I did the leg work of studying the Bible carefully before I was contacted. I knew the Bible pretty well. When I studied with them, unknown to me, I was affecting the sister who was studying with me. She was actually learning some things from me. I wasn't trying to teach her I was just asking the right kind of questions.
But I did learn from them. One thing I couldn't figure out was why things were so different after Jesus died. The Catholics had some answers but their answers were not as clear as the Watchtower's. Some of the information the Watchtower puts out is accurate and I found it helpful. Also some brothers and sisters were very knowledgeable.
But Watchtower info stays at a certain level. Like so many I was gradually nodding off in the meetings because they were boring. But I found it easy to do stand-in talks. I wanted to be helpful so I did most of the stand-in talks. It'd get me through the Thursday meeting without becoming unconscious.
In 2005 I did a stand-in talk that was about a teaching I had never heard of. Because I had learnt what was in the Bible long before being contacted, I knew the teaching was blasphemous.
Thereafter I wrote to the GB and had to lay out my case. I learnt a bit of Hebrew and Greek and my insight into the Bible grew. Through all the issues I have had to face with these spin doctors, I have learnt how their spin works. Its been a real education!
I tend not to get involved in discussions. Ok a little bit sometimes, I might point to relevant scriptures. But like snowball fights discussions can start off as fun and then people get hurt. If I can put something out there that is helpful, great. But I think the best thing is to encourage people to have confidence in their own intellectual powers and read the Bible for themselves, if they want to.