Did anything a householder said ever make an impression on you?

by Alleymom 64 Replies latest jw friends

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  Alleymom

  Hi ---

  Coming at this as a householder rather than an ex-JW, I'd love to hear from any of you about comments from householders that made an impression on you, back when you were active in the door-to-door work.

  Since the JW's first knocked at my door 13 years ago, I've done my best to give them something to think about every time they knock at my door. I always introduce myself by name and try to get their names. I have looked a few JW's up in the phone book and paid a return visit to them, but that seems to freak them out too much. Several have come back for return visits over the years, and we have an elder and his wife who may return after a recent 90-minute visit.

  Randy Watters and David Reed were great sources of information back before I was on the internet.

  My husband recently commented that the most visible reaction we ever got was when I showed photos of Russell's graveside and said I would never want to be associated with a religious organization that had such pagan beginnings <s>. The one Witness kept looking through the stack of photos and exclaiming "Look at this!" to the other Witness who was trying to talk to my husband about world conditions.

  Anyway, I'd love to hear stories from any of you. Sometime I wonder if it would be effective if all of us (non-JW's) from different churches in our community posted suggestions on our church elists, so that every time a JW knocked on a door in our town she or he would be asked about the same things over and over: UN, pedophiles, Dateline, genocide of all non-JW's, failed prophecies, false chronology, new light on 1914, whatever else you might suggest. Although I suppose that just might increase the paranoia!

  I am more of a lurker than a poster here on the board, but I want to say that I admire you all! Taking the red pill hasn't been an easy path (I really feel for those of you who are df'd and have family issues) but I applaud your courage!

  Marjorie
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  LDH

  Hi Marjorie,

  Once when my sister and I were regular pioneering, we were 'witnessing' in a small town in Upstate NY called Aurora.

  We happened to knock on the door of a Cornell Professor, where he stood politely listening to us blather for about 5 minutes straight. We took it as interest, and, well, wouldn't shut up. We were quietly thinking, "Ka-Ching!! Bible Study."

  We stopped to catch our collective breath (were were on him like gang-busters) and all he said was, "You two girls talk faster than anyone I've ever heard! You must be top sales people!" Of course, at the time it went right over our heads and he pleasantly told us he wasn't interested.

  Now I laugh at two teens telling a grown College Professor about life's secrets. LOL. At the time, we were thinking that "God chose the stupid ones to put the wise ones to shame." LOL, little did we know, we WERE stupid.

  Lisa

  Fast-Talker Class
• 

  RAYZORBLADE

  Near the end of my door-to-bore ministry, the very last door I ever knocked on.

  Yes, a wonderful Italian-Canadian woman.

  I posted something about this several months ago, but it never hurts to mention it again.

  When she said something to me about: 'it must be hard to go door to door'.

  No kidding! It was like the simplist of statements, but it was what I needed to hear at the time.

  I was about to give-up and when I realized that she must have noticed something about my demeanor etc., that going house-to-house was 'difficult' or unpleasant.

  She could see right through it, yet, she did not humiliate me. She and I spoke about everything under the sun, and even though she wanted to take the magazines, I put them back in my bookbag, and we talked about her mother, and things in general. That was my LAST DOOR.

  I was driving with iiz2cool last night in Etobicoke (West Toronto) and remembered my JW days in western Toronto. Street names from 19-20 years ago. I met my match that evening in November 1983. I wonder, to this day, how that woman is.

  I would thank her.
• 

  Alleymom

  Lisa,

  "You two girls talk faster than anyone I've ever heard! You must be top sales people!"

  LOL!

  How did you know he was a Cornell professor? And what finally caused you to have doubts about the organization? Has your sister also left?

  "Fast talker class" --- reminds me of my brother, who claims he was vaccinated with a phonograph needle.

  Marjorie
• 

  Alleymom

  Razorblade --

  She could see right through it, yet, she did not humiliate me. She and I spoke about everything under the sun, and even though she wanted to take the magazines, I put them back in my bookbag, and we talked about her mother, and things in general.

  What a sweetie! I am glad she was kind to you. Did you run into a lot of abuse at the door during the years you did field service, or was it mostly sorry-not-interested?

  I have a couple of older Pioneer ladies who stop by whenever they need to count some time. I offer them a drink and they just ask about my kids or chitchat for awhile. Sometimes they don't even get out of the car, they just pull up to the curb if they see me doing yardwork. It makes me sad to think that their whole life seems to revolve around being a Pioneer. It's really too much for them at their age.

