Weekend visit from JWs.

redvip2000

Had a visit from the JWs this week. I've lived in this house since 2012 and this is the first time, they have reached me at home - quite the urgent work.

Anyway, i was home on Saturday morning and around 10am, there was a knock. I had a feeling it would be them. I looked outside and saw an old lady along with a young girl maybe around 12 or 13 years of age. I was frankly disappointed because I knew I wasn't going to be able to reason with these two, or at least have an intelligent discourse. In any case i opened the door and engaged them. What follows is a summary of the interaction, if you are curious:

Old lady: Hello, we are talking to our neighbors, yadda yadda, Awake magazine about changing your habits, yadda yadda, very useful, yadda yadda, I would like to leave this with you yadda yadda, based on the bible and you can ready in your own bible ( i noticed that she didn't even pull out the Watchtower mag, but just the Awake. I guess the feeling is that since the Awake magazine is about relatable subjects, it has better acceptance)

me: hmm read it with my bible? Why should I believe in the bible instead of any of the other holy books? After all the only reason you believe in the bible is because you were born in the West. Had you been born in other parts of the world you would not believe in it.

( at this point she looked at me as if I was an Alien. I guess she was hoping for the usual rejection, or the quick take of the magazine and "see you later". No such luck this time)

Young girl: I think you need to look at JW.org

Old lady: Well, i guess you have to compare between the holy books and see which one is the best

Me: Ah i see. Have you done that? (blank stare and slight murmur as it was obvious the answer was no). You see, i've tried to compare and i've found that none of them are truthful or logic.

Old lady: Oh you have?

Me: Yes for example, the bible is full of contradictions, illogical things, and it doesn't agree with science.

Old lady: Yes it does agree with science. For example the bible mentions the world was round before humans even knew. ( i knew already she would say this, they always do)

Me: well it doesn't exactly say that.

Old lady: Yes it says the earth was a sphere.

Me: No, it says the earth was a circle, not a sphere, we can read it together if you want. And there is a difference here, because at that time humans believed in the Flat Earth theory ( explained to her what it is, and this went right over her head). They believed it was a flat circular disk, and it makes sense that the bible says that the devil took jesus to the highest mountain to look at all kingdoms of the earth - this is not possible if the earth is a sphere. Also the bible doesn't agree with evolution.

Old lady: Evolution? Oh please. ( she made a face like I was talking about a unicorn). God created us.

Me: How do you know. Science has shown us for example that Adam and Eve could not have happened. One of the way is through genetics. Do you know genetics is?

Old lady: yes of course i know.

Me: So science has shown us that the genetic variety that exists today could not have bottleneck up to 2 people 6,000 years ago for example. Simply not possible. (again right over her head, not even an attempt to disprove this)

Old lady: We were created. Where are the species that are between the species we know today ( lol..i know, stupid)

Me: All of the species alive today are transitioning to other species. (gave her a very high level explanation of evolution)

Old lady: (shaking her head) Ahh come on. When was the last time you saw someone that looked one way, and then start to look like a different type of human? ( lol..i know.. even more stupid that her previous comments)

Me: These things happen over millions of year, through very gradual changes.

(Both young and old lady shaking their heads)

Old lady: Well i guess we'll just agree to disagree you know. ( Slowly turning as if signaling she was about the move on)

Me: Yes that's fine. One last thing before you go. Once you leave and go knocking on other people's doors, about 90% of them won't open the door, the other 10% will immediately say they are not interested. This was your chance to talk to someone today for a few minutes, but the fact is that you don't have the evidence to support your claims, so you choose to retreat.

Old lady: Well, there is always someone who will be willing to listen we thing.

And off they went to stare at closed doors and chit chat about their lives. I hope that the next set of dubs will at least be able to have an intelligent conversation.

steve2

Hmmmm. Good on you for taking the opportunity. Hard to know what topic would have reached her - but there is an impression you two were talking right past each other.

undercover

'A few minutes' wasted, knowing ahead of time how she would react and answer.

I don't know why ex-JWs bother baiting JWs at the door and at their carts. We know it goes in one ear and out the other. Better to use that time/debate skills for a JW friend or family member who actually expresses a doubt or concern.

But, to each his own. If it trips your trigger, happy shooting...

OUTLAW

Me:This was your chance to talk to someone today for a few minutes, but the fact is that you don't have the evidence to support your claims, so you choose to retreat.
Old lady: Well, there is always someone who will be willing to listen.

*Maybe they`ll "Shut The F*ck Up" at the Next Door*

*OH SHIT!.....THE COPS!!!*
Image result for Old woman running gif

HappyDad

I agree with undercover. The lady and you are both in the same boat. Both pushing an agenda though of opposite understandings. She will not accept your "theory" based beliefs and you will not accept hers. But if that is what floats your boat then so be it.

Phizzy

I just hope that your efforts will remain with the young girl, and maybe she will start to question.

But as I said on another Thread, finding out it is not the "truth" means little to youngsters, they remain in it partly for family, and mainly for the social life.

But, you never know what seeds you sow.

redvip2000

I don't know why ex-JWs bother baiting JWs at the door and at their carts. We know it goes in one ear and out the other. Better to use that time/debate skills for a JW friend or family member who actually expresses a doubt or concern.

I wouldn't exactly call "baiting" when someone comes to my door uninvited. If anything, the baiting is done by them. I'm simply answering to their sales pitch.

And how exactly do you know that in the same way that a JW friend of family member can be having doubts, that the person knocking on your door or his companion is also not having doubts? Maybe best not assume you know exactly who is having doubts and who is not. If everybody had your attitude to simply assume nobody is willing to listen and reason with you, these discussion would never happen. I guess just sit around and wait for a family member to come to you in the event they have a doubt.

stuckinarut2

Great account.

The reality is, for most witnesses, finding someone at a house is actually an annoying interruption to their chit-chat time amongst themselves!

How dare those householders get in the way of our gossip time!

Giles Gray

Being challenged when i was door knocking is one of the factors why i left. The guy just hit me with clear logic that put a huge maggot in my mind.

I think challenging JWs is of vital importance and has considerable success.

freddo

If your object is to make someone think you have to guess at what will hit the target.

Without wishing to generalise, "little old ladies" who have been JW's for a few decades will not give one moment's consideration to evolution being possible.

Now ... maybe if they are asked how long they have been a witness and how do they feel about being told that 1975 would bring Armageddon? And then when they trot out "some brothers ran ahead" or somesuch you ask how they feel about the generation that saw 1914 with understanding would "by no means pass away" before Armageddon and yet that generation has passed away.

When they hmmm and haww about that one ask them why that doctrine changed in 1995 and again in 2008 and again in 2010 so why would anyone trust the latest understanding of the generation doctrine if all the others had failed to come true?

That might make her feel uncomfortable and the teenage accomplice would see her struggle and bluster to give a cognisant answer.

You could then turn to the teenager and say JW's and their forerunners have been predicting Armageddon to arrive in 1914, 1925, WW2, 1975, the end of the 20th century and nice ladies like your older friend here have given their best years waiting half a century for this promise and there is still no sign of it coming; please examine your religion before you commit further to it.

Weekend visit from JWs.

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