by A Paduan 21 Replies latest jw friends
I was counting time and that's it. I honestly didn't want to talk about the truth as I knew people really didn't want to hear about it.
I was never zealous about the ministry. It seemed such a waste to me. How if someone wanted to talk about my beliefs at work, or any other place I'd open up. But I hated going door to door.
Would you beleive I can't remember what I said when I called at the doors? I think I usually quoted some introduction I had seen in the KM or something. I have blanked it all out of my mind.
Ken P.
Paduan, I feel sorry for you if you didn't believe it, but still had to deal with it. That is what I meant.
The message we usually get starts with questions about whether or not we think the world is becoming a crappier place by the day - I suppose thats one way of finding out who might be talked into thinking apocalyptically.
A Paduan,
The message we usually get starts with questions about whether or not we think the world is becoming a crappier place by the day
For some people in my area the world was "becoming a crappier place by the day", and they did find a better life in the Watchtower.
IW
I was simply racking up time. Finding my way into cargroups that had the reputation for driving 20 miles out of the way to go to the "good" coffee break place, knocking on doorjambs instead of doors so there was less chance of being heard, making it LOOK like you were ringing a doorbell, or my favorite was to tell whoever I ended up going to the door with " I just want to listen today so I can pick up some good ideas" so I didn't have to humiliate myself any more than I was just by standing there. I used to give the householders apologetic looks. I hated service and never felt that I was giving anyone a worthwhile message, and I was raised a witness.
jurs, I don't recall meeting any person in their pajamas or complaining about the time, maybe you did, but that doesn't mean we all did.
Guest 77
I believed in the message I was spreading, which was of a better world to come ie Paradise earth, everlasting life, etc etc.
Towards the end, I thought that it was arrogant for me to be telling people what to believe, so I tended to just say "We're here to encourage people to read the Bible". If the person said they were already a Christian, I commented on our common ground, but didn't preach to them. If they weren't interested, or didn't believe in God, I just thanked them for their time, or maybe asked why they believed what they did. Again, I didn't preach to them.
In the end, I just couldn't go witnessing about something I didn't believe in anymore, so I became inactive.
All work and no play make jack a dull boy.
I believed. I didn't enjoy the work I had, but I did it. Sometimes you have to do unpleasant tasks in life, right?
As for my message,, I "ran the program" -- the "think on your feet so you can find that hook to draw somone into a conversation that you can then steer.
For example: kids toys in the yard, ask about making your family life better. Many locks on the door? Ask about if they want to live in a world where they don't have to be scared all the time. Signs of old age or illness? Ask if they want to live young and healthy.
Yup, I ran the program. That is, until I realized that the program was running me, and had been all along.
On the flip side, I have some valuable salesmanship and public speaking training that has served my career well, although I wish I had learned it at Toastmasters instead of the bOrg.
I'm glad I never converted anyone -- although it wasn't from a lack of sincere trying.
