Extremely rude. The cemetary changing their policy after more than 3 decades of it being sufficient to deal with these idiots. Unfortunately, the JWs don't view themselves as solicitors, so the 'no solicitation policy won't phase them.
Jehovah's Witness cemetery trolls disrupt a Mothers grief
by Watchtower-Free 35 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Apognophos
Good point, prologos, JWs don't really see why death is such a big deal, so they can't understand how someone else might feel.
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LoisLane looking for Superman
JW's are told to look for every opportunity to "make a witness".
"Witnessing" at the cemetery is something I participated in with my whole congo , circuit, district, all of America did it, in the 1950's.
I haven't heard of anyone doing it in decades.
I am glad someone took offense and WT preaching, can't be done at this particular cemetery, anymore.
I feel sorry for WT drones. They think they are doing a good work because they are told that, and if they are born in, they have never heard anything else.
I wish all JW's would wake up to WT lies.
LoisLane
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DATA-DOG
The current generation is learning that death is very real. It's going to be a wake up call for many. This is the only generation that has seen 100 years of kingdom rule, while at the same time everyone around them is dying, including Guy Pierce. 50 years ago anything was still possible, there was still a chance the end was soon. Expect the leaders to get crazier and crazier as time passes. I don't think we've seen anything yet.
DD
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LisaRose
This is disgusting. These people have no tact or sensitivity to others. I guess since no one opens their doors to them anymore they are using alternate methods. I was approached eating my lunch in my car, I have seen them drive up to people in parking lots, once I was approached at a roadside rest stop, It's ridiculous.
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Jeannette
I agree, LL, I wish all of the Witnesses would stop going out in service. They are told to go, go, go, that this is the most important work ever. And they are brain washed as to where to go, and how to present the message, and that they are saving people. Most Witnesses are good people and believe all that nonsense.
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AlphaMan
I did this one time. I was still "in FS training" and a zealot elder wanted us to troll (troll had different meaning then-LOL) the cemetary to talk to people. It was very weird and I never did it again. Looking back I don't know what he was thinking, unless this approach was on a recent service meeting, or he just wanted to get this on his "theocratic resume".
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blondie
Actully this is a long-time blunder:
*** w58 10/15 p. 624 Comforting All That Mourn ***
Comforting All That Mourn
TO BE faithful to his commission a Christian must “comfort all that mourn.” (Isa. 61:2, AS) In the United States it is a custom for mourners to decorate the graves of loved ones on what is known as “Decoration Day,” May 30 each year. So Jehovah’s witnesses made it a point to visit cemeteries on that day with the comfort of God’s resurrection hope, as contained in special issues of The Watchtower and Awake! That they succeeded in comforting mourners is apparent from the following experiences:
“I saw a man standing alone, looking into space. As I began to speak to him his face lighted up. He told me that his wife had died two years ago, took me close to her grave and then said he would like to ask me a question: ‘My wife was ten years younger than I and very well educated; I’m not educated. Why did God take her instead of me?’ I answered his question from the Scriptures, using among other texts Hebrews 2:14. He readily accepted the magazines and was glad to have me call at his home to comfort him further.”
“When we asked the caretaker about witnessing to the people in his cemetery, he replied: ‘Why certainly you can—I’d like to see more preachers doing that, but it seems they’re just too busy.’”
“After I told a family group about the Scriptural resurrection hope, the wife proved so interested that she desired and obtained a copy of the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, the Bible-study aid “Let God Be True” (both of which I happened to have with me), two magazines and a booklet. I was also able to arrange to call at their home for the purpose of starting a Bible study with them.”
“One young woman had just placed some flowers on a grave and turned back with tears in her eyes. I told her my name and that I was a minister bringing comfort to mourners by means of two magazines that contained the articles ‘The Memorial Day for Rejoicing’ and ‘Where Are the Dead?’ She eagerly accepted the magazines, smiling through her tears. Later, in passing by the same place, I saw her reading The Watchtower with two young men, one on each side of her, to whom she was pointing out things in the magazines.”
“A group of six persons were putting flowers upon a grave as I approached and asked for a moment of their time. After we had introduced ourselves to each other I commented on the beautiful day and that, while it was a day to be thankful for, there could be no real joy so long as death was in view for all mankind. However, I continued, we could be truly joyful for the promised ‘Memorial Day’ of rejoicing close at hand. I offered the magazines telling about this hope, which they gladly accepted. As I was preparing to leave, one of the men, with tears in his eyes, told me that he was very grateful for the message of hope he had received and that it made what had begun as a day of sadness a day of hope in God’s promises.”
