Pickled - on mins thread you said
Minimus, I think it would provide a wealth of information if the former Witnesses on this site could share their own specific former approach they used in the effort to convince others of that same lie.
I understand that they no longer believe it, and in many cases that process included a great deal of pain. However, isn't it simply a fact that in order to now be a former member who realizes it was all lie, you had to have previously been someone who was actively participating in and attempting to convince others of that same lie? Isn't it true that members are encouraged to actively "preach" with the goal in mind to convince others that what they are "preaching" is the truth?
Part of healing, recovering, and spending time online in an effort to make others aware of something that caused so much pain, could include sharing in an unvarnished and clear way your own previous role in spreading those same ideas that you have now realized were false and destructive.
As I said before, if two-thirds of Witnesses are walking out the door and still the number of members are increasing however slight, that means that there are many people who may stop and read this thread who are looking at this religion for the first time.
That means that there are so many people who have just started down this road who could benefit tremendously from hearing honest open accounts of methods that were used to initiate curiosity, to convince them to begin a study, and then finally lead them to baptism and membership. Maybe you could share thoughts about the place you were in then, and who you were and why, instead of just what you realize now looking back. The potential new converts today have not been through the same thing. All they know right now is that two very nice, well dressed and smiling people are standing in their doorway managing to do what all the other religions stopped doing years ago. They are impressed with the conviction these people must have about the bible, and their willingness to spend so much time doing the very unpopular and often mocked practice of going door to door. They are polite, they are interested in what is going on in the world, they are sympathetic to their worries, fears, and concerns.
I know that exposing what "they" are doing is a great way to help others. But what did YOU do when you were a Witness? Did you have a really unique approach or method that you were proud of? What were your real thoughts THEN as you were doing it? How did you manage to act as though you valued the life of a potential convert, while at the same time feeling quite comfortable with the belief that God was going to incinerate them one day if they failed to believe you? How did you reconcile those two thoughts?
I am not talking about sharing things that were pleasant to you that you might miss. I am talking about sharing a behind the scenes view that you REALLY had of potential converts....those people "in the world". What lies did YOU tell them in your effort to win them over? Yes, former witness are victims of a great deception, but the unique thing is that they all participated in the victimization as well. Why not turn that into a tremendous tool?
the point I was trying to make is that JWs focus very much on the writings attributed to Paul and on his example to fuel their zeal in the ministry. I realise at least that, that is what I did. In recognising that we 'victims participated in victimizing others' we have to acknowledge the huge part the apostle Paul played in the process through his interpretation of Jesus Christ (a light bulb moment for me).
and that's why, on Minimus' thread, I drew attention to
pickled
Thank you Quietleaving, but as a former potential convert and never having been a JW, I have no idea what you mean. Can you elaborate and possibly include how you felt about what you did in fact believe?
To potential converts, Jesus and God still represents their creator who loves them. What method did you use to convey to them that these two loving supreme individuals were at the brink of killing them without sounding as though that was something that you were all in favor of?
What did you say when potential converts expressed a look of alarm upon finding out that you are so friendly, and yet completely comfortable with the idea that they will be violently destroyed and you will be spared?
How did you truly feel about the way THEY felt about that?2 verses from thessalonians sum up how and what I felt whe sharing the good news of the kingdom
2thess1:6-10
and 1thess2:7&8
I guess we have to acknowledge that Paul (with the best intentions) had been a victimser before he became a christian and he continued to victimise after with as much zeal. Do his writings bring out the vicitmser in one? And if they do shouldn't we be careful to acknowledge that?