by JH 12 Replies latest jw friends
Why do the witnesses go 2 by 2 when they knock at doors?
Is that what's really in the bible? And why do elders come and see inactive ones 2 by 2 also. Why are bible studies also done 2 by 2? Is this to protect the Watchtower Society or is it to intimidate people?
Are they afraid to be alone?
I personally don't like when 2 witnesses come over to talk to me. While one talks, the other one analyses you.
So why do they go 2 by 2 for?
For elders visits I think it's for several reasons:
Going door-to-door, I think its:
also I believe they reference a scripture where Jesus sent out his disciples two by two...
"after this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go." -- luke l0:l
in the days when i was dating lst husband (bethelite) we often preached in new york city - some areas were so dangerous that jws would go four by four. these days i can't believe they would go to those places at all - drug infested, violent, etc.
For the person on the receiving end, doesn't he feel intimidated when 2 people show up at his door. If a person doesn't agree with the witnesses at his door, and while 1 is talking the other is searching in his bible to prove a point. So how can a person alone have the upper hand.
Maybe that is another reason why witnesses go 2 by 2. To have a better chance to win a bible dispute.
If a person is a new JW then an older "minder" goes with them. If they are ='s then one reforces the other as each others "minder". However, I have encountered JW's who go out alone. Those are the master propagandists.
Also, if you think about it going out alone could in all honesty be dangerous. I can think of a least a few stories where lone people of a few religons have been killed by the would be interested.
Apparently, Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs. JWs think this method of witnessing is effective.
Personally, I think it is a subtle means for JWs to spy on one another. You can't preach your own interpretation of the Bible if someone else is there listening to what you are saying to the householder. You can't say "I'm going to go do some Return VisitsTM" on your own, while the rest of the group goes in service, and then you go and bugger off to Blockbuster to check out the new videos. You can't lie about how many magazines you placed, or how many "interested people" you talked to.
It's also a means of psychological pressure. You can't show your service partner that you're discouraged, even if you are, because you aren't allowed to drag down or stumble your brothers and sisters. You can't disagree with WT doctrine / agree with a householder with an opposing point of view, lest you risk being counselled, because there is someone there to keep you toeing the mark.
Apparently it helps diffuse some of the boredom of going house-to-house. Although, to my recollection, it was still pretty stinking boring.
Love, Scully
X 2 JW Brains is better than 1 ?
Ummm... becuase they are unclean animals ?
They would go 7x7 if they were clean :)
Along the lines of Scully's comment, I was once in a home with another jw as the householder invited us in. After a chat, he offered me a book from his religion. Of course, jws are not really allowed to accept literature from others. But, it felt wrong and bothered me not to accept because, after all, I was trying to place literature with him. If it had not been for the other jw there, I'd have accepted it. But, I was actually afraid she'd go to the elders and report me for accepting.
Also, when I was an elder, I often felt that there were things i'd like to say, and more compassion I wanted to show, but with another elder there, I could not risk speaking even slightly askew of the 'party line'.
I understand why there may be some valid reasons for the 2x2 method, and also that Jesus sent his followers out that way, but it does create a certain atmosphere that is not conducive to real openness in some situations.
