Just as I was at my most "Tell everyone you know that they are wrong"ist, a woman I'd known my whole life (the mother of a close friend) started to take the bOrg seriously.
She'd been one of those "Lifelong study who never gets dunked" types, she'd come and go over the years, but never liked the meetings because of all the clique-ish behavior and pressures to conform to standards she couldn't find in her bible.
The kingdom hall was her only option, so far as she was aware, to avoid the trinity - and since some JWs she knew had convinced her this was "pagan"... She lingered on the outskirts of the herd.
Anyway, she was diagnosed with cancer and started to really "lean on jehovah" as a result. All her reservations about the legalism of the JWs were thrown out the window. I could see the fear in her eyes. [And that's obviously not just WT doctrine, most biblical theologies leave people open to this kind of fear "was I lukewarm, will I be found wanting?"]
She knew what my "new and improved" position was on the WT and asked me not to talk to her about it.
As she became more ill she would often try to speak to me about the bible and her hopes for the new system (I had preached at her for hours over the years, most times we spoke; we spoke about biblical stuff). I really stuggled with the conversation and avoided her a little, but when I couldn't dodge her... I lied. And she knew I was lying.
She needed the lie.
I would blabber on about all the scriptural nonesense that used to fill me with hope when I believed - and quote every last damned bit of empty scripture I could think of, to support the pretty pictures she wanted to paint of her resurrection.
My eisegesis was epic. CTR himself would have been impressed with my bullshit.
She died thinking that the very next thing she'd see would be Paradise. I did nothing to attempt to change that. I played right into what I believe to have been a false hope on her part, and solidified it as best I could for her: as True.
I'm a stinking hypocrite. I'll be buggered if I feel bad about it though. I would lie again if I was faced with the same situation. Those were some of the sweetest lies that ever passed my lips, I'd take none back.
Sometimes TTATT is flat out the worst thing that you can offer a JW, sad but true, imo.
I figured I'd add that. It is a minefield of a problem, who knows where it's best to tread?
Not I.
She'd been one of those "Lifelong study who never gets dunked" types, she'd come and go over the years, but never liked the meetings because of all the clique-ish behavior and pressures to conform to standards she couldn't find in her bible.
The kingdom hall was her only option, so far as she was aware, to avoid the trinity - and since some JWs she knew had convinced her this was "pagan"... She lingered on the outskirts of the herd.
Anyway, she was diagnosed with cancer and started to really "lean on jehovah" as a result. All her reservations about the legalism of the JWs were thrown out the window. I could see the fear in her eyes. [And that's obviously not just WT doctrine, most biblical theologies leave people open to this kind of fear "was I lukewarm, will I be found wanting?"]
She knew what my "new and improved" position was on the WT and asked me not to talk to her about it.
As she became more ill she would often try to speak to me about the bible and her hopes for the new system (I had preached at her for hours over the years, most times we spoke; we spoke about biblical stuff). I really stuggled with the conversation and avoided her a little, but when I couldn't dodge her... I lied. And she knew I was lying.
She needed the lie.
I would blabber on about all the scriptural nonesense that used to fill me with hope when I believed - and quote every last damned bit of empty scripture I could think of, to support the pretty pictures she wanted to paint of her resurrection.
My eisegesis was epic. CTR himself would have been impressed with my bullshit.
She died thinking that the very next thing she'd see would be Paradise. I did nothing to attempt to change that. I played right into what I believe to have been a false hope on her part, and solidified it as best I could for her: as True.
I'm a stinking hypocrite. I'll be buggered if I feel bad about it though. I would lie again if I was faced with the same situation. Those were some of the sweetest lies that ever passed my lips, I'd take none back.
Sometimes TTATT is flat out the worst thing that you can offer a JW, sad but true, imo.
I figured I'd add that. It is a minefield of a problem, who knows where it's best to tread?
Not I.