What a fader can say to a sleepy witness? (page 2)

ToesUp

Yep...you're never too old to live life! I agree!

"Get busy living or get busy dying."

I wish we could get some family members to have this attitude. Frustrating.

slimboyfat

You could ask if they think Jesus might have been married.

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5762343623458816/how-wind-up-jw

DesirousOfChange

What to say to a sleepy witness to subtly wake them up and start enjoying the life they have left?

It's a difficult decision. Catch-22. Many who are choosing to fade, use the excuse of being too busy, being depressed, being overworked, and every other negative excuse we can dream up as the reason we are absentees from our old JW activities. They don't have an answer, as most of them feel the same way, in fact they want to feel bad (it reinforces the JW persecution complex and that this is Satan's World), and it keeps them away and keeps them from bothering (harassing) us.

If we tell them life is great, everything is great, they will suddenly see that we are not "with them", not even "in spirit" let alone in person, and we suddenly become "worldly", or worse -- apostate. Even more so if we say anything negative about their precious JW concepts. They see it as we've lost our way and lost our faith and chosen The World over The Troof. We are no longer "victims" (as they see themselves) in this rotten old system of things. Rather, we've embraced the rotten old system and are loving it.

Doc

The greatest revenge is living a happy & successful life!

Darkknight757

You make a good point Doc about not being "with them" if we are enjoying life. That's too bad though. I'd rather make them wonder than join them in misery.

Its understandable that most faders can't do that or it will arouse suspicion. How can they say they are living "the best life ever" if they are so depressed? How is it they cannot see how hypocritical that is?

MarkofCane

If we tell them life is great, everything is great, they will suddenly see that we are not "with them", not even "in spirit" let alone in person, and we suddenly become "worldly", or worse -- apostate. Even more so if we say anything negative about their precious JW concepts. They see it as we've lost our way and lost our faith and chosen The World over The Troof. We are no longer "victims" (as they see themselves) in this rotten old system of things. Rather, we've embraced the rotten old system and are loving it.

So true, I bet my whole congregation will think of us when they see the bunker videos. "Where's Kevin?" "He no longer wants anything to do with us." That video is designed to cast a dark cloud over inactive ones... we are bird food, in their minds.

I recently spoke to a old friend who is in my old congregation, he was going on and on about being tired and burned out.....so I said " honestly, since I stopped going to the meeting my stress level has disappeared, my anxiety is almost gone.....their was just to much guilt and pressure to be, just so." He went quiet and thought about it for a while ....then said. "But we are so close to the end", we were interrupted and so changes subjects.

A lot of people are waking up and it starts with a few kind words.

ToesUp

"we are bird food, in their minds."

But we are HAPPY bird food. lol

Darkknight757

Right MoC. By being happy and telling these depressed people how much joy we can have in life, that alone might wake some up. While in we were constantly told how bad this world is. Screw that! The world we live in is amazing and life is worth living to the full. Perhaps as DoC says, The greatest revenge is living a happy & successful life!

James Mixon

I told this to my ex-brother-in law, "my life is wonderful, never been so happy". He said "really",

and then he started to complain about his life, he didn't prepare for his old age (77).......

Gulf Coaster

I'm with nonjwspouse. Just be happy, live a full life, share your positive experiences. Maybe something will click with them. Maybe not, but that's not your problem. The cult does tend to suck the joy out of life. My mother thrives on doom and gloom, so the cult is perfect for her. Conversations with her are tiresome and depressing, and have been since she decided to not shun me totally, about 1987. I've tried to cheer her up but it's very brief before she predictably drifts back into how terrible things are and how it just can't possibly continue .... Zzzzzzzzz.

MarkofCane

Gulf coaster said: My mother thrives on doom and gloom, so the cult is perfect for her.

My mom is the same, all she talks about is the end is eminent! You change the subject and she steers it right back to the end is at hand. Holy shit I started to just avoid her calls it tiresome. My poor mom she is almost 80 yrs old and all her dreams and desires are a lie. Once she is gone I will become very vocal about how I feel and will not hold back, gloves are coming off.

What a fader can say to a sleepy witness?

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