.
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Terry
I really must continue reminding myself that the entire Jehovah's Witness religion is based on an interpretation of a collected body of writings which have no referent to original uncorrupt texts for comparison.
False basis=false interpretations=false religion
Arguing the nit pick is pointless when the foundation is corrupt.
My big mistake when I was 12 or 13 was in swallowing the premise that the Bible is an inerrant representation of Divine Authority.
Can you believe it took me about 50 years to understand that?
How do JW's have a chance of escaping when it took me so long?
Almost all so-called Apostates end up arguing the nit-pick details while completely ignoring the rotted foundation the whole gizmo rests upon!
I should have asked "Could you tell me where the original books of scripture are that we get today's bible from?"
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BluesBrother
I think that what you said was perfect... If they hear criticism of The Bible, then they usually have an answer and shrug it off as "an atheist". But a criticism (informed) of the Organisation, and one that is off the wall - well they do not have a page in the "Reasoning Book" to turn to about that!
Once, back in the late sixties, I was out with the current C/O in the Ministry. Lo and behold a man actually recognized him and they started talking and it turned that householder had been "in" many years before.. I called again with older Bros and we tried to reactivate this couple. They said some telling things then about expectations not being fulfilled.
I never forgot the wife saying how they had done the ministry in wartime, on their bikes when air raid sirens went off around them.."And they told us back in 1944 that Armageddon was coming" she said.
At the time I sat impassively as the older bro talked it down, but that comment never left me...So you never know what has gone in, or whether the seed will fall on fertile ground??
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Terry
But a criticism (informed) of the Organisation, and one that is off the wall - well they do not have a page in the "Reasoning Book" to turn to about that!
You know, that's a really good point worth keeping in mind! So much of the JW response is REHEARSED!
No actual exchange of conversation is there. It is Pavlovian. If you take them "off script" the real person might blink back into being able to think for a moment in real time.