Coworker has been studying

by MrFreeze 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  MrFreeze

  So I found out last week that a coworker of mine has been studying with Jehovah's Witnesses. I think she said she had been studying for a long time and has been to plenty of meetings. Her grandmother is a JW apparently. I started having a discussion with her about it and I heard the all too familiar phrases such as "The Truth." It made me cringe. I've talked to her a lot and I can tell she'll probably never get baptised or anything. Kinda wondering if I should do anti-witnessing to her just in case. She has like 6 kids so I'd hate to have any of them suffer through the Kingdom Hall.

  Now that she knows I was a Jehovah's Witness she keeps occasionally bringing up stuff regarding it. Mostly in the form of phrases. "Jehovah help me!"
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  Band on the Run

  I have someone who is a JW in a discussion group. She is unlike any other JW I've ever met. The special language is gone. Meetings are church attendance. She knows the Witnesses use jumbled language. Frankly, though, Episcopalians are the worst offenders. She described teaching the Bible (HO! HO!) and the wonder of seeing a light come on in a face when they understand a Bible concept thanks to her work. I was ready to vomit. It makes me curious where she was taught to clean up the Witness speak. In my day, I would have been stoned by the brothers for her hair and clothing. Changing the usage would be a big no no. My years go way back.

  In her book and knowing nothing about me, she is far better about Bible stuff than I am. Despite studying as a undergraduate, I realize i know nothing compared to an academic or a seminary graduate.

  I am detaching and pretending to discuss it with a university professor. Beyond my comic relief concerning the Witnesses masks great rage. If she dares to bother me one more time, I will call Bethel and report h er for bothering with an apostate.
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  skeeter1

  Be careful. You don't want her to report you to the boss as being anti-JW. Do it off of work hours and in a respectful way. That way, you can say that she continued to push her religion on you. LOL.
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  ABibleStudent

  Hi MrFreeze, Be kind and respectful to her and ask her if she feels that you will die in the Big A. If she says no, ask her why the WTBTS teaches that you will and JWs must blindly believe the same way. If she says yes, ask her if she can justify her beliefs using the Bible.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
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  Watkins

  Maybe find a nonchalant, off-handed way to slip jwfacts.com into the conversation? ;)
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  LostGeneration

  Maybe ask her about the blood thing, what she would do if one of her kids needed a life saving transfusion?

  If she isn't indoctrinated too far yet that should make her think.
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  snakeface

  As skeeter said, be careful and tactful. Otherwise she could do what witnesses usually do - complain to the boss about "persecution".
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  steve2

  Something we may not have fully realized when we were keen JWs and will probably now be more disposed to acknowledge is that the simple "act" of appearing to impart our views on religion can unintentionally become "pushy".

  As ex-JWs keen to help others open their eyes to the Watchtower trap, we don't want to inadvertently come across as pushy - especially within the context of an employment situation. Whose paying your salary, baby?

  I like the suggestion about gentle exchanges and "wonderings" - andcrediting your co-worker with the brain cells to connect the dots.

  If you have to spell things out to people, it kind of shows their level of preparedness and ability to think issues through. Oh the ignimony of their becoming JWs in spite of you! Go gently and respectfully.
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  Phizzy

  Good advice above, go carefully, with baby steps, but do not let the opportunities presented pass you by.

  In the end it is up to her to do her own fact checking, just lead the horse to water, then see what happens. (Does she look like a horse by the way ?).
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  problemaddict

  Feel her out. She might be telling you she is studying, but if she is calling it "the truth", she may actually have been raised in it and not giving you the full story. Calling it "The Truth" is something I rarely hear from studies. Its mainly an indoctrinated phrase that takes a while to stick.