So, the organization never makes any mistakes, the elders are appointed by God, you should attend all the meetings
because "it's the truth", blah blah, blah.
In my experience, as long as you're not too aggressive about it, there are three serious problems in the organization
that Witnesses will admit, often grudgingly:
1) Witnesses are commonly depressed. You could kill an elephant with all the psychoactive drugs being taken
in most congregations - a 'Prozac (theocratic) Nation'. Of course, none of this is the fault of the 'faithful slave',
it's caused by ....... Satan.........'this system of things' ....... Witnesses who 'aren't doing it right' .... or 'just our
imperfection'. Funny isn't it? If you don't agree that happiness is the purpose of life, then you are CHOOSING
SOMETHING THAT ISN'T HAPPINESS AS YOUR PURPOSE for living. I'd say Jefferson hit the nail on the head
when came up with "pursuit ( or purfuit??) of happiness" to put in the Constitution.
2) Witness families are a trainwreck - especially the kids. Suppose you ran a "Righteousness and Goodness Factory"
that cranked out bad marriages and dissolute kids with a Defect Rate as high as your Witness eyeballs manifest
presently exist -- and you'd face bankruptcy in a year. Apparently religions follow a radically downsized standard
of success as ANY Witness kid who hasn't left or been df'd is heralded as proof of Victory Over Satan ( hint:
you just haven't found his weed and favorite internet porn sites yet).
A few years ago, a real-live Governing Body member went on a tour in parts of Europe and Africa and was confronted
with tearful Witness parents crying out "What should we do?" This nearly brain-dead codger brushed them off with
"Read Your Bible!" - as if they hadn't thought of that. D.O.'s and C.O.'s thought this reverent ( and irrelevant) stupid
remark was wonderful and repeated it to anguished Witness parents. Food at the proper time? I don't think so.
An elderly Witness relative told me, "Well, they don't know what to do!" Exactly.
3) Lack of Love - Even the Watchtower has 'derated' Love as a mark of true religion in recent years - dropping out of the
Number One spot on the theocratic countdown. Old-Timers like to quote Matthew , "the love of the greater number
will cool off" ( whether it actually applies or not). Well, with debts, crummy jobs, wayward kids, 5 meetings a week,
and field service , there isn't time for much else. A Wise religion would ditch some meetings in favor of a communal
meal or set up special programs for the old, widows, and 'fatherless boys' but don't hold your breath with these
elderly goons. They're busy fending off lawsuits - Your World-Wide Contributions at Work.
So, that's 3
Remember 'em for your next encounter.
metatron