I'm at Starbucks . . . just outside in the courtyard.
I'm trembling. My hands are shaking.
Wow!
I was listening to the these two guys talking about religion.
Then, the name JEHOVAH popped out!
Uh-oh . . .
It was one of THOSE conversation . . .
I tried not to listen, but I did listen.
Two young men about 28 years old were in a quiet, respectful conversation and one guy was laying it all out
about what JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES believe.
The other fellow was listening and asking a few easy questions.
What happened next was weird.
They started talking about the Trinity and the non-JW started refuting the JW.
So, we have maybe an Evangelical and a JW out for a conversation. Interesting . . .
The Evangelical asks the JW if he has ever read any Theology books about the Trinity.
The JW says he's "allowed" to read anything but APOSTATE literature.
My ears perk up. The JW starts going on about how dangerous Apostates are . . .
THE TOP OF MY HEAD POPPED OFF!
I jumped up and walked over to the two of them and introduced myself.
"I just heard you talking about me--so, I thought I'd better come over and defend myself."
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I think you can imagine the reaction that got.
As it turns out, the "JW" is disfellowshipped for immorality.
The other fellow is a Seminary student at the local Baptist seminary.
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I won't go into all of what was said. But, I got pretty emotional!
I can't explain why--except for the fact the DF'd JW was disavowing MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES!
In other words--whatever happened to me doesn't matter. I think I popped my cork.
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Okay . . . I had to cool off. I waited about ten minutes before I continued writing.
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The hard-head of the DF'd JW made me think of myself at that age. So convinced. So impervious to counter-argument.
I felt like I was trying to convince the younger version of myself and it was quite impossible.
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I told him a bit about my life story and how Jehovah was no there for me when I really needed him.
To which he replied, "Jehovah is always there when you need him."
I got pretty angry at that. Need I say?
'NO HE IS NOT!"
Which isn't much of a conversaton.
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I explained the history of the Organization, the beliefs about when Jesus arrived invisibly, Rutherford's false interpretation of Romans 13:1,2, the false predictions, the worship of Jesus chaning in 1954, blah blah blah, the Governing Body history . . .
I gave a college level treatise and he just sat there shaking his head "no".
He did NOT believe the Society ever said "such and such".
I pointed out he is not allowed to research and he says he researched it ALL already.
He even said there is no discouragement of young JW's going to college!
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Well--I finally came to the conclusion I was just getting myself upset.
I told him the following.
You aren't allowed to think for yourself.
"Yes, I am."
"Tell me ONE THING you believe ON YOUR OWN you didn't get from the Watch Tower Society."
"Jesus died for us on the torture stake and . . . "
"You DID NOT come up with that ON YOUR OWN. "
"Yes, I did."
"How?"
"Personal research!"
At this point, I can see he's lying to himself and to us.
"There is no point in continuing this. You are indoctrinated by a cult."
"It is not a cult."
"Right, you only believe exactly what you are told to believe and can't think for yourself--which, if it differs from a cult--I'd like to know how?"
"Jehovah's Witnesses have accurate knowledge of the truth. . . "
"And how would YOU know that? Every humble, honest Christian in the world sits down with the Bible and prays for the holy spirit to
help them understand the truth. What do they get? They get 40,000 different denominations."
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Well, I excused myself about an hour ago. I'm back over at my own table typing this.
Those two are still at it!
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What is my "take away" from all of this?
I'm still very emotionally invested in the depth of indoctrination and the total blindness of denial.
It RATTLES me how impervious to reason a modern day JW is---even a DF'd one!