Today, whilst shopping, I ran into an old school friend of mine that I had been quite close to. I used to write her 'sick' notes for her, so as you can imagine, we're friends forever now.
Anyway, she tells me that she is studying with Jehovah's witnesses again. I think she expected me to be thrilled with this news. Instead, I told her I was no longer a JW at which she almost fell into the bacon counter!
Then I explained to her why I was no longer a witness:
1914
1919
607 bce
UN scandal
cigarette company shares scandal
military contracts scandal
covering for paedophiles scandal
She was shocked and speechless for a while. But then, my friend I must say is of west Indian origin, she asked me why the people she studied with, two elders wives, were so racist. They're always talking about black people and 'Pakis' and foreign people with derogatory remarks. The other week they told her that they would not like to be treated by Indian doctors and one said she would even refuse treatment from an Asian because 'they're not as good as white doctors'. My dear, very intelligent friend who has studied at University for the last fifteen years, says she had to control herself not to mention DR Shipman, the notorious white, anglo saxon mass murderer.
She asked me why are they so materialistic, why are they so ignorant and rude against everyone who does not conform to their perfect values. Why were they cruel and heartless about the thousands and thousands who died in the Tsunami and told her it was more important to think of the 'poor brothers suffering under persecution in Georgia'?
Basically, she was saying, why is there no love?
Finally she said, I never want to go to another meeting again...ever.
We finished talking after 2 hours, laughing about how me and mine now celebrate Christmas and Birthdays and any other 'pagan' celebration we can get our hands on. How she had never seen me so happy and elated.
So peoples! How did you rate my apostasising today? To me it was exhilarating.
My friend told me how she has NEVER ever mentioned these concerns she has about the witnesses to anyone and that she had always thought the 1914 doctrine to be total nonsense as she has been studying off and on for the last twenty years and they have been pressurising her to become baptised.
I think they'll be lucky to even see her again, but we have exchanged phone numbers and I think there will be a lot more to say.
Do you think this is going to end my fade?