Sheila mentioned on another thread that she'd been out in service and run across what was evidently a survivalist compound. This reminded me of something the sister who studied with me told me.
Our hall was "blessed" with a territory that included both Rulo, NE (where 3 members of a religious/survivalist/paramilitary cult were tortured and murderd in 1985) and Humboldt, NE (Teena Brandon - "Girls Don't Cry"). I actually lived only a couple of miles from the place Brandon was killed only a year before it happened (didn't know any of those involved).
The sister told me she'd been in service to the place by Rulo and actually talked to Michael Ryan (the leader, now on death row). He told her how God communicated with him. Scared the crap out of her. Especially after the murders hit the news.
Nothing like living in the good old Heartland (my mom keeps insisting it's safer than Tempe!! ).
I wondered if anyone else had experiences to share. It's a wonder more JWs don't get murdered, when you think about it.
Hve you ever gone door to door in ,"HASIDIM ",territory?Hasidim's are members of a jewish sect.In the seventies their was resistence ( acts of violence towards jw's ) by the Hasidim's when you tried to proselytize in their community.That was not only scary but fearful of ones own life.
It got so out of hand that the Society gave new instructions to the C.O.'S and 'Body of Elders' Letters,on how to work Hasidem territory!
Hve you ever gone door to door in ,"HASIDIM ",territory?
No...there were no Chassids in rural Nebraska No Jews that we were aware of.
But I was the secretary of a Chassidic synagogue after we left the JWs and moved to Omaha. This particular branch of Chassidim actually proselytize...to other Jews, moving to areas where there are Jewish communities but few keep the Levitical laws (are not orthodox). Advertising and trying to get them to do things such as keep kosher, keep Shabbat by lighting candles, andpray daily with tallis and teffilin, and keep the other 300-some-odd mitzvot. Very interesting experience!!