LOL... WOW... It took me til the end of page 3 to realize that this is not my old friend Hortensia. I just could not understand why Hortensia was suggesting this response to JWs.
It all makes sense now. Hortenzie is *not* Hortensia.
whew!
-Aude.
Waiting for the JWs to come to my door...
by Hortenzie 66 Replies latest jw experiences
-
-
Hortenzie
Great! Now you know ( just a play on your name - by the way, very appropriate for this forum). I'm very happy for you.
-
Loveyourneighbor
Hortenzie,
I read my dad your post, our whole family feels like me. He saw something on facebook that wasn't talking about religion but, he asked me to share it with you .
We are proud of our country, but ashamed of our goverment"
He feels the same way.
"He is proud of his religion but ashamed of its organization."
So you are not alone in the way you feel.
My dad has a good friend who brought more then 70 people in the truth but is now an atheist. We still love that person and dont try to convert them back.
We wish you success in finding happiness and restoring your faith.
-
Hortenzie
Loveyourneighbor - thanks for your comment, but I am sitting here scratching my head trying to understand... I understand the first part. Country can be great independently of the present government. Governments come and go, and some are better and some are shameful (I live in Toronto, Canada, so believe me, I know...) But when it comes to JW religion, it IS the organization (GB in particular) who create it. The religion IS the organization. It is the people, not just the GB, who let their children die without blood transfusion, it is the people who shun their family members and friends who are no longer in, it is the people who are looking forward to the Armagedon knowing well that billions of humans would die... It is the religion (the believes and the actions those believes effect) that produces bad fruit in mostly good people.
And thank you for your best wishes. Fortunately, I have a happy live. Great (Catholic) husband, fantastic step-children, nice home, work, health, ... But the loss of faith is weighing heavily on me and I hold it against the dogmatic religion of JWs, that is presenting flawed human ideas as a 100% genuine true revelations under the guidance of holy spirit.
And the nice things your Father is rightfully proud of come from Jesus Christ who was a Jew not a JW!
-
Faithful Witness
I doubt they will bring the tract pamphlet to my door, after a recent interaction I had with a local elder who came to my door. They seem to be afraid of me. I hope they will come, and I appreciate the fact that you have made a plan for their visit. I think I have decided on my approach also. It's different from yours, but the organization has hurt me and my family in ways different from yours.
I am going to refuse the tract, and try to give a quick explanation. I actually have a great compassion for the JW people, and actually love and miss some of our so-called "friends" we used to enjoy fellowship with outside the KH.
This would be better phrased as a question, but I'm not sure if they will take the time to listen. I know this is supposed to be a hasty, hit and run placement of literature, so they can add another point to their score card for the month.
"I usually accept your literature, but I am going to pass this time. I have come to a realization about your preaching work. Your reward will be greater with Jehovah God if you do NOT report your visit to my house today. Please do not make a note of this visit on your card."
I don't think they will be allowed to discuss or address my concern, but I will welcome it. I am even going to place my (black) NWT Bible near my front door, with the proper passage flagged with a bookmark. Matthew 6:1-4. I have sincere concerns about their teachings, but this recent realization about their time cards, is really bothering me. Why do they report everything they do, to gain approval of men?
Perhaps Loveyourneighbor can answer. No JW will answer any of my honest questions that keep coming up, as I continue my personal study of the book of Matthew.
“Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. 2 So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you." (NWT, Matthew 6:1-4)
Do you report all your righteous work, to be noticed by men? That is not what Christ commanded.
-
Hortenzie
Faithful Witness - I just read your post and heartily agree. That's half of my approach as well. I will tell them that I can't take it, beacause I don't want them to count it as a placement, and I will tear it in two (with absolutely no anger) and explain that I don't want them to give that to anybody else. I still think they will count it as a placement, since the tract will be destroyed .
-
Faithful Witness
Funny story (sort of)...
My sister (never a JW, but studied it for about 6 months), was visiting my JW (converts) parents. She had her 4 kids with her, and the 12 month old got into Grandpa's man purse and spread those little pamplets all over the floor. (My sister was grumbling about her kids being exposed to the magazines at all). Of course, my sister put them all back in the bag and got it away from her toddler's exploring hands.
She got home, and one of the pamphlets had been stuck in her door. She started asking her kids if one of them brought it home, or if it was stuck to their shoe or what... (she just moved 2 weeks ago, so the JW who left the pamphlet does not know her).
In the same conversation, she was lamenting the fact that we all are expected to tip-toe around the JW's at holiday time. They refuse to come to my house for "religious reasons," and are offended by being in my home... yet we are expected to expose our children to their strange beliefs and practices, and go to their home, where there is no escape from viewing the JW publications and the "lack of joy and holiday spirit."
Anyway, that's off-topic. Hortenzie, I understand your motives. I hope you do get the chance to interact with the JW's during this campaign. I hope that someone will come and visit me, while I am at home.
I didn't read through all the comments here, so forgive me if this is a repeat question:
If the pamphlet leaves their hands and goes into yours, does it count for the score card? Even if they see you tear up the paper in front of them, will they take credit for sharing the news with you?
I'm assuming the answer is yes. In that case, I wonder if their watching you reject the message in such a violent way, will reinforce their perception of being persecuted by the world. Will it make them realize that this is the reaction that they are getting from just about everyone who is forced to bring this literature into their home, even if it is to go to the burning bin? Will they ever realize that those hours and numbers on the time card, are just being calculated to please men?