The "perfect storm" built up to an epic verbal battle between me and my JW hubby. There's nothing like a pitched battle to bring out my best zingers so I thought I would share some of them here. By the way, hubby and are fine. Whatever our differences, there's a fundamental compatibility that takes over once the dust settles.
Here's the circumstances that led up to our frank exchange. My brother-in-law is dying of cancer and we will lose him in a few days. It was hard to see him in the palliative care ward; still a young man, vital only 18 months ago, shrunken to a shadow of what he had been. He leaves three children and my sister behind, the youngest still in High School.
Seeing death hard brings out all the JW in my hubby. Fear of death I would say, is one of his chief draws for the witnesses. He started quoting Witness platitudes, thankfully not in front of my sister. I got increasingly annoyed, as I'd explained to him many times that even though these words give him comfort, his job at times like this is to keep me calm.
Then he pushed me over the edge when he expressed the sincere wish that Witnesses would find my sister and her children to give them the comfort of the "truth". Taking out the interruptions and the "yes buts" (I interrupt when I am enraged) I asked him what kind of improvement the Witnesses could offer to my sister, a family doctor? Should she give that up for magazine peddling?
I told him he should not mix up the good news, that offers comfort, for the lies that the Witness mix in (pudding disguised as steak), that she must sell magazines and be a slave to the Witnesses to earn that promise.
He suggested that my sister's life is empty with its emphasis on education and materialism.
Really? Do you think that is the only reason she entered medicine? She is one of the most compassionate people I know. How dare the society suggest the only reason for education is for material gain. Why don't they ever mention any of the other reasons people might get an education?
He offered the Witness platitude that it is people's choice if they accept the tr...
I interrupted, it's not a choice if they put a gun to peoples head. People have to peddle those magazines if they want to have that promise. That is the lie and I can't abide that they mix hope with lies (pudding and call it steak). How could my sister benefit by being a Watchtower slave?
He faded off with Jehovah will decide.
Why does it sound like a threat?