You'd better informally witness, or you're bloodguilty!

by Gopher 10 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Gopher

  As a JW, we were taught that almost any conversation could/should be twisted adapted into a witnessing situation. We were continually urged to watch for "witnessing opportunities".

  Someone says, "I wonder if we'll ever get out of Iraq", and you were supposed to say "That situation shows man's inability to rule. Do you think God will act to rescue mankind and assure good rulership?"

  Someone at the car-repair shop asks why you brought your car there. You have a witnessing opportunity! You say something like, "You know, I've got to keep my car in top shape. I need it to go in a special ministry happening today...."

  We were taught that as JW's, we were associated with the "Watchman" class (that's right, class) in Ezekiel. God told Ezekiel that as watchman, if he didn't warn the wicked one, he'd die too.

  So as JW's, we were supposed to feel guilty if we didn't use each situation every day to embarrass ourselves by bringing up religion give a Kingdom witness.

  Personally I disliked informal witnessing. I was more accustomed to the regular door-to-door ministry, although that wasn't natural for me either.

  Did you like informal witnessing? Did you feel a bit guilty if you passed up informal "witnessing opportunities"?
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  Freddy Krueger

  Actually informal witnessing always felt easier for me. I didn't feel like I was imposing on people the way you do knocking on a door. However there were times where I didn't say anything and it seemed like an opportunity to SAVE someone. And now I blew it. Yes at the time I did feel guilty, that's what the thinking of a cult does to you.

  Now, I thank my lucky stars for every person I didn't talk to back then. Those are the ones I SAVED from turning there lives into a complicated, religious mess of cultic proportions.

  Those I did change over to the darkside I appologize, and am working hard now to get you all out of the matrix.

  -Freddy
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  Gopher

  Yes at the time I did feel guilty, that's what the thinking of a cult does to you.

  My sister commented that this idea that you had to be thinking about WITNESSING all the time was merely a method used by the WTS to control its members. You had to be thinking about the organization (and how to advertise it) all the time, or else you might be guilty, guilty, guilty!
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  franklin J

  guilty as charged.... I was a good JW kid and never hesitated to "announce Jehovahs name"

  ( no wonder I had no friends in school!)
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  Atilla

  Yep, I sure did informal witness. I even gave a speech about being a dub in my speech class at high school, what was I thinking. I regret not talking about normal things like sex and life in general. You know, I don't think I ever got counted for that time-I should submit some new hours.
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  Love_Truth

  I always felt much more natural informal witnessing, myself. The door-to-door stuff, although it was the majority of what I turned in on my reports, was usually a real drag.

  Nowadays, I still talk Christian spirituality with folks I meet, when appropriate, but I know longer feel the need to twist the discussion into a recruitment seminar. I've come to the conclusion that ALL religion is false, as it requires purtting one's faith in the teachings, doctrines, and leaders of the religion(read-organized group of humans) in the place of faith in God and his son..
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  Elsewhere

  I avoided this at all costs.

  The only time I ever did "JW" things was when I was being observed.
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  undercover

  Ever see the movie, "The Big Kahuna" (I think that's the title) starring Kevin Spacey and Danny Devito?

  It's about 3 guys on a business trip and they are trying to meet the head of some company to try to sell their wares to him. The youngest guy of the bunch actually gets to meet the guy and instead of trying to sell their product he talks about Jesus. Spacey's character goes nuts. Devito's character has to restore order amongst the three of them. Devito's character has a one on one with the young man that didn't try to talk business. The young man said that talking about Jesus was more important. One thing that Devito's character said has always stuck with me: He said something to the effect that, (paraphrasing) "once you turn a conversation to try to sell something, whether it's a product, religion or Jesus, you're no longer a human being. You're a marketing tool." That hit me square in the face. It's so true. The WTS wants us to "informal" witness at every chance. Is it because we love God or Jesus? No, it's to market the WTS publications. We have become their marketing tools.

  I never was comfortable "informal" witnessing (like I was comfortable going door to door ) but when I realized that I was being used as a free employee, I stopped cold having anything to do with "witnessing".
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  Gopher

  "once you turn a conversation to try to sell something, whether it's a product, religion or Jesus, you're no longer a human being. You're a marketing tool." That hit me square in the face. It's so true. The WTS wants us to "informal" witness at every chance. Is it because we love God or Jesus?

  Good point, Undercover. What sets the WTS marketing machinery apart is this....very few firms will tell you that if you DON'T sell their product, you may die! This fear is backed by certain Bible verses they quote, like "woe is me if I did not declare the good news" (although Paul was talking about himself and did not state that everyone else had to declare it).

  Yes the JW's are subtly induced to be free labor for the grand literature distribution scheme, and they fear God will get them if they don't participate.
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  Flash

  I still do, not in the automatonic way we were conditioned as 'Witnesses.' I am not an apologist for the WTBTS. Their error is glaring and great! The GB and their supporters will answer to God for their conduct. When I tell others about God and His purpose I do so in as non-preachy a way as possible. I make it clear to them about the cult mentality the Witnesses have. "Take the truth they have from the bible" I will say, "But, protect yourself from their cult like controlling ways." I use the bible only now, I wont place any of their literature and I won't advocate meeting attendance either.