Prepare for an encounter with a JW

by Sirona 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  Sirona

  After reading Cyber-Sister's post about a JW who knocked on her door, I thought it might be a good idea to talk about preparing ourselves for the almost inevitable time when a JW will try to "preach to us" and try to get us to return.

  Like Cyber-Sister I met a JW fairly recently who immediately started preaching to me. She said Jehovah had removed his holy spirit from me and that is why I can't see the "truth". At the time I was taken unawares and didn't really know what to say, apart from that I don't believe it anymore. Afterwards I was annoyed and pretty shook up (annoyance mostly).

  So if you feel as though you might be shook up in your next encounter with a JW, then why not prepare something to say to them?

  Does anyone have any effective (but not too rude!) short responses? Something we can easily remember but which will be really effective?

  I thought of this a while back but didn't have the guts to use it:

  "I found out some things about what we were taught that made it impossible for me to carry on attending. The watchtower society has lied to you, and I have proof of that from their own publications. I'm not interested in destroying people's faith, so maybe we should just leave it at that? of course if you want more info I can tell you where to find it"

  Sirona
• 

  FMZ

  lol, just do what I did. Tell them, "Thanks, but no thanks. I am now an apostate. If you would like, I will tell you why I became one, but I don't think you want that, now, do you?".

  Slowly they backed off my porch.

  FMZ
