I ran into a JW at the supermarket this morning and as she was coming towards me down the aisle she was doing the "I don't see you" thing they do (we were the only two people in the aisle walking towards each other).
As I reached the point where we were side by side I said "hi, how are you" to my surprise she responded strangely eagerly. I asked how her family was and she just started telling me how her husband has been suffering with bad depression and is struggling to get to meetings, he even missed the convention because he "couldn't face it."
She seemed close to tears as she was blurting all this out. I hadn't planned on saying anything re "the truth", doctrine or otherwise because it's like trying to reason with a zombie. I just let her talk herself out and thought to myself screw it these guys are hurting I 'm going to say something.
I told her that my own depression had eased considerably when "I took a break from the meetings it was like the messsage there wasn't good for my mental health."
She said "Oh that's not what's happening with my husband he still believes it's the truth."
Me: "You don't think the constant pressure to perform and reach out wouldn't be weighing on him?"
Her: " Yes he feels the pressure but the meetings don't cause those feelings they happen internally from inside the person."
Obviously in severe denial. I decide to let it slide and pivot the conversation away from him.
Me: "And how are you coping?"
Her: " It's so hard." Again, tears in her eyes.
Me: "It is ok to look after yourselves for a while you know. The meetings will still be there when you're both feeling better."
Her:" Oh we do miss you at the meetings we really do."
Me:" Oh thanks that's nice of you to say." (Never heard from them since I stopped going).
The store was beginning to get busy so I begged off at this point and I'm hoping she went home and thought about it. But at the end of it I felt I didn't need to say anymore than that. She wasn't even willing to acknowledge the "do more" message existed.