by Zoos 31 Replies latest jw friends
Hi Zoos, At the very least ask your neighbor how much she knows about the WTBTS and that www.jwfacts.com is a balanced source of information.
According to Steven Hassan, he would not have joined the Moonies if he had been told by his rabbi that the Unification Church was a dangerous cult or told the truth about the Unification Church's doctrines witin a week of being invited to a meeting.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
There is likely a tactful way to do this. Maybe slip an 'aposta-track' in her door.
I tried warning a study in a similar situation. All I said was, "You are an intelligent person. I am sure you will investigate thoroughly before you commit." He looked at me oddly then shortly after that switched congregations and last I heard he got baptized. He was a damaged soul and I worried about him. I haven't seen him and his family at the conventions though, so perhaps he got out at some point.
I don't see any harm in letting the neighbor know in a non-judgemental way that you were once a jw, and suggesting the jwfacts website to her. If she asks questions, could you answer them in a matter of fact tone, w/o malice or anger? Do you have access to a tract that refutes any jw teachings? She has children, do it for them. You could then go on to small talk about something else. The ball would then be in her court.
I think you should say something. Personally, I don't know how I could live with myself if I didn't say something and they ended up getting sucked in to the cult.
It's all about delivery, though. I wouldn't approach them right after the JWs leave. Ideally, it should be a chance encounter where you say hi and then just ask sorta off-the-cuff if you'd seen JWs there. Then ask questions to get a feel for where she is mentally, and maybe tell her that you had a bad experience with the group once, and would hate to see it happen to her and refer to jwfacts.com. Make sure that it's clear that your concern is for her, not for sticking it to the JWs.
it depends....
do you like your neighbor?
Does his house look cool on Christmas and other holidays, thus improving property values?
Does he loan out his tools or help you out now and then?
Do his kids play with other kids in the neighborhood and look happy and carefree?
Does he take care of his yard on weekends?
Would he look after your house if you were called away in an emergency?
Can he maintain a conversation without calling you brother?
All really important questions!
I think i would speak up too. Maybe give a list of different websites and say If I was approached today by the JW's I would thoroughly research their organization and get all the pros and cons, because there's a lot more to them than just the friendly visit to your door!
Marina
edit: I read product reviews all the time; it's the same thing. Maybe tell her she needs to read the reviews on JWs.
Don't say anything.
Zoos,
While facing a mirror, repeat 3 times: "mind your own business!"
GC
In 1998 my neighbor and wife were being visited by jdubs, in fact the wife's mother and step farther were jdubs. He husband asked me about jdubs as he knew I presently was one. Over time, I enlightened him as to the true purpose of their visits (recruitment) rather than a bible study. Told him when they come again insist on just the Bible, I let him know how they would start controlling his and his families lives. How he would slowly be sucked into the organization. I showed him the magazines (older ones) and how their doctrines change, and how they had caused the needless deaths of many through their adherence to doctrinal issues. I then told him what would happen after he was baptized and disagreed with them that they would insist that he believe them, the governing body etc. After several months of me and him getting together going over the Bible their supposed 1914 date, desgtruction of Jerusalem in 607 vs 587/6 BC. He had begun doing some research on his own and decided that he and his family were not going to have anything to do with them. When his mother in law visited almost 8 monhts later, his wife told her they no longer study and it was because of the information I had given them about the witnesses.
Her mother spoke with her husband and they decided that he should call Bethel and complain about me, I never heard anything from the local congregation about it one way or the other. He still thanks me to this day when we see each other for giving him the needed information he used to ask them questions which put them on the spot. He was able to catch them in many lies about what the witnesses did and didn't believe. They wanted him to question his church but they sure didn't like it when he asked them pointed questions. Thankfully I was able to help him to have nothing to do with them. His wife was a little pissed at me as I am sure she heard talk from her mom over the issue and how good the witnesses were. The upshot of it was that either he nor his wife had anything to do with them after deciding they lied to him on many occasions.
I felt heartened over the experience and glad I was able to give them info so that they wouldn't be sucked in to the quagmire of the witnesses.
