Are Jehovah Witnesses still trying to bring the good news to others during the pandemic?

by Maria Nieves 17 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Maria Nieves

  I am no longer a study. During the onset of the pandemic the person who used to be my bible study teacher began to reach out to me. Initially, I just thought that she wanted to know that I was well.

  Today, she contacted me and the conversation started out well with her asking how I was. I spoke of my fears of COVID-19 and she provided scriptures that we reviewed.

  The conversation quickly became sour when my views did not match hers and when I asked questions. I was spoken to in a way where I felt demeaned and belittle which were the exact same reasons as to why I had ended my bible studies.

  What is the purpose of the good news during this time? During a previous conversation that I had with her, she mentioned that she was doing letter witnessing. I thought that Jehovah Witnesses were going to stop preaching the good news because the current system of things had reached its end.

  
  
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  LongHairGal

  MARIA NIEVES:

  I’m sorry she spoke down to you. Witnesses do that to people who say something that makes them feel uncomfortable. You’re supposed to be ‘shamed’ into complying.🙄

  The system is ‘ended’ when the creator Ends it by destruction. This pandemic doesn’t necessarily mean the ‘system’ or world is ended.

  As far as their preaching work being ‘over’, apparently that’s not the case and they are reaching out to inactive people. They have lost many people in recent years and hope to reactivate whoever they can. Since they cannot physically go out in the public ministry during the lockdown, they write, phone or text people.
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  BluesBrother

  Theh have stopped house to house , and the street trolley/ carts, but they word from the top is to witness by letter and telephone if they can... A lot of them have just stopped ,and enjoy the break. The super keen ones however do their best by phone ,and bear the cost, also letters.

  That's Witnesses for you!
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  Maria Nieves

  Thank-you LongHairGal for your support.

  Matthew 7:7 was presented to me and I spoke of having wanted a master’s degree and having obtained one.
  

  During my graduate school days, I encountered a lot of obstacles and challenges. However, I persisted and finally graduated. During my hardships, I felt that God helped me and I spoke to my previous bible study teacher of my feelings. I was not studying with the Jehovah Witnesses during my graduate school days. I began to study with the Jehovah Witnesses approximately one year after having graduated.

  After I shared my feelings, I was asked if I really believed that Jehovah helped me to obtain a master’s degree and I was asked what purpose it had served. The question sounded harsh and this was not the first time that I had been spoken to in such a manner by her. During the time that I was a study, towards the end of my study, I felt overpowered and controlled by my Bible Study Teacher. I believe that she was probably frustrated that I had spent several years studying but was not working towards baptism.

  I responded to her by telling her that in the same manner that I had obtained a master’s degree, so had she. Although I did not question her, I questioned how she could judge me for doing something that she herself had done. She is not in favor of higher education. However, she makes a living from her field of study. In addition, if she feels that having obtained higher education is so bad, the door is open for her to walk away from her current employment. But, she doesn’t walk away. Instead, she is working towards retirement. I know that she is working towards retirement because she told me.

  The amount of hypocrisy and double standards that I observed when I use to attend The Kingdom Hall is beyond belief. Higher education was discouraged but there was a pioneer at the congregation who was working towards a master’s degree while she continued to preach the good news.

  There was also a sister who was married to a financer. Just by looking at them, you would get the impression that they were financially secured. Every meeting, she would come dressed in Gucci and she would have on Christian Louboutin heels. So much for being humble and living a modest life.
  
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  Pete Zahut

  They only associate with other JW's who are the same way and I don't think they hear themselves anymore or recognize the ironies. Once they've got what they want in the way of material possessions and financial security, they seem ready to condemn others who pursue a higher education, financial security and fine material possessions of their own.

  It was a common thing to have a wealthy Elder who builds and sells large expensive houses to worldly people, give a talk or make a comment from the audience about the materialistic world that has no time for Jehovah because they are out working to support their materialistic pursuits and are storing treasures on earth rather than in heaven. They seem to ignore the fact that those materialistic world people and their ways are providing a fine living for him and his business is participating in distracting people with showy high priced homes rather than modest affordable ones.

  Often there'd be a talk given about the closeness of the end and the urgency of the message and then after the meeting the speaker or other JW's would tell you about their upcoming cruise or their 14 day vacation to some sunny destination or invite you out for lunch as if they had all the time in the world.

  During this pandemic, they are attending meetings via Zoom and writing letters to householders from their own home and are contacting backsliding relatives. Some are forming parades and driving by each others homes honking their horns and waving "we miss you" signs out the window as an encouragement or as something fun they can do to while away the time and not feel guilty.

  Nothing wrong with any of those things but once they start condemning the world and claiming that the end is here, they set themselves up for having their own lives scrutinized.
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  oppostate

  yup my wife still meets every morning via Zoom with other pioneers and then they write letters

  what if any good that does is very doubtful

  but they gotta get their time in, soooo
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  Maria Nieves

  Pete Zahut, you have explained things to me in a manner that I am able to understand. I agree with everything that you have stated and I also observed those same things when I use to study and attend The Kingdom Hall.

  It’s unbelievable to me that Jehovah Witnesses can condemn and discourage others from pursuing higher education and financial security but they themselves have achieved those same things. If they really feel that those are worldly things, then why don’t they give up those things? Why don’t they resign from their employment that requires an advance degree? Why don’t they resign from their employment that provides them with financial security? When those questions are asked, the response that is received is a hostile one and one that does not make sense and is not believable.

  The female that I spoke with today, she stated to me that pursuing higher education was the biggest mistake of her life. If it was the biggest mistake of her life, she would not have remained in her current employment.
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  Maria Nieves

  Oppostate, I was also contacted by another Jehovah Witness from The Kingdom Hall that I used to attend asking if I wanted to do the morning texts with her. I wonder if they are reporting these things as study hours.
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  HappyDad

  Letter writing is the new norm. My daughter got a letter from her JW uncle who disowned my daughter and I many years ago because we left the borg. The letter was him reminiscing about the past when all the kids were little and we had such a great time together. He even asked about me. Go figure! No witnessing in the letter but he enclosed a tract.

  None of that family was even concerned enough to see if we were ok when hurricane Irma destroyed our town of Bonita Springs, Florida in 2017. We had to evacuate to Georgia for 5 days.

  My daughter thought about writing back and being nasty because all of a sudden he thought about us?? Yeah, right!

  She laughed and said she would tell uncle ….. that I live with her but since I converted to Islam, that 5 times a day praying was getting to her. LOL

  I was looking at a JW's Facebook page and she and another JW talked about writing more letters. A friend of my daughter got a letter from an anonymous JW with a tract also.
  
  
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  LongHairGal

  MARIA NIEVES:

  Just hearing about the hypocrisy you described with your study conductor with HER higher education and career knocking YOU for getting your education makes my blood boil.. NOTE: You are being ‘groomed’ to be a drudge to do favors for all the Users. That’s my opinion of why I was treated the way I WAS.

  I do despise these Witnesses who HAVE an education/career under their belt - but yet are telling somebody else not to get it. If this woman was in my house I would tell her to get the hell out.

  Are these idiots going to pay your bills and support you in life? I’m so glad I never listened to the JWs. I would not be Retired today if I had. This is why I don’t want Witnesses coming near me asking for money or anything else.