thoughts

by isaacaustin 39 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  undercover

  being told I don't have to believe or come back but can simply come to show my support for him.

  No, you don't have to believe or 'come back', but simply going to 'show support' for him as he gives a talk marketing the JW/WT religion is showing support for his efforts. You do not support those efforts.

  If it were me, I would not go, even in my inactive, but not DFd state. But as someone never baptized and not held to any kind of expectation, you can make it clear why you're not going, why you do not support him in this area.

  If you cave on this, they'll smell blood and hound you unrelentlessly. If they can get you in the hall this one time, they'll have the hope, false as it may be, that they can get you to come back. Do you really want to give them any excuse to pursue this any further?
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  isaacaustin

  mythreesons, yeah that makes me think of the typical JW catch phrase when they see you- "We miss you!" Do they? They have never followed it up with: "Let's catch lunch one day soon." It really means, in JW terms, we want you at the meetings. I am willing to see them for lunch after the meeting as well...if they want.
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  undercover

  mythreesons... had the same thing happen to me. A former close JW friend was trying to get me to a particular Sunday meeting, but he invited me for lunch after the meeting as the setup. He said, "we'll go eat right after the meeting". I said, "great, I can't make it to the meeting, but I'll meet you at the restaurant". He uninvited me when I made it clear I wasn't going to the meeting. Last time I ever talked to him...
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  isaacaustin

  Undercover, I agree with you...and I do not want to be the enabler, even in a small way. I am on their 'do not call' list...And i doubt they would want to pursue me....so i am not too worried at that end. At the same time I do not see any purpose in subjecting my mental health to this. There are 364 other days to the year he can see me, if he misses me that much.
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  isaacaustin

  Undercover, they tried that trick to get me to go to the memorial 2 years in a row...one year my mom called me and told me I was going to the memorial and then afterward dad would take us all out to dinner. I replied that I would not be going to the memorial but would meet them for dinner afterwards. She said he would not want to do that. The next year, as my wife was getting ready to leave for the memorial she told me: "If you want to go I will wait for you." LOL What an invite- I declined. The next year my wife acted shocked i wasn't going and said: : "Don't you want to go out for dinner afterward." I said: "Fine, call me with the location and I will meet you for dinner." She said I have to go to the memorial if i wanted dinner. Declined. Then last year she said to me I should go to the memorial, its not that bad. LOL I said no thinak you.
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  mythreesons

  undercover- oh geez! haha...he actually uninvited you?? haha, wow! See, it isn't at all about hanging out and talking...being friends. It's about sitting in the same place for 2 hours, not talking or being friends at all.

  How many friends would say come to my house and let's just sit w/o talking for two hours? But the JWs base all their relationships on the fact that they all sit in the same place for 4 hours a week...without talking and being true friends.
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  mythreesons

  I love that you all said you would meet them after the meeting for lunch/dinner! LOL That's awesome. Their answer..."no because you didn't get all dressed up and sit to listen to something you don't agree with, NO FOOD FOR YOU!" The sad thing is a few years ago, I may have pulled that same BS. SMH
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  isaacaustin

  mythreesons, isn't it amazing that if I were to accept my dad's invite and then tell him, for instance, that in 2 weeks I will be giving my first sermon at a church and would like his presence- he doesn't have to beleive or convert, but can just sit there quetly and his presence would be support enough for me- he would not see the double standard or hypocrisy of his request. Amazing.
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  mythreesons

  yep, complete hypocrisy!

  I actually called them on that last year for the memorial. I had asked my parents if they would come to my boys basketball games and support their grandsons. I coach, the boys play...it would be fun. Their response, "We don't agree with it and never have. It is a no brainer, we will not be going!" So when my mom asked me to go to the memorial I responded, "When I asked you to do something that was important to me and the boys, your response was...'We don't agree with it...It is a no brainer, we will not be going.' So it seems only appropriate that I respond in kind....It is a no brainer, we will not be going." Yeah, she was pretty miffed.

  But I felt pretty good...
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  isaacaustin

  mythreesons, they would not go to your sons' basketball games because it is, in JW world, extraciricular activites, worldly and competitive?