You know, I use to believe exactly what you do; and now I don't anymore. Someday, if you have the good fortune, you'll be able to say the same." I smile and they leave.
What a great response! May I steal it for future reference??
When you see a JW or two on the street, do you ignore them or speak tothem?
by Rod P 38 Replies latest jw friends
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acsot
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Terry
What a great response! May I steal it for future reference??
Here, let me sign it over to you..........(scribble scribble)...THERE! It is all yours.
Enjoy.
T.
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Rod P
Terry,
That response is the best I've ever heard. Should work good on Mormons as well! Mind if I steal it too?
Do you folks see that there's a Catch-22 here (if you talk to them, that is.) Because you know so much about them and what they have been taught to believe, etc. You know what to say to them. So if you discuss some of their teachings or issues, it becomes readily apparent to them that you are not just some ordinary "householder" walking down the street. You know the lingo, the logic, the scriptures. This would make them suspicious that you are probably a former JW, which would make them uncomfortable, and probably ask you if you are disfellowshipped. Not that that is a problem for you, but it is a problem for them, because now they would realize they have been talking to an apostate, albeit innocently. (...Shudder) This may then leave them with a bad taste in their mouth, feeling that you had deceived them, just like Satan tries to do. In other words, the very act of talking to them may actually become a stumbling block for them to consider an alternative to their religion, because now they have their defenses up.
Rod P.
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Markfromcali
Do you folks see that there's a Catch-22 here (if you talk to them, that is.)
Actually that is only an issue if you try to approach it strictly through verbal reasoning of the topic at hand. There are ways to relax the mind without addressing any particular topic at all, but of course it helps that you are somewhat there yourself rather than just have a bunch of information and lines of reasoning. Because even if you have the facts, if your state of mind is still one that is essentially the same (if you still have JW related issues/hangups) then your efforts at "anti-witnessing" will convey nothing but information, and people do not change significantly through that kind of input alone.
First of all, we need to recognize that just because you know so much it doesn't mean you can get someone to totally change their mind after one conversation, baby steps. As an XJW you may be all excited that you got a JW that is talking to you and lose sight of where that person is at in your enthusiasm, and it becomes about you and what you want to say rather than what they can handle. Often it appears that XJWs are just as over zealous as JWs are, and frankly that is not always skillful.
And again, lets face it, if it was only a matter of information processing, then everyone hearing what you have to say (not unlike the JWs witnessing) would just automatically be totally free from it all or follow what is said, but we know that is not the case. That is why you need to address the psychological ramifications aside from the content of the programming alone, and in that regard it helps to know and look at yourself. In short, we can get more specific and have more of an impact if it is about people rather than the content they happen to have in their head. Sure the two are related and intertwined in the mind of a Witness, but if you only consider the belief system you are missing a lot of the nuances that keeps the person tied to it, perhaps even what you yourself is still tied up with as an XJW.
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kittyeatzjdubs
i haven't run into any since moving in with my boyfriend...but i still keep an ear out for that 6 o'clock knock. i've got a bunch of brochures from freeminds.org and a WHOLE LOTTA stuff from jwd...it's sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting for that debate ....of course i'll win, but we know they'd never admit it.
luv, kitty
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hillbilly
I ignore em....and the reason I ignore the local ones is personal.
They elected to get involved in something that wasnt their business... and I wont be insulted, wont have a hand laid on me ...I dont do these things to others and wont tolerate it when directed at myself.. (thanks John Wayne)
Ignoring creates less legal costs than what I'd really like to do.
~Hill
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whyamihere
Well if I know them they are pretty much running the other way....or they are stupid and they come up to me.
I am not mean unless I have to be. Some I say Hi and Goodbye. Some I say I have nothing to do with you.
Brooke
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MegaDude
I always talk to them.
I always compliment them as "the hardest working people in the Bible business."
I never use direct statements like "You are a cult" or "your religion is wrong." This closes the JW mind and scares them.
I always use questions and lead them. A JW can't resist a question because it appeals to their egos because they alone have the almighty truth. They take pride in setting you straight. Using questions, I lead them right where I want. The last pioneer that I talked with started out cheerful and confident and in 15 minutes was troubled and puzzled. All the time the conversation was friendly.
I have no illusions I'm going to initiate some sort of immediate deliverance from the Watchtower. But they're not going to forget the questions I asked and, hopefully, in time they will begin to slowly wake up from their JW hypnotized state.
My attitude is every JW I meet is a potential ex-JW. LOL.
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love2Bworldly
Megadude--I like your tactics. I would like to do some anti-witnessing but haven't had the courage yet.
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Whiskeyjack
In Toronto, one will often see little old ladies holding up a pair of mags on the sidewalk. Most can't speak English passably ("good magazine, you read?") and just stand there like the proverbial bump on the log. I usually resist the temptation to grill them on the street and embarass them (the low quality of their service gets my blood up) and most of them aren't interested (nor capable) of dicussion anyways.
It's funny that I still get annoyed with "cheaters" in service!
W.