The background: A female JW who introduced herself as Lisa came to my door a couple of weeks ago with a Memorial invitation. I acknowledged that I knew what it was about, and had asked her why they don’t accept the wine and bread. We had a discussion about that, with me stating that the Bible only gives a heavenly hope, not an earthly one. I don’t believe in the Bible anymore, but I haven’t let on. Nor have I let on that I used to be a JW – to explain any knowledge I have I said I had relatives who are JWs (true).
She’d called back a week ago with some printed WT info on the paradise etc. I wasn't home when she called but she left it in an envelope under my door. I started to read it but I couldn’t stand reading it – it literally started to make me feel sick.
Anyway, she called again today. She was alone, and I suspect she’s a pioneer. Partly because she was alone at 1.30pm, and just from her demeanor etc.
She’d brought back a Jan 1 WT on the Garden of Eden. I haven’t read that yet but I will. I’m sure there was a thread here on that mag so I’ll look it up. Personally I don’t really care if the Garden of Eden was real or fake but I didn’t say anything. I’m trying to be polite without putting my big apostate foot in my mouth!
She offered the “What Does the Bible Teach” booklet. I hadn’t seen it before. I was disappointed to see how cheap looking it appeared compared to the books and booklets from when I was in. I (politely I hope) declined it saying I knew what the JW teachings were. She started on the “accurate knowledge” spiel and showed me the usual scriptures.
We covered a few things, such as the number of religions under the name of Christianity. I could see how she was trying to imply that only one religion could be “the truth” but I countered that by saying that it would be very arrogant for a religion to claim that it’s the spokesman for God and that it’s the only way to “the truth”.
She then claimed that they don’t look down on other religions. Oh really, I thought! So I brought out how back in the 50s they were very much against the Catholics and said some pretty strong things about them. She defended that by using Jesus’ example of denouncing false religion. But… she then quietly made the comment that she personally doesn’t look down on other religions. Hmmmm….
So I asked her – what if you studied the Bible and found the Bible said something that contradicted what your religion teaches? If you had prayed to God for help, and no matter what, the Scriptures obviously said something different to your religion? She then said she would go to the elders “in a humble manner” (her words) and talk to them. She said she had had doubts in the past, and that this is what she’d done. She stressed going to them in a humble manner. Ok….
She then went on with the subject of 1975 and said she’d looked up what the Society had said, due to objections at the door. She admitted some of what they printed may had given individuals the idea that 1975 was the date for Armageddon. I said, “But who gave the individuals that idea?” She still tried to defend the Society when she mentioned the apology they gave. I didn’t let on that I knew what they’d said in the “apology”, as I had in the past printed off all the articles the Society had printed on the subject. Maybe in a later discussion I’ll mention it.
Anyway, I brought up that in our previous discussion she had said that Judas had left the room before they passed the bread and wine. I asked, “Where do you get that idea?” I said there was nothing in the Bible to indicate that he’d left before that moment. She said it was a good question and that she’d do “research”. Later I thought, I should have said, why not just read the Bible account? So we left at that because she’d been there for a good 20 mins and she said she’d come back after doing her research.
Oh, when we were talking about different religions I asked if she’d ever researched other religions. She admitted she’d been raised as a JW since she was a toddler and got baptised at 18. She said she had some publications from other religions such as the Book of Mormon, and that she’d read what other religions said in their publications which had been printed in the WT’s publications. She also mentioned the “Man’s Search for God” book (not by name but I knew what she was referring to) as also part of her study of other religions.
The thing is, I can see myself in her. I was also a devoted believer of the WT’s teachings, and believed that I had “the Truth” sincerely in my heart. I can see she’s the same as how I was. I’m not sure where to take this discussion. I want to make her think, by asking questions that might make her think about things from a different point of view. It’s not my intent to destroy her faith, just to help remove those WT blinkers that prevent her from seeing the organisation for what it is.