How can I convince my mother the JW's are wrong?

by schnare 40 Replies latest jw experiences

schnare

This is probably going to be a long post, since I am going to be added some parts of our conversations on facebook. My mother has been involved sort of with the JW's, since she was younger. Apparently, they'd come to her house, when she was a child and I guess my grandmother let them talk to her, but she didn't have anything to do with them. So she's always kind of believed in their stuff. My aunt is a JW, so it probably doesn't help the situation much. In the last two years my mother has become really serious with it and is having a study, going to meetings, and going to the DC's. I think, that the only thing that she doesn't do is the D2D. Luckily my stepfather doesn't let her take my younger siblings with her. I tried to show her evidence from different websites, but she just tells me to look in the bible, the they have an accurate knowledge, etc. She's bi-polar so I think she is more easily manipulated. She won't go to any links that I ever send to her. What else can I do to show her it's all BS? I'm not going to put everything here because it would take forever to read, but here are some parts of our conversations.
Me: I know you probably won't click on the link, but I decided to type out the this "actual real" letter from the UN says.
"To Whom It May Concern:

Recently the NGO Section has been receiving numerous inquiries regrading the association of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York with the Department of Public Information (DPI). This organization applied for association with DPI.This organization applied for association with DPI in 1991 and was granted association for 1992. By accepting association with DPI, the organization agreed to meet criteria for association,including
support and respect of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and commitment and means to conduct effective information programmes with its constituents and to a broader audience about UN activities

In October 2001, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York requested termination of its association with DPI. Following this request, the DPI had made a decision to dissassociate the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York as of 9 September 2001."
My mother: ****** ,why are you so determined to go against Jehovah Witnesses belief.Why dont you turn to the bible? 2 Corinthians 4 ;3,4 Isaiah 52; 6,7.
Me: Why wouldn't I? I know they are wrong. You can't deny the proof that I have.
My Mother: I look into the bible for the word of God..Satan does not want people to know about Jehovah,or his word.Satan does not want people to come to an accurate knowledge so they can know and do Jehovah's will.Jehovah wants people to come to know him,and live forever.I did not read the letter.I will continue giving you verses.I know Jehovah Witnesses beliefs are the truth.
Me: Why do you ignore proof? It's a real letter and if you think otherwise than they must really have your mind demented towards reality. So what's your argument towards it? Do you think that the UN just decided to lie about it for something to do? If they really have the truth, then they shouldn't be so concerned about criticizing material. They should be able to back it up, but they can't. They're afraid of those things, because they expose their lies, so they just label them apostate.
My Mother: I do not believe the UN would be honest. There is so much dishonestly in politics. I have faith that Jehovah witnesse is the truth.I want to please Jehovah,so I would not read any material that says things against his people.The bible is full of answers. Look into the bible for them.
Me: Because you know,that the UN is going to blatantly lie about something as random as that. People wrote them to ask about it and they replied, telling "the truth". It has nothing to do with politics. I was reading about the over-lapping generation doctrine, somebody is on crack, if they actually believe that pile of shit. What are they going to say in a few years when all those people are dead?
http://www.oocities.org/ivor_hope/millions/millionspage1.jpg

Don't be afraid of the link. This is actual material from the watchtower pre 1925.
My Mother: ******, read the bible.The bible is accuate,never outdated.The bible gives advice about alot of things. I will talk to you tomorrow.
Me: Whether the bible is right or not doesn't mean that the "Washtowel" is correct what so ever. Why didn't you go to that link. Are you afraid of the truth? Stop ignoring the facts and look at it. You can't deny something that was written by them. They're going to come falling down soon, when they can't lie their way out of the 1914 problem they have.
My Mother: ******,I will not look at the link.Dont send me anymore of those links.I believe the Jehovah witnesses beliefs.It is the truth that leads you to everlasting life.We are getting so close to the end. Please, keep looking for the truth. To live your life doing what Jehovah wants us to do, gives a person peace of mind. It benifits your life, gives a person hope for the future.
Me: The end has been around the corner for the last 130 years according to them. I will never believe,what they say,because I know that it is not true whatsoever. I don't like how they won't own up to their mistakes, like 1975. They'll just be like, we never said that. Tell me why you aren't able to look at the link,even though it's material made by the JW's? So their old stuff must be apostate, if you won't even look at it. I guess they don't preach the truth then.
My Mother: Noah preached for about 130 years. People laughed and they laughed, but they stop laughing, when it started to rain. Psalms 8; 3,4 Matthew 24 ;21,22 1Thess 5;2,3 Zeph 1;14,17. ,18. As we get closer to the day we get more information and things get clearer Daniel 12;4 John 16;14 Increased Kowledge often requires adjustments in one's thinking. Jehovah never said life would be easy in becoming a witness,oh how I LONG FOR THE DAY I can become one. Read Luke 9;23. I will continue trying to do better,pray better.There is no other life really. If I give up then I have no hope or peace of mind. IT'S REALITY NOT A FANTASY.
There is quite a bit more, but I'm not going to make you read it all.
Iamallcool

print the letter from the UN and mail it via snail mail. Do not include your return address. Just give her the letter, nothing else. I know that she said they are dishonest, etc.., but it might make her think.
00DAD

