Warning - this is a bit long, but good
Friday, April 1st (this is no April Fools Joke), I had some errands to run, and stopped at one of my favorite thrift stores while I was in the area. I was looking through the religious books for COC or others of interest.
There was this well dressed older man of late 60's looking through books too, and he asked if there was anything he could help with. I asked if he had noticed a copy of Crises Of Conscience by Franz. He said no and asked what it was about. (First of several errors on his part) I told him it was about one man's experience exiting Jehovah's Witnesses. He said he was one of JW's and asked if I had any questions he could help with (second error on his part). I told him I was raised JW, and no, I had no questions.
He asked if I still was associated, and what happened. I told him of my experience getting married, moving to my husband's congregation and of being shunned because of the family I married into. About not getting my own copy of the Kingdom Ministry because the Elder in charge of our bookstudy said I wasn't entitled to one. No explanation. He said he couldn't understand that, was the man I married a non-JW? (He wasn't listening very well) I told him "no" he was being considered for Ministerial Servant. I told him about being denied pioneering by the elders that they would NEVER accept me as a pioneer. About most of the sisters ignoring me, and when trying to start a conversation with them, they would walk away.
He said that without two witnesses, that he would have to side with the elders on whatever they decided was best for the congregation. I told him that there were many witnesses to my discussions with the elders; that I was an elder's daughter in good standing when I married, and several of these elders supposedly were friends of my dad. That my dad called the Presiding Overseer to find out what and why this was happening; that my dad called me back and told me he ended up cussing the PO out.
He wanted to know what congregation and who these elders were. I told him that they were now deceased.
I also told him about moving to another cong. and the elders from this former cong refusing to send my file. He couldn't understand that. I told him their excuse was that I didn't live in the new congregation's territory.
His excuse was that he was an elder and would have to side with the elders since I had no witnesses.
Then he took to the general attitude that I was one of those women who thought that she should have the same rights and responsibilities as a man. I told him at the time I did not think so, and subjected myself to my husband in all things, including being physically abused.
I told him I had plenty of witnesses, but that's not the point, and besides, he was doing what all elders do, disregarding the facts.
I also told him that after leaving and getting a divorce, I went back to a different hall. He started in on was my divorce for adultery, and I told him that had nothing to do with it. That it was none of his or anyone else's business.
I told him about going to a JW party in mid-Dec, I had lots of fun but alcohol was drank excessively (I was not drinking at the time), kingdom songs were sung, games were played, then coffee was given to everyone so they could all drive home wide-awake drunk.
He started to say something like well JW's do like having fun.
And I said the only thing missing was the Christmas Tree!
He got a red around the collar on that one, and went back to sorting his books
Then I asked him about the 1975 Debacle. He stood up and faced me blanching
He said curtly we apologized for that! So I asked if reparation was given to the 3 million JW's who centered their entire lives on 1975? He didn't answer.
Then I went into it being a published false prophesy, and started on Deut 18:20-22. Oh, we're not prophets, We made a mistake in that year is all. And I said that the GB is the mouthpiece of Jehovah and the mediators of The Christ (he had no complaint on that statement). That if that's so, then 1975 was a prophecy.
He started in about Isaiah and King Hezekiah being told he would die shortly. But after Isaiah left, Hezekiah prayed to Jehovah and was granted 15 more years.
I told him that the GB are a group of men that are in contact daily, they came to the conclusion that Armageddon would take place in Oct 1975 and made the decision to publish it. That, to me, as Jehovah's mouthpiece, was a prophecy. Then I paraphrased Deuteronomy 18:20-22 that Israel asked how they would know a false prophet, and the answer was that you'd know a false prophet when their prophesies did not come true. He continued to insist that the Governing Body are not prophets and make no prophecies.
He then asked me where I now stood.
I told him that he would consider me an apostate because I no longer believed that a Publishing Company and their Governing Body are Mediators for the Christ, that it goes against the bible and the Christ's teachings.
He blanched, looking white as a ghost, knelt down and stuck his nose back into sorting his books, and told me he had nothing more to say.
I told him that I knew I was not going to convince him of anything either.
Then, I touched him on the shoulder and said "god bless you sir" and walked away. He was shaking! I think he was both angry and scared.
BUT I failed to call him on..... get this:
This was in a Salvation Army Thrift Store!
He was busted anyway.