Miss K and her friend Miss W arrived promptly today. Our scheduled topic of discussion: Jesus' claim to be "the way, the truth and the life..." John 14:6 Since she was basing this topic choice on the fact that I had quoted that verse, I'm not sure why... she spent what seemed like a very long time, hopping through scriptures that all said that Jesus was the truth, the way, or the life. Ok, so we agreed... I kept waiting for her to get to a point, or sway from this principle.
Of course, she summed up with scriptures that show how Jesus submits to the Father, and what does that mean we should do? (blink blink) - I hate when she does that weird 'What does THAT mean...???" type open-ended question. It makes me feel like I'm guessing, and how am I supposed to read a crazy JW's mind? So I'd say an answer, and follow it with, "Is that what you were looking for?"
So she kept pointing out how Jesus submits to the Father. Ok. Got it. So therefore... we submit to Jesus, and do what... ?? Follow his commands, beginning with his greatest commandment, love.
She keeps assuming that if she puts my questions "aside" or "on the shelf" for now, that I am just going to agree that she is teaching the truth. Since we have agreed to only discuss inspired writings, she does not make me read WT literature to reason me into a corner. We hopped around a little bit, because she really is fishing for what I don't agree with from the JW's.
She wants me to limit my comments to our experiences together. She asked, "Have we (motioning to Miss W & herself) come here, and taught you anything that wasn't true, and taught in the bible?" I answered, "Well... There is that claim about the faithful and discreet slave, and how the JW's have turned a parable into a prophecy about themselves. That doesn't make sense to me, how you can pluck a single verse from the bible, and use it to claim absolute power over millions of people."
So, we again returned to Matthew 24. I looked at the chapter, and I started skimming through it, asking her how they came to the conclusion that Jesus appointed them in 1914, based on this one verse in the parable that compares what it means to be a faithful or evil servant. I paraphrased the parables and stories around it... the fig tree, the 10 virgins, these other 3 slaves, and how they behaved...
Why would this one verse actually be a prophecy about someone being appointed sometime in the future?
She started looking at the verse, word by word... asked me, "What do you think this means, if The Lord appoints someone over his household?" I said, "Back in those days, rich people or lords, had slaves, right? I'm thinking of the story of Joseph, where he was in charge of the household while the master was away, so would also be in charge of making sure all the slaves got their meals on time... Not hogging all the food for himself... (grin)
"What do you think this means? Meat in due season? What is meat, or food, as it says in my bible?" I again said, "It could actually be FOOD, but I know your interpretation is spiritual food... meaning that someone is supposed to interpret your beliefs for you... and what about the evil slave? Who is that?"
She had no answer, but tried to switch to something else... and I added, "then there are these other 3 slaves mentioned here, right after... I think all of these parables are examples for us to follow, where he compares how different people respond to him and his teachings. You can be faithful, or you can be evil."
She was not satisfied with that answer, but I think it was at that point that the topic of the slave went back on the shelf in her brain.
There was no more reaching her, because as soon as she can't answer something or back up her claims from the bible, she repeats the line, "Well, I just know the JW's have the truth. I just know it. i wouldn't be here, if I didn't know it."
She asked me if I thought about looking at the bible from a "fresh perspective."
I told her I was finally doing that, after being taught once from the JW Bible Teach book. I am actually reading the bible for the first time, and in my study of the book of Matthew, i came to a realization. There is a BIG difference between having someone come and tell you how to understand the bible, and actually just READING it for yourself.
I told her that as I read the words of Jesus, I felt that he seemed to be often talking about the JW's, and that a lot of what he said contradicted what I had been taught.
She said, "Like what?" and I took her to the first one that really did stick out for me in my bible study. Matthew 6:1-5, where Jesus warns them about doing their works, to be recognized by men. This hit a nerve.
Matthew 6:1-5 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. 2 So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you. 5 “Also, when you pray, do not act like the hypocrites, for they like to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the main streets to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full."
I said, "Why do you write down and keep track of all your work, then turn it in to be recognized by men? When I read that, it reminded me of my mom talking about her field service report, and it just filled me with this sinking feeling of dread."
Miss K said, "We aren't being glorified by men! We are not sounding trumpets and hollering on street corners! What I do for Jehovah's organization, I do out of LOVE. I am not compelled to do it. They don't force me to do it. I do it out of LOVE. I choose to do it."
Miss W piped in with similar comments.
They were both clearly upset by this accusation... so I asked it a different way. "Why do you report your hours, if not for recognition?"
Miss K, "So the brothers can keep track of it."
I said, "GOD is keeping track... let's look here, it says..."
She interrupted, "I'm not getting any recognition or glorification from men for my work! I do it out of LOVE not because it is required!"
So I said, "Is it true that there are different 'levels' or titles within the congregation, based on how much work you do?"
She said, "No..." I said, "Pioneer..."
"Yes, I'm a pioneer..."
I said, "Does that require a set number of hours to earn that title?"
"Yes, I commit to doing a certain number of hours every month. But I do it out of LOVE!"
Miss W piped in, "and I'm NOT a pioneer, but that is because Miss K has more ability in that area, and..." she couldn't come up with a very good explanation about why she didn't work as hard as Miss K, but she clearly felt like she needed to explain herself. (it was sad to watch)
So I asked Miss K, "What happens if you don't turn in a time card at the end of the month?"
She said, "Well to be honest, I'm not going to make my hours this month. I have relatives staying over, and that's just how it is... (looking slightly ashamed) but I'm not going to get my hours this month, it's just a fact of life!"
I said, "What if you don't turn in a time card at all? What would happen?"
"They would just call me and get my hours from me. Nothing would HAPPEN!" (I'd say someone calling me and making me give a report, is actually something happening, but I didn't comment)
She just thought this whole idea was ridiculous, and why would it even bother me so much... "Well, if you're going to worry about THAT... why we fill out time cards, well..."
I said, "I don't understand why you are collecting your rewards from men, when Jesus clearly said to do your good deeds in secret."
"The society is keeping track, so they can show that the work is being done." said Miss K.
I again said, "GOD is keeping track! He sees you. You don't need to keep track for him! I think He can handle it."
Miss W chimed in, "Maybe I can help clarify the reason for this. Every year the JW's publish a yearbook..." and she proceeded to tell me a load of BS about how valuable it was to see those numbers in print. She was so encouraged to see the attendance reports from the Memorials held around the world.
"That is an attendance report... Why do you have to report the millions of hours you work each year?"
They clearly didn't think I had the right take on this instruction from Jesus. It didn't relate to a field service report at all... The society needed to keep track, so they knew that the JW's had preached to every corner of the world.
"But you DO write your name on the card, right?"
"Yes, but my name is not sent on to the branch or to New York..."
I said, "They keep it on file in your KH?"
She clearly wasn't getting the point, so I switched gears and asked her, "How much fruit have you seen from the door to door preaching work? How many new members have come in, due to the field ministry?'
Miss K went on to list several people she had converted to JW. I said, "OK, so you converted a number of people into the JW's." She corrected me, "OH NO! I didn't CONVERT anyone. They decided for themselves!"
"I know, I know, free will..."
In case you haven't figured this out yet, I did not manage to cut our time this week. I did actually speak up and talk, and even though she ran the bible verse hopping show, I kept the conversation going for much longer than planned.
She kept stacking lies and telling me they were truth... I will add the details of our interesting discussion about their use of Jehovah in the New Testament.
I wonder if any thought crossed their minds, as they filled in their time on their FS reports today.