Reverse Witnessing - 101

by Jim_TX 16 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Jim_TX

  This wasn't meant as a 'poor JimTX' thread, folks. Others - have had it much worse than I ever did.

  What I have started doing - or perhaps have been doing all along - is to educate folks who may be unaware of how JWs do things.

  The lady I was talking to - since she was a school teacher - was exposed to a bit of the 'give little Johnny something else to do - since he doesn't celebrate Christmas' - but I don't think she was ever aware of how it really affected the kiddos. I ejukated her a bit. She'll no doubt go home and think back on all those kiddos that were in her classroom - that were JWs - and were not able to participate in things.

  Oh. And my mom began studying with the JWs when I was about 5 or so. So, when she was growing up - she was some other religion (not sure which one). I have done a bit of looking in older newspapers when/where she grew up - and she was on the newspaper staff in her high school - and was quite the social butterfly when she was a teenager. (In other words she had a normal childhood - growing up.)

  Oh well.

  A week or so ago - there were a couple of other folks at the same coffee shop - and somehow the conversation got round to those Jws that go door-knocking. I was sitting right there - them talking across me - and quietly admitted to them that I used to be one of those door-knockers that bothered them on the weekends.

  I apologized for doing so - and let them know that I was no longer one of them - as one lady put it 'You used to be a Jehovah?' (They were shocked that I used to be a JW - for some reason.)

  They were bemoaning the fact that the JWs are persistent and won't go away. I told them to tell the next JWs that knock on their door that they are 'apostates'. That'll send 'em running.

  Unfortunately, 'apostate' is such a foreign term and concept for normal people - they don't understand it - and won't remember it. I later thought about it, and should have just told them to tell the JW door-knockers that they are Devil worshippers (no offense to actual devil-worshippers intended).

  Regards,

  Jim TX
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  snowbird

  LOL.

  Jim, I suspect you and I could split a watermelon together!

  Sylvia
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  under the radar

  Hey Jim,

  I guess your JW childhood experience was more intense than mine. And I thought I missed out on things! My dad was a very zealous but good-hearted elder who did in fact have a thoughtful and reasonable side. I played in the band in Jr. High and was the Class Salutatorian at my High School graduation. But college was never encouraged or even seriously considered as an option, despite my 4.0. Of course I would Pioneer! It was just expected... almost inevitable.

  Just wondering... why were you not allowed to march across the stage at your graduation? I've never heard of a Witness family prohibiting that before. Did yours give you any kind of reason? There are plenty of weird and pointless no-can-do's in JW world, but that's going way beyond anything the Society ever said in print. I'm very surprised.

  Anyway, my condolences for what you went through as a child. And congratulations on coping so well and putting it behind you. You're a survivor!

  Regards,

  Radar
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  Jim_TX

  "Just wondering... why were you not allowed to march across the stage at your graduation? I've never heard of a Witness family prohibiting that before. Did yours give you any kind of reason?"

  Well, of course! I was given a 'reason' for it. It may not be the best reason - but it was what we were told...

  Receiving a diploma would mean that we would be given praise and honor - these things were reserved for the almighty. Also - they had some sort of invocations - or salutations - or whatever - and probably a flag salute.

  Those sorts of things were always brought up. That's the reason we never went to a football (or other sport) game.

  The same reason that I couldn't go to Seniors' Honors Night - where teachers nominated some student to receive awards for doing well in school. I was nominated - and... well, since I didn't go to the ceremony - I never got the award.

  I'm not sure I remember my GPA... I think I had an overall 4-year grade - something like 92.926 - graduated ... I think around 11th out of a class of around 400 seniors. (Didn't make the top 10.)

  But - I was invisible. No one ever saw me during those 4 years of High School.

  You were lucky. Of course - by my mom's 'standards' your family would've been considered 'weak' or 'bad association' - it wouldn't have mattered if your dad was the leading 'elder' in the congregation. That's how things went. I just learned how to deal with it - and try to survive.

  Regards,

  Jim TX
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  JimmyPage

  But - I was invisible. No one ever saw me during those 4 years of High School.

  A classmate wrote in my high school annual: "I really enjoyed playing with you in grade school. Wish I could have known you better in high school, but you kind of disappeared. I missed you."
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  garyneal

  These stories need to be told. Good for you for getting the word out. The world needs to know.
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  k9groomer

  Haven't been here awhile decided to drop by. My experience growing up was same as said poster. Not allowed to do this or that... OH MY those are worldly ppl what was I thinking???? AMAZING! my friend who is a current JW has her kids involved with baseball, basketball, etc. I asked her one day if that was allowed, yes. I always felt cheated. I'm over it now of course but amazes me how some ppl interpret different things.