My older brother is studying with the witnesses. He was raised in a JW household like we all were but he never committed to it. He stopped attending meetings at 18yo, made a lot of bad decisions in his life and now, at 35yo is having a bible study. He's the poster boy of "what happens to people when they want to experience the world".
This was the first time we'd spoken in months. He's been shunning me like the rest of my family have (even though he's not a JW yet, so he can actually talk to me if he wants to).
We talked for about an hour about whats new with me and i kept it very nice and told him how great my life is now. It was HE who turned the topic to "the truth" in the last 20mins. Unfortunately for him, he's talking to a once very committed JW who did A LOT of research and bible reading before leaving the cult. So although he was trying to make me "see sense and return to Jehovah" it actually ended up with me planting some seeds.
He told me that his study has told him "you're asking too many questions. When you get baptized things will become more apparent. Wait on Jehovah." I had to get him to repeat that because it sounded too incredible. Yes, he's asking "too many questions". I told him there's no such thing as too many questions.
The following seeds were planted:
The bible students used to teach that Christ would return in 1914 and bring Armageddon. When that never happened they then said that Christ did return but he was invisible. (He didnt believe this, so i sent him a scan from one of Russel's books later that evening). Now, this cant be true because the bible says Christ will return in the same manner that he left. And when he left, the apostles saw him float up to heaven with their own eyes. So if he's to return in the same manner, that means we'd see him with our own eyes come down from heaven.
Acts 1:11: and said: “Men of Galʹi·lee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was taken up from you into the sky will come in the same manner as you have seen him going into the sky.”
When we were kids, our dad used to say that Armageddon would definitely come within our lifetimes. Because there were people alive that were alive in 1914 who will still be here when Armageddon comes. Remember the generation that will never pass away?
He then said "yes, but it's been updated" (he said it as if that was a positive thing). So i said "why do you think they changed it?" and he replied "well, because they all died".
Then he went on about how he's nearly finished "the book". I asked what book, the bible? He said "no, the Bible Teach book." So i asked him how much of the bible has he read on his own. He said "he reads the bible with the Watchtowers and books and looks up the scriptures they tell him to". So i said "If you're having a bible study, the bible alone should be what you're studying, and the final word on your beliefs - if of course you believe the bible". (he knows im agnostic). Then comes the kicker... he said "yes but its impossible to understand the bible without the Watchtower." I asked him to repeat that. He did. I asked "why do you say that?". "Well, because gods chosen channel is the governing body and only they can tell us what the bible really teaches". I asked why he thinks that. His answer was "because it says so in the Watchtower".
As incredible as that sounds that actually what he said. I very nicely told him of the many, many, many errors the Watchtower has made and told him to read the Feb 2017 Watchtower which confirms they're neither inspired or infallible. Then i asked him where does the "new light" come from if they're not inspired?.
He said he'd ask his study conductor.
There seems to be a trend lately. A few weeks ago my sister rings out of the blue (see my previous posts) and now this with my brother. They end up going away with more questions for their elders than me feeling scared of the big org.