Lets just say I like to bring down the scriptural giant. LOL
Do Jws really want to have a study??
by ellderwho 30 Replies latest watchtower bible
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shamus
Why bother? They get lots of studies that end up 'bringing down the giant'... er um, don't work out because the study calls bullshit on them. Yet they still go on. In other words, it's probably not worth your while to waste your time. Just IMO.
**edited to add**
If you want to find out the beliefs from they're prespective (sp), then it's a great way to learn, too. Too much talk here of poo-pooing they're teachings, from one side. If you're at all curious, by all means, study with them! There's nothing wrong with that. If you have any doubts, please do go ahead and study with them. I always found the studies boring and excruciatingly thurough... not to mention just boring. If you want to really freak them out, ask to study the Revelation book... especially when it reveals who the harlot is, LOL! I would love to see them put a nice spin on that one.
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ellderwho
Why bother?
Being raised in the troof, Its my passion to dismantle the religion that my mother is controlled by. I belong to a counter-cult ministry and its what I love to do, whethter they be Mormons, the lesser challenge or Witnesses.
It just seems lately the Jws really dont want to follow-up on their calls.
E.
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lisavegas420
Why bother?
Just like E., I was raised in the truth...And didn't even know very much about my own religion until I got online a couple years ago.
The sister that comes to see me, knew NOTHING about the 1975 thingy. And when I showed her the UN Letter, she acted liked it had burned her hand, and starting saying it was all lies. She did say she would go back and see if she could find any information on the subject. Now that I think about it, I don't think she has been back since the letter incident, except to drop off mags, when I'm not home.
I wish and hope someone does the same thing to my parents, sister, and brothers. Otherwise, they will continue on never knowing the truth. Heck, they may anyway, but at least I have hope.
Lisa
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blondie
It just seems lately the Jws really dont want to follow-up on their calls.
Hi ellderwho,
Many JWs don't want the responsibility or commitment of a bible study. It is like adding one more weekly meeting to their schedule. At least with door to door, if you don't show up one week...If you don't show up for your bible student....
When I went to pioneer school, two days were devoted to 1) how and when to make effective return visits 2) actually going out and making them and then returning again 2 days later. Boy, did that go against the grain of all of us who had the habit of letting return visits go for 2 weeks before coming back, long enough to forget where it was, who we called on, what we placed and talked about, what we planned on talking about next. Add to that the habit of coming back when the person was most likely NOT to be home.....
There are some JWs who are different (I was one) who try hard to come back early, remember who the person is and what they look like, and was ready to make the sacrifice of commiting my time on a weekly, regular basis. Remember that the JW has to "prepare" for the study, something many JWs don't do for their own meetings.
Blondie (who doesn't consider the WT Review she posts a "bible study")
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ellderwho
And didn't even know very much about my own religion until I got online a couple years ago.
The same with me. I feel "complete" if you will, knowing that the troof is really not the truth at all.
As I started to research about four years ago it was like pandoras box opening, and all the guilt, fears of not being in the Org just fell away.
And that led to wanting to know what they really believe in and why. Its sad because I know more about the Org then my mom and stepfather(elder). Shes 2nd gen since 1945.
Many JWs don't want the responsibility or commitment of a bible study. It is like adding one more weekly meeting to their schedule.
Agreed, I believe witnesses are very stressed with time. I guess its all part of the program "busy work"
E.
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BluesBrother
It is a lot easier to 'get in their time' by offering mags on a Saturday morning or a quick hour before or after theSunday meeting. In other words , doing it in their time on their terms. If you start a study if often means another whole evening as good as spent doing it . No , deep down most of them dont want to - although they would not dare admit it. If fact I can remember a Circuit Assembly talk once called "Do you really want a Bible Study?" It stuck in my mind because it pricked my conscience , since I knew that I did not really want one either. It is as the para in todays Wt study says, as a negative viewpoint, "The brothers are just getting tired, they are all stressed out"
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willyloman
I agree with Blondie, and others, who made the point that JWs typically don't want a bible study, that it just creates another meeting for them, one for which they have to prepare and which they cannot miss.
It's obvious when you work in the field with publishers the week the CO is visiting. In his field service meeting discussion, he almost always stresses the need to start studies, and usually gives demonstrations or examples of presentations designed to do just that. Then you go out with the average publisher and when they get to the door and it's their turn to talk, they will almost never use the CO's presentation. A remarkable (an unkept) statistic would be the number of people who fall into the "return visit" category who are never called back on, never offered a study.
I often worked with a very personable, charming, outgoing elder who was a snappy dresser and very charismatic and at many of the doors he had people chatting away like they were old friends. When he suggested a return visit, they almost always agreed. He would leave a publication, opened to a specific paragraph or chapter, and suggest that would be the topic next time. It was textbook assembly presentation, just they way they tell you to do it. However...
On the way back to the car, the brother would turn to me and said, "Why don't you take this call? I've got (insert excuse of the day -- two talks coming up in a row, a huge deadline at work, a vacation coming up, three bible studies already, whatever). And he'd pawn off the call. I worked with him enough to know he almost always did that with whoever he was working with. This guy "started studies" all the time, but never followed up on them. And I suspect none of the others did, either. In my case, when that happened, I kind of resented that he'd dumped this responsibility on me and I would either lose the name and address or, if feeling particularly elder-esque, pass it on to a pioneer in the book study.
My "excuse" was that, as an elder, I was already pretty busy, that I had four kids at home, a demanding job, and a lot of responsibilities on my shoulders. Of course, everybody else had the same excuse. The fact is, we weren't out in service looking for MORE to do. We were out to be seen, to socialize, and to get some numbers on the monthly report.
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stillajwexelder
Yes I agree with what has been said - even whne I was an elder serving on the service committtee and in theory setting an example for the congregation - a study especially if held in an eveningwould have meant, showering, changing, putting meeting clothes on, travelling to the study, studying (actually you are supposed to pre-study for a study) then stopping for a while after the study then travelling back -- whichever way you look at it - it was another evening gone - more time awy from the family. I WOULD HAVE GLADLY PAID GOOD DOLLARS NOT TO HAVE A STUDY - I would have resented the time away. Sorry folks, sorry watchtower but that is the grim reality.
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cyber-sista
I guess I didn't have that infectious zeal that you need to motivate people towards having a bible study. I could see too it was a big responsibility being someones "spiritual mother". You really had to work with people. The average person needs a lot of coaching to get their lives on the JW track. You basically had to take over their lives in order to motivate them into becoming an active JW. This could mean picking them up for meetings, making sure they get to assemblies, teaching them how to act, think, speak and dress like a JW. I guess my I had a hard enough time running my own life without trying to run someone elses.