Today at the grocery store , I ran into a lady that has been studying with the JW's for years,,,,,,,, I mean 10 years or more. She was a prostitute, a crack addict, you name it this lady did it. She is 40 something at least and is raising her two youngest children, 3 and 4 yrs. old. She has, as far as I know not been a prostitute and not a drug dealer, which is very common in the area she used to live in,for several years now.
Honestly, this lady IMO , only studied with this one Sis. Holy, ( P.O."s wife ) because if she studied with her, this Sis. would do things for her, like help her to the stores, take her to the doctor etc. ( all the while as we know,,,,,,,,,,counting her time!!!!!!!!!!)
I haven't seen this lady in 3 yrs or so, and she was shocked that I went up to her and hugged her , and even remembered her. I told her of course I remembered her, I had been to her house with Sis. Holy, even when she was never there for the studies.......lol.
We went thru alot of small talk about kids,,,,,,,,,,,she was wondering if my oldest son would even remember her , and I told her of course he would, he never forgets anyone. She felt happy to know that we still thought about her. I told her I haven't been associated with the witnesses for at least 2 yrs. and she said,,,,,,,,,well I haven't been to a meeting in 3 yrs.
She told me that her mother had a massive stroke and was bound to the bed, and she had to take care of her , in her home, and the two small children( she has grandkids older than these two she had later in life) .
When her mother first had her stroke ,Sister Holy , went by and told her........ that if she didnt get back to meetings and her study............." she wasn't going to make it".....( meaning Armeggedon)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My mouth fell open,,,,,,,,,and I said.........." OH, NO SHE DIDN'T!!!!!!!!!!!,,,,,,,,SHE JUST DIDN"T SAY YOU WERE GONNA DIE DID SHE??????" ( You should see me when I get riled up about something, I get loud, and everyone can hear and see my hands talking right with my big mouth.....lol)
This lady said, yeah she did, and that she was so upset and distraut over her past..........things she did that everyone knew about, and her Mama's stroke,,,,,and then this Sister Holy giving her a death sentence, that she thought of suicide..........OMG!!!!!!!!!
I got sick to my stomach,,,, I asked this lady,,," well who put Sister Holy as the judge of you"????
I said you know what, I am not sure what I believe as in everything I was taught before, but if I do go to the scriptures............we only have salvation by the Grace of God, Jesus...........we do the best we can, if we make mistakes,,,,,,,,which we will,,,,,,,,we move on and do for others, and be the best we can be. Salvation is by the Grace of God, and a gift , no pioneering or preaching is going to win you the prize. We accept Jesus as our Savior and we do the best we can with our lives.
I am saying this all the while, not knowing for sure why I am saying this, but this lady is a believer of Jesus and if I have a grain of faith ,I hope I can stand up for that Gift . I feel for me it is a matter of time, healing and study , before I can truly cleanse the palate of the lies I was taught in order to start with real truth from a fresh.
She thanked me for saying that , because that is what she thought too. She told me even thou I was an elders wife, that when I used to talk to her or go by the house, I never was judgemental, that I always said you just do what you can. I told her that even back then,,,,,,, I knew that something was quite wrong with the religion I was in, I just didn't know it exactly as I do now.
She cried and hugged me and I told her about another church she might look into,,,,,,,,,,a non -denominational church that really helps the community.........abused women, children, the poor , homeless and hungry. She said I wasn't the first person to tell her about this place and that she would look into that for sure.
I told her that if I were her,,,,,,,, I would stay away from the JW's and do not listen to Sister Holy,,,,,,,she is not your judge,,,,,,,,,how dare she make a judgement on if you survive God's judgement.
All in all,,,,,,,,,, I felt like I was doing a reverse JW informal preaching episode. It was like I just had to say these things to this woman or I wouldnt be able to sleep at night.
I hope that she passes the word on to all those she knows,,,,,,,,,,,,,,including and especially Sister Holy,,,,,,,,,because I feel it is important to stop the JW's in their tracks!!!!!