My son was never a JW. He was born about a dozen years after I left. But he's heard about it from me and knows I was one.
Recently he has a new best friend at school. One day, his friend says, "I bet you'll never guess what religion I am". My son, thinking of me, guesses Jehovah's Witness. And he was right.
I was wondering if anybody had any advice on things I could do to try to nudge this child's future away from the JWs.
The family doesn't seem typical JW. I've only met the kid and his step-mother and what I think might be 2 step-brothers. I took my son to play with them at a park. All of the kids are playing live-action Mortal Kombat and fake-fighting in front of the step-mom. I thought this was strange - something my mother would have never allowed.
On Friday, we gave the kid a ride home. I asked him "So your parents don't mind you playing with wordly kids?". He said no. "And they buy you games like Mortal Kombat?". He says they don't care. I said that his parents don't seem very strict for JWs. He said his dad is kinda half in.
From what my son told me, a few other things seem odd. Supposedly his mom died not too long ago. My son could have his facts wrong, but I thought it was about a year ago. He already has a step-mom and not recently. Like I said, my son could have his facts wrong, but it sounds like his mom died and his dad must've remarried immediately.
Also, this kid seems to get A LOT of stuff. He has all kind of video games ($60 each), a $2000 laptop, Beats by Dre headphones ($300), he's getting an Xbox One ($400), and he has many other things. This seems like a family that's not struggling. With the JWs not encouraging college, I find that a bit strange. But, like the kid says, if his father's only half in... My son says he claims to get a lot more stuff because he doesn't celebrate Christmas or birthdays. I remember hearing the same thing.
My son's friend looks slightly ethnic, but not Mexican. 1/4 maybe... He's much lighter skin, much more anglo looking than what look to be step-brothers. But obviously he and his father speak spanish and attend the spansh congregation.
I'll have to find out what the father does. I wouldn't be surprised if he's got some business and is hiring illegal immigrants at the hall (or elsewhere) and raking in he profits of cheap labor. Our state borders Mexico and there are many illegals here and many companies that use them. Service businesses like construction, cleaning, lawn service, landscaping, etc.
Which I would think is against JW principals like paying Ceasar's things to Ceasar, not avoiding taxes by hiring illegals. Or exploiting fellow JWs. But, not out of the ordinary. I grew up in the north and there was a JW with a cleaning service that exploited the pioneers for cheap labor. None of them were illegal, but I'm sure exploited.