“I approached and struck up a conversation with a caretaker to sound him out about witnessing in his cemetery. He proved to be a Unitarian and told me that he was a social outcast among his friends because of his occupation, as if they were afraid death would rub off onto them. I told him, among other things, that Jehovah’s witnesses did not fear death of the body but only the second death and that to them he was no outcast. Upon asking him if we could destroy the fact of his being a social outcast by calling at his home with this message, he fairly jumped for joy. He also readily agreed to my suggestion that I speak to others in the cemetery.”
Among the various other comments heard by those witnesses who visited cemeteries on that Decoration Day were:
“I think it’s wonderful that you came out to the cemetery today. Our people ought to do that.”
“This thing proves you people are Christians. . . . I think people don’t appreciate Jehovah’s witnesses as they should.”
“If my departed loved one had known you he surely would have wanted you to come here today and say what you did to me.”
“God must have sent you here today, because you brought me real comfort from the Bible.”
*** dx30-85 Cemeteries ***
experiences in witnessing: yb66 276-277; yb65 124, 256; yb62 252; g62 5/8 21-23
*** km 5/70 p. 7 Announcements ***
The world’s “Memorial Day” holiday comes on Saturday, May 30, this year. Where appropriate, special witnessing may be arranged at cemeteries; otherwise, congregations may find it advantageous to share in regular magazine day activity.
*** km 6/93 p. 1 par. 3 Why Tracts Are So Valuable in Our Ministry Today ***
3 Some publishers who were witnessing on a street that led to a cemetery saw people whitewashing graves. The publishers used the opportunity to offer them tracts. The next day was a holiday on which many people visit the cemetery, so the publishers decided to stand at the entrance of the cemetery and offer tracts. Over five hundred tracts were placed, with only three persons refusing them. The next year, publishers returned and distributed more than a thousand tracts, with only six refusals. A number of individuals expressed deep appreciation. One man read the tract as he was leaving, and shortly he returned to speak with the sister who had given it to him. He said: “There is someone I would like to have read this message. May I have another one?”
*** yb94 p. 59 Worldwide Report ***
When in a cemetery, a teenage publisher in Australia observed a Filipino woman weeping at a grave. He engaged her in conversation and pointed to the inscription on his grandfather’s gravestone: “Sleeping awaiting a resurrection.” This opened the way for a further witness. Arrangements were made to meet her at the same location the following week, but she failed to arrive. The young publisher persisted. He and his mother searched through funeral notices in the local newspaper until they found a name that seemed to be Filipino. With the help of the telephone book, they made contact. The woman explained that she had missed the appointment because of transport problems. But she definitely was interested, and arrangements were made for a Bible study. Concern for people along with persistence brings good results.
*** km 10/94 p. 7 par. 6 Using the New Brochure Effectively ***
6 Keep an extra copy at hand, and use it for informal witnessing. You may wish to visit local funeral homes in your territory to see if they would like to have copies on hand to comfort bereaved families. Or you might tactfully approach grieving ones in cemeteries on occasions when they return to visit the grave of a loved one.
*** km 8/98 p. 8 par. 2 Use Brochures to Appeal to Both Mind and Heart ***
When Someone You Love Dies. Many funeral directors appreciate having copies of this brochure on hand for bereaved families. Publishers who witness in cemeteries use this brochure to comfort mourners. Two sisters approached a family of seven who were praying at a grave. As a result of sharing the comforting message from the brochure, a Bible study was started with the mother the next day!
*** yb00 pp. 55-56 Worldwide Report ***
A sister in Chile, while witnessing in a cemetery, spoke to a woman who had lost her 12-year-old son in an accident. This grieving mother visited her son’s tomb twice a day. The Witness shared with her the resurrection hope, and a Bible study was started. The woman spoke to her neighbor who had also lost a young son in death and who made daily trips to her son’s tomb. She too began to study. This woman’s mother, while visiting the cemetery, asked her priest to conduct a service for her deceased grandson. Because of the priest’s unpleasant reply, she stopped attending church and began studying the Bible. Now these three women share their newfound hope with others in the cemetery.
*** yb07 p. 198 Latvia ***
When Yurii first arrived in Latvia, he spoke to a woman who was tidying up a grave. He recalls: “When I asked her why life seems so short, she took a few steps toward me, and we talked. Minutes later, a large branch broke off a tree and crashed to the ground right where she had been working. Had she stayed there, she would have been crushed. She gave me her address, and I arranged for a sister to visit her. In 1987 the woman, her son, and her daughter-in-law were baptized.”
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prologos
If you think placing the broshures at grave sites id bad, wait until they can flash an i pad or proffer the card,
at least the print could be construed to be a condolence piece if done with empathy and referentially.
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LouBelle
well the witnesses are just plain stupid.
I enjoyed the retelling of the mums' visit though - made me smile.