Come this July, I will have been out of the JW's for 20 years. And it has been quite a long time since I've really spent any serious time studying up on JW news and doctrines although I do still read here occasionally. But after today looks like I've got some work to do.
My First Sergeant called me this morning asking for my help to fix his dad's truck as I'm an auto technician in my civilian job. So being that I had nothing else to do, I took a drive up to where they live. Turns out that the parts store sold him the wrong belt for the application and their catalog was wrong. Luckily I found the right belt and got it running. So scored some points with "Top".
After the job was done, we went inside and sat down for a while to relax. And what do I see but his entire coffee table is COVERED with Watchtower and Awake magazines. I looked at Top and then at his dad, both prior Marines, and asked his dad "are you or your wife Witnesses?" and of course Top started laughing.
His dad (Top Seinor) said no, that he is just studying with them. And then went on to tell me how he is seeing that they're really right about things and how they're not as bad as people say they are.
I said "well I was one. For 20 years."
Top said "boy am I glad I got you to come over! I never knew that you were one!" I told him that I'd found out our recently retired Command Sergeant Major used to be one as well. Small world!
So for about the next hour I politely talked about everything I could remember from what I'd learned here as well as Freeminds. After everything I told him, he became a little more surprised and would say "wow they never said anything about that!" At the end of it, I asked for his email address to send him links to info he should know about. I said most Witnesses don't even know their own history.
His wife was in the other room on the computer but she was listening and when got to the part about the Governing Body, she came out and jumped in on the conversation. They'd attended the Memorial and had it explained to them why no one partook. That really bothered both of them, the wife especially, and especially how the Governing Body places themselves as the only true channel between God and JW's and how only they have the "truth".
I gave Top a ride home and he said how glad things had just happened to work out to where I'd be there today, not for the truck but for the JW stuff. Maybe sometimes things do happen for a reason.
Soooooo.......Going to be surfing Freeminds and gathering up some research to email to Top's parents. Their JW bible study is going to get a real earful come next Wednesday!
I'm going to try and keep it as simple as possible. I know, simple is never an easy option when dealing with this kind of thing but he's a Marine so simple works best. (had to get that jab in! ha ha!) Besides, simple works best for me too. I'm going to keep it to mainly just what we talked about:
1. Their history as a breakaway group from the 7th Day Adventists
2. Predictions of Jesus' return
3. Beth Sarim
4. The long list of "you can't do..."
5. The pedophile coverup (hoping that episode of Dateline is available online)
If anyone has any suggestions, I'd sure appreciate anything you can offer.
Hooah!