I was at home when my wife called and said: "Guess who is having a booth at the market place today?" I replied: "JW! - I am on my way"
I grabbed my printed papers about the UN scandal (which I always have near the door), a camera and printed the CBS report on Jesus Cano.
I started the conversation asking "Since when are you working with booths?".
A man with the Elder look replied: "For years, but not every week. We want to spread the message that JW are not a cult."
"Are they not? How do you define a cult?"
He gave the typical JW answer about a fraction from a bigger religion. I gave him mine: controlling people not to read critical literatur and shunning former members. He said that a German coart ruled that the accusations against JW are not valid.
I told him that I have JW relatives and a lengthy discussion began.
He started with 'smoking', a habit he was proud to have broken with. I said I am a non-smoker but that I knew a guy who was a smoker when joining the JW, then they suddenly told him to stop and when he did not his family was shunning him. He replied that some are only claiming being shunned, JW only shun opponents who actively work against them, creating their own rules. He lamented that he cannot understand that people leaving the JW would start to work against them. I replied that as JW they were used to talk about their conviction.
I asked about civilian service and he said that the decision was up to each. He did not say that there was a change despite I said that I thought they would reject both military and civilian service.
I mentioned the UN connection. He said he had heard about it but did not know any details.
I also mentioned the Cano case (explaining the details ) and he did not know about it but said that such a man would never have a priviledge again). He emphasized the contrast to the Catholic Church where perpetrators are just being sent to another city. I mentioned Silentlambs but he denied it.
The he placed the magazines with me explaining articles about salt in the sea and poisenous fish. I saw the "in our next issue"-box where the blood article was mentioned. I said I welcome that JW no longer reject blood transfusion but take most of the components. I disagreed saying that they still reject whole blood. I told him that whole blood is rarely given those days and that the JW have found a way out of this ban.
I accepted the magazine and said that I read them but said I have something for him and gave him a 25-page-essay on the UN/DPI-connection - with all the details. http://www.sektenausstieg.net/docs/lit/WTGUN2.pdf On top of it was the CBS report on Cano with the pictures.
He said: "What is that?" I said: "This was the Bethel document Cano was identified with. And there is a documentary on the UN thing because you said you do not know the details.
He must have thought why I had this with me and who I was and why it was in his hands when I was already gone.