You can't, at least not DIRECTLY.
For starters listen to this excellent interview with cult intervention specialist, Steven Hassan:
Interview With Steve Hassan
schnare

Thanks for the replys. Maybe, I will try that iamallcool. I going to listen to the interview right now 00DAD.
wasblind

We all have weaknesses, and that's what the Jehovah's Wtnesses are trained to prey on
Witnesses are trained to observe what might be a potential weakness, a soft spot to infiltrate
whatever that weakness is, some examples are :
Crime and safety,
current events ,
employment / housing,
family / children
future/ security
And even mental illnes to keep the numbers up
They try to sell you a fix-all solution, , now here's the tricky part , you won't see in this lifetime
that's right, you have to "Wait on the kingdom" to recieve it
another name for them would be "SNAKE OIL SALESMEN"
clarity

Schnare ..... first of all welcome here
I can hear your deep concern for your mother .... she is 'lucky' to have you looking out for her!
Unfortunately it sounds like she's reached a tipping point and has given up her 'own mind' and accepted THEIR thinking!
The watchtower has one MIND and all are hooked in to it! No independant thinking allowed!!!
Scary huh?
From now on ... the more information you pile on her ... the more she will be convinced that it is persecution & satan trying to stop her from serving god!!
For your own sanity and perhaps success with Mom, the best thing is to just ask her questions.
Do a bit of research on this as you want questions that will get her thinking & answering.
Get her to teach you!
There are interviews posted here today with Steven Hassan ...... excellent stuff .. have a listen.
best of luck
clarity
schnare

Thanks clarity! Do you have any suggestions for questions I could pose to her. I just typed "questions to ask Jehovah's Witnesses" into google, so I might find some there. But I want some that might be decently effective in making her think.
nugget

To be open to this someone has to be mentally ready to hear it. Without that they will shut you down. The cult tells them to expect family oposition and you play right into their hands every time you try to show her stuff that opposes her point of view. You are also dealing with her pride and self esteem you are basically telling her she is a fool this is not a palatable message.
Rather than tell her stuff ask her about things. Such as why? This requires tremendous patience on your part. She will not recognise that she is in a cult but you can talk to her about other cults and then ask her how you would explain to others why JWs aren't just the same. When she tells you about what she has learnt ask her why she thinks this is correct. Ask her to constantly to explain not just to throw a scripture at you. Look at the context of the scriptures she quotes often they take isolated texts and misapply them.
What I would say to her is anything that calls itself the truth is setting itself up to a higher standard. It can only speak truth, it's leaders can only teach truth. If they make a mistake then they have fallen short of their own standard. To devote the hours they require she needs to be sure that they are worthy of her commitment and that they have never lied to her. Whatever happens you love her unconditionally and will be there for her.
Ding

Have you tried showing her nonsense from the older WT publications?
You said she doesn't do d2d work. Why not?
Maybe you can find some WT quotes saying that people who are able to go d2d but don't aren't real JWs, aren't going to survive Armageddon, etc.
ABibleStudent

Welcome schnare to JWN. I'm sorry about your mother getting involved with the WTBTS.
You have a lot of options, but it will require you to do a lot of reading and educating other people, who are important to your mother. Luckily, the only relative that your mother has who is a JW is an aunt. I would recommend reading books by Steven Hassan (i.e., "Combatting Cult Mind Control" and "Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves"), Raymond Franz (i.e., "Crisis of Conscience" and "In Search of Christian Freedom"), and Don Cameron (i.e., "Captives of a Concept"). If you like your stepfather and think that he would help your mother, let him read the aforementioned books also.
Never confront your mother directly about being a JW: she will raise her JW shield. It is better to involve your mother in fun activities that will take her away from WTBTS activities, and to plant seeds of doubt in your mother. Reading Steve Hassan's books will help a lot in communicating with a JW. Reading Raymond Franz's and Don Cameron's books will help you to discover what simple questions to ask your mother to plant seeds of doubt in her. Best of wishes for awakening your mother.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert

How can I convince my mother the JW's are wrong?

Share this