  I posted something about this several months ago, but it never hurts to mention it again.

  Do you remember the thread title or do you have a link?

  Thanks,

  Marjorie
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  RAYZORBLADE

  Hi Marjorie: here is the link to my "Last Door" thread that I started back in January.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/7/45088/1.ashx

  Oh yeah, I remember going door-to-bore, and basically it was the endless not-at-homes, or NOT INTERESTED, and yes, occasionally you would run into hostile people.

  Give it a read, (the above link) and I believe there were a few others whom discussed their experience too with their last door.

  Thanks!
• 

  plmkrzy

  Once I called on an old Sicilian woman at CHRISTMAS time. She began barking at me about all these crazy American holidays! Especially Easter! She could not believe what we did in this country! She told me that in the "old country" they never had such a thing as Easter rabbits laying eggs and on and on and on...She began to instruct me on what "real" Catholics do and how we Americans have perverted everything holy. LOL!

  I think I got the biggest kick out of her and I never forgot her. I don't think I even witnessed to her at all. Hahahaha.
• 

  Alleymom

  She told me that in the "old country" they never had such a thing as Easter rabbits laying eggs and on and on and on...She began to instruct me on what "real" Catholics do and how we Americans have perverted everything holy. LOL!

  <giggling> Sicilian Catholics from the old country are immune to WT conversion tactics, eh? I am picturing that irate Italian mama in the pasta commercial grabbing the grocer by the ear <s>..

  I bet she would shudder at the Jello eggs I make at Easter. I use a turkey baster to fill the little molds. What kind of self-respecting wabbit would lay a jello egg?

  So did anything anybody said at the door every shake you up or widen a crack of doubt in your mind?

  Marjorie
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  blackout

  Yep,

  I vaguely remember a uni student who just kept beating the sister I was with on every point. That made me think. Also another time I met a Lady who used to be a witness and was now a mormon . This impressed me because I thought, how could you have the "truth" and then go to the mormons, it made me think again.

  But thats all, mostly I didn't find anybody home. lol
• 

  plmkrzy

  So did anything anybody said at the door every shake you up or widen a crack of doubt in your mind?

  The funny thing is, no.

  However, some of the sisters I went out in service did. How? Because while I was, not taking "my turn" at the door, I had to listen to them witness. Listening to some of the reasoning they offered to "prospects" especially concerning "these troubled times hard to deal with", disturbed me enough to wonder where in the hell they came up with some of this s**t! I felt embarrassed sometimes and wanted to say "hey, don't look at me!" "I was just passing by and just happened to run into this person myself" "Would you be interested in some Tupperware?"

  "They" didn't shake my "faith" either but they did leave me with the impression they were either stupid or just believed everything they heard and if they were repeating what they heard and believed, and it was all coming from the KH, then what was I not picking up on or not paying attention to?

  I would say that started me questioning the "religion". I completely believed for most of my life that all JWs in fact did share the same beliefs. I use to think that those who said stupid things out in service were "wet-behind-the-ears” and making mistakes in some chosen of analogy but they would "learn" as time goes on. LOL! Then I might find out that this person was a JW longer then I was and I was born one! HAhahaha. It wasn't until I actually listened to some sister’s witness out in service that caused me to really wonder, what is wrong with this picture? How is it possible that this sister JW of 40 years or more could really believe what just came out of her mouth? AND...how come I'm not agreeing with her? Gosh, I should start paying attention more at the meetings instead of just reading the Bible or doodling. A.D.D.

  Many times, even during the WT study's, I would just ignore the paragraphs that I didn't understand or agree with as though it really wasn't that big of a deal anyway. It wasn’t like I had to worry about being called on, unless I raised my hand. I was not sure if it was my thinking that was not disciplined enough or maybe they would change their mind later anyway and print something different, so I didn't even concern myself over it. I think there is a difference between those who were adults that converted into the "truth" and those who were raised and whelped on it. Maybe not, but I think those who voluntarily came into it as an adult perhaps went after it and studied it more thoroughly then those raised in it and therefore picked up on many things that, in my case, I overlooked or just failed to absorb. I believed what was important was convincing others there was only one true God and what the basic plan was. Simplify! I knew better then to discuss too much with “certain” members or elders that would make an issue and attempt to “counsel” me. My father was an elder so I knew how to dodge that one.