“steve2”: “. . . let it be because this "friend" has decided of her own free will to investigate her beliefs – not to be "innocently" made to question her beliefs . . .”
“redvip2000”: “Trying to convince someone that they can "do their own thing" is not easy. People are used to having and following rules and regulations. They are used to having a structure and boundaries they feel comfortable with. Trying to push this responsibility on the individual is not an easy task – in fact many don't want it. They find it easier to follow directions.”
Actually, pretty well all firm JWs don’t ever get the chance to ‘innocently question their beliefs’ because the indoctrination is so strong that they never allow themselves to take a good peek behind the curtain, so to speak. If it weren’t for people dropping little tidbits of information (TTATT), many of us on this site probably would never have dared to start on that path toward critical investigation of the WT and analytical introspection of our own beliefs and aspirations.
“Trying to convince someone that they can ‘do their own thing’” is certainly “not easy,” especially if you are “trying to push this responsibility on the individual”; however, providing that someone with just enough objective information just might be all he/she needs to then begin realizing the power he/she really does have to decide for himself/herself how to run his/her own life, and to realize that the power which the person thought the WT had over him/her really does NOT exist in reality.
Ultimately, of course, the person has to make their own decision of their own free will as to how to proceed with their life, but sometimes they just need a little “push,” or “nudge,” to wake them up enough to be able to make that decision.
It’s sort of like a raging alcoholic or drug addict – many of them do end up making a full recovery, but they just need someone initially to take them by the hand and point them in the right direction so that they can benefit from the opportunity to get to that point where they naturally realize themselves the powerlessness they have over their addiction – and then they can do the rest (with some help).
If, say, someone has been exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning, as in the case of a natural gas leak, and they have slowly started to succumb and start falling asleep, sometimes they just need someone to gently shake them awake, and then when the person “snaps to” and realizes their predicament, the rest is up to them – they just naturally start heading for the door to make their escape.
Sometimes all a person needs is just to be shown that little bit of information – a little “nudge” to wake them up – and then they can naturally do the rest, of their own free will.