The New Diary of Winston Smith (page 20)

WinstonSmith

Cheers Listener! We took our time and made the right call. Moving was always going to be a key part of our strategy, and we had to play the lead up to it carefully. Moving house has really been a great mental line in the sand for us.

We haven't been to meetings since the memorial and haven't done anything socially with anyone from the congregation either except for Sister T. It was quite funny because a couple of people, elders included talked to Sister T and asked where had been lately. She just told them "Why are you asking me? You have their phone number, why don't you ask them?" She is such a legend. Of course no-one ever followed up.

One day I got a text fom our group overseer and I thought "Sheesh, finally a text from an elder! I wonder what he will say? How will I reply?" I went through a bunch of scenarios in my mind of what my reply would be to the expected "We miss you" "Where have you been?" "Can we do a shepherding call?" I needn't have bothered though the text said: "Hi guys, did I ask you for your report yet?" He got no reply. In fact we have not put a field service report in for two months.

Out of sight, out of mind is a good tool for those that are fading. JWs are so caught up in their little world that you are soon forgotten. The doors on those empty houses aren't gonna knock themselves you know!

WinstonSmith

Hmmm.

Checked my LinkedIn this morning, and there is a notification that the COBE of the congregation we just moved from (but which we have told the elders we are still phoning in to) has viewed my profile. We're not connected on LinkedIn, and I have never received any requests from him. In fact, I haven't heard from him since the last time I went to a meeting (March this year).

I wonder what he's up to?

WinstonSmith

"Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad."

WinstonSmith

Still no further information on the LinkedIn thing. No connection request or anything.

My LinkedIn only lists my current job, my Curriculum Vitae, and job history. It doesn't show my home address, which is I suspect, what he might have been snooping for. This guy knows my mobile phone number, my personal and work email addresses yet does not have the balls to contact me via one of those methods - not even as a friend in a 'hey hows it going?' kinda way. They may well be planning a surprise visit (even though we have told them not to due to Mrs Smith's anxiety), but without our address they can't.

If they turn up here, I would go on the offensive and ask why they disrespected our wishes to be contacted before visits. I've had a go at them in the past (when I was still their fellow elder) and would be more than happy to do it again. If elders from the local congregation turn up, I would tell them "You must have the wrong house, there aren't any Jehovah's Witnesses here."

I'm sure they've got other things to worry about instead of two lost sheep. Like, you know whether or not everyone put their report in this month.

Oh, actually, that reminds me. Its been almost three months since we got asked for a report. I'm pretty sure they're giving up on us.

Oubliette

Nice to read some updates from you. Congrats on the new house!

RIDDLE: So is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

WinstonSmith

Botanically its a fruit, but for culinary purposes it is considered a vegetable. Even the US Supreme Court thinks so.

The Governing Body would call it a legume, and expect you to die for this belief. Never let the facts get in the way of draconian doctrine.

WinstonSmith

So, at the moment I have, to use TV parlance, two story arcs going on in my life. One is about Mrs Smith and I making our way out of the Organisation, and the other is about us trying to help others wake up, specifically, my mum, sister, and our good friend sister T.

There have been some developments lately that might mean these two arcs are slowly coming together. I haven’t updated my diary here for a while as there has been a lot going on. I have a feeling that things are about to ‘happen’ in the next couple of weeks, so I thought I would provide some background, and lead you up to where we are today.

Watch this space…

^ That, in TV parlance is called a 'teaser'.

Oubliette

Winston, I look forward to the updates. The suspense is killing me!

PS - I'm glad to know you know your tomatoes!

WinstonSmith

Well, let's start with my sister. You might remember a while back I started this thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/members/private/242866/1/Some-assistance-and-suggestions-please-Email-with-my-sister about an email / chat exchange I had with her. The email exchange ended with her asking :

“Can I ask if you don’t mind, and don’t feel you have to answer me, do you think that Jehovah ’ s Witnesses have the truth?”

Included in that thread is a copy of the email that I had planned to send in reply to that question. It was quite long winded, but hit on the key points, and was written in such a way that I thought I might be able to get her to open up. In the end I sent a much shorter message (see page two of the thread above) as she had some friends come and stay. I thought that if she had been at a low point when all that shite was going down, maybe having friends around would put her in a frame of mind that was less receptive to opening up. Looking back now, I think it was a wise decision.

Quite a while passed, and I got no reply, despite leaving it open for her to safely answer. When she did finally get in touch, she never mentioned what we talked about, and has not since. She and her husband have now separated and are living in different parts of the city and attending different congregations – but that’s a whole ‘nother story.

So that is where things are at with my sister. We almost went ‘there’ but nothing has been said about it for a long time.

Next, mum - and this is where things get interesting...

Oubliette

Hi Winston, it sounds like sis is in the "Don't ask, don't tell" phase.

Can't wait to hear about mum and the interesting stuff!

The New Diary of Winston Smith

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