"What congregation do you attend?"

Yesterday we went over to a BBQ at the home of one of my husband's coworkers. There was a JW couple (neighbors) there, who we were friends with when we attended their congregation about 6 years ago. They're in the same hall with my in-laws. I never knew the husband well, but always got on pretty good with the wife. (In fact, something that happened to her was one of many catalysts for me to begin questioning WT policy.)

Anyways, I anticipated having a conversation like this, and hadn't decided how to respond, but figured I'd just leave it up to whatever whim inspired me, if she actually asked. Here's how it went:

Dub: "What congregation are you attending now?"

Me: "We don't."

Her: "What do you mean, not any?"

Me: "Nope"

Her: "What HAPPENED?"

Me: "You probably don't want me to answer that..."

Her: "You should come back to ours, it's really nice now, it's totally changed, you wouldn't believe the difference, everybody talks to each other, lots of answering, good attendance."

(At this point I really REALLY wanted to ask her which elders moved out. Ha! But I didn't)

Me: "Yeah, we won't be doing that."

Her: "I'm going to call you, I have to know."

Me: "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you."

I really doubt I'll hear from her. They are very active, and it's most likely that she will relay the conversation to her elder husband who will see APOSTATE written all over that conversation, and forbid her from calling me. But you know what? I feel GREAT that I didn't give some non-committal, protect-the-fade answer. I won't pretend to JWs anymore.

blondie

So, Odrade, this was a non-JW sponsored barbecue and they weren't afraid of being contaminated?

I have thought about what I would say if asked:

What congregation do you attend?

I figured I would say: Why do you ask?

Blondie (no one has asked so far)

PS the other question I hate is "How is your (put in name of JW family member)?"

My response is: Why don't you call them and find out....I know they would be thrilled to hear from you.

CyrusThePersian

(At this point I really REALLY wanted to ask her which elders moved out. Ha! But I didn't)

That's what I would have asked her!

You're right of course, she will never call you. She was probably shivering the whole way home "...ooooooh Evil Apostates!! I can't believe I got that close to them! ...must bathe seven times!!"

Good for you to give the straight, no-holds-barred answer. You have nothing to fear from Jehovah's Witnesses!

Now if only I had the guts to say something like that to my daughter!

CyrusThePersian

wednesday

I recently got asked this, and I replied much the same, don't go. The sis got all excited and I said that we were not going some place we were" not wanted" she insited I had to find a cong, even if it was not the one we were assigned; I just repeatd the above and she had to go so we hung up. Well gues that was it.

geevee

We ran into a guy in the supermarket, who asked how we were and then said how are things in ********* congregation? He thought that we had moved across the border into another congo!!! We said we dont go there, we dont go. He was stunned. Couldn't figure it out and then left us.

purplebunnyfoofoo

I was a JW in Indiana, west central. But being in the 'truth' for 35+ years, got to know alot of peeps in other places within the state.

X Husband and I did the quick builds, roofers, and that was one highlight of being in the religion.

Most of both families are still 'active' JW's.

I left there 5 years ago to start fresh, as a dfed jw.

Now my roots are planted in South Carolina

Athanasius

Ten years ago while shopping I met a JW who I hadn't seen in years. We had attended the same KH back in the 1970s and he and his family were in the CBS that I conducted. Of course the first thing he asked was which congregation was I attending? When I told him that I was attending services at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, he acted like he had swallowed his tongue. In fact it sounded like he was choking on something. Since he seemed to be unable to speak at the moment, I mentioned that though my new church family didn't have all the answers, I found more help and comfort in this Christian community than I ever felt at the KH. The JW still had trouble speaking, but said: "guess you gotta do what you gotta do" as he quickly walked away.

gymbob

Athanasius: Good job! Too funny also! I was thinking of a response like that...something like, "Oh, I go down to the local Neighborhood Church, that's where I go to meet with my spiritual brother's and sister's now.....I love it!" What are they going to say, "no you REALLY don't?" GYMBB

joe_black

I would of played some head games with em and said, "I'm now attending the church of satan, fireside congregation, you oughta try it some time, they serve a really great bloody mary, ta ta!" and then walked off, lol.

"What congregation do you attend?"

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