It's like, how many people does it take to screw in a lightbulb.....
So, I dropped by someone's house last weekend This person was raised in the Watchtower cult, and has been around it for several decades. Nice person, but not active in the meetings, never in service, and never baptised, etc. Rarely goes to the meetings - perhaps once every 2 months. In private life, is not a JW-like person. Doesn't do bad things, but associates with worldly people and parties hard and goes gambling every week. However, no Christmas tree...but always expects a present.
On several occassions, the JWs come by to see this person. I have run into the JWs there a handful of times. In the past, they wanted to talk with me. They didn't know that I am an apostate. This time, they conveniently left when I showed up, so me thinks the host told them that I have issues with the JWs.
It's obvious that the JWs are just there to pressure guilt this person back into regularly attending meetings. They are playing all nice and smiley, you know how the cult recruiting goes. They are your best friend, as long as you agree with the cult's leadership. This relationship is so conditional, it's not funny. The minute someone questions the current teachings or past mistakes, the relationship will chill. The minute one publicly disagrees, it will be elder counseling. The minute one disagrees, these "best" friends will run for the hills and never look at the person. JWs manipulate the hell out of people.
I ususally never say a thing other then hello and tell them my full name (perhaps they will figure out who I am..but not) when I run into this car group. The female that I've seen is one of those overbearing women.
To the host, I have spoken generally about cults, but the host never makes the connection that the JWs are a cult. I have gone through the BITE model to identify a cult- but no lightbulbs are ever on. This person knows that I think the JWs are a cult, but "clings on" to them.
So, last weekend I decided to mention the Australian criminal indictment charges to the host. I mentioned that the Watchtower has refused to comply with a simple background check. Guess what the host said? "All religions have pedophiles in it." To which I replied, "That's true, but the Watchtower is the only one refusing to comply with a simple background check for its elders and ministers, and the Catholics and Baptists have complied with this law."
I let it all drop after that. I can see that whatever I say, the host is going to stick up for JWs. Just like those women and children stick up for Mormon polygamist Warren Jeffs.
But, this JW car group visits the host for a decade, plus, trying to get a regular study & recruit. When will they give up? It's like they are just waiting for the host to be weak, so they can pounce their cult (along with the rules and paranoia) onto my friend.
Skeeter