Have you ever done this crazy thing?!?!

by BooleanX 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  BooleanX

  Hey dont get me wrong about this, but...

  I've been disfellowshiped for 5 years now, (Yippee!!!). I've been enjoying my freedom to the max, believe me, plus I want nothing to do with the Borg ever. But I did the craziest thing today.

  While at work, my buddies and I were just chatting away about life and stuff, as bored guys usually do. Anyway, the subject of Jehovah's Witnessess came about because we noticed them across the street preaching, and my buddies started telling me their opinion on them. Well my colleagues have no idea that I was brought up as a Dub, or that I use to be one either. To cut a long story short, they were saying some crazy stuff, "They get paid by the hour to do that work, that's why they're always out and about",or "The reason why they don't accept blood is because it's too beneficial for their health and they have to live like sick people in order to be God's people" and my favourite "I heard they can have 2 wives (I wish)". And on and on they kept going, I was just laughing very discreetfully.

  Well anyway morning turned into lunch, and it started to become the topic of the day, it was getting on my nerves! That's the joy of not being in the 'Troof', you don't have hear about the crap anymore! Well after hours of my work buddies tell me 'they do this' and 'they do that'. I just snapped and started defending 'the Troof'. Could you believe it!!! My brain went into reverse, and I started having a heated debate on their beliefs, just like I use to do with the rest of my non-believing family!

  As I was driving home, I said to myself,'WHAT THE HELL WAS I DOING!?!?!?!?!..........DOH!!!!!!!!!'

  Has this interesting phenomenom ever happened to you?
• 

  mineralogist

  Not me ... i'm just going out. But i think it is ok to adjust their thinkings to the real story.

  btw. don't forget to count the time and prepare for the RV
• 

  Fe2O3Girl

  Yes. Only I would not describe it as a defence of JW beliefs, but as an unbiased and accurate opinion.

  If 6 million JWs averaging 10 hours a month preaching were achieving anything, people would not have such weird, mixed up ideas about what JWs actually believe. That said, does the average 21st century Dub-Lite have a clue what the JWs actually believe?

  Some people I have met have a purely academic curiosity about what JWs believe, but they won't get involved in a doorstep discussion for fear of being sucked in or endlessly mithered. So, an XJW is a harmless way of finding out about JWs. Its a bit like being inoculated with a weakened infection. Yes, I am a JW vaccine.

  I have moved jobs a few times since I left the JWs, and I enjoy the anonymity of none of my colleagues knowing about my weird past. Having normal in-laws helps, too.
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  SanFranciscoJim

  I don't think that correcting misinformation is a defense of the JWs. Rather, it is merely setting the record straight. If more non-JWs were properly educated about what JWs believe, they would be able to hold intelligent discussions with them at the door, rather than sounding like escapees from the local asylum. It used to amaze me what people thought the JWs believed. Whenever I ran across one of them out in field service, I'd tell everyone at the Kingdom Hall, and the stock response was "See how Satan the Devil is feeding misinformation about God's true people." The JWs took that misinformation and became martyrs with it.

  I try to educate as many non-JWs as I can about who the JWs really are. I don't stop just at their doctrine, but I also make it a point to discuss the United Nations, their refusal to pay taxes in France, the blood issue, and whatever else the person might be interested in knowing about them.

  I consider the information I provide about the JWs "field service reconnaissance".
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  blondie

  I try to educate as many non-JWs as I can about who the JWs really are. I don't stop just at their doctrine, but I also make it a point to discuss the United Nations, their refusal to pay taxes in France, the blood issue, and whatever else the person might be interested in knowing about them.

  SFJim, I agree with you. If non-JWs are going to be able talk intelligently with the JWs that come to their door they need the facts and not the wild rumours. The other factor at play here is a reluctance to say one has been associated with the JWs in the past. All you have to do is say that a relative was a JW, like an aunt or an uncle, and that you have more accurate info without having been a JW yourself.

  Blondie
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  franklin J

  No need to explain, I have done the same thing.

  I have no problem telling people if the occasion arises about my JW upbringing. Most people are interested to know about it ( as long as they know you are on THEIR side and are not going to preach). I am honest with them and tell them that I am no longer a member of that faith. If they have a misconception of JW doctrine, I do what I can to give them an accurate perspective. Truth, honesty, fairness in a description usually connects with most people ( as long as you do not preach)
• 

  Insomniac

  Boolean-I tend to go the opposite direction, being the most critical of them in my group. Old habits die hard, though; it's sort of like calling out your ex's name in bed when you're with your new spouse. Don't stress over it. By the way, welcome!
• 

  Euphemism

  Heck, I've done that here on JWD! I don't think anyone deserves to be slandered or accused unfairly. There's plenty of real dirt on the WTS, without having to make stuff up.
• 

  Panda

  Boolean WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME that was quite an eye opener for you and for your fellow employees. I wouldn't say you defended so much as corrected information... now that I do often. Mainly I want dubs recognized as a cult and so I talk about the real stuff they teach and preach. Actually the real WTS is much more scary and cultish than the mis-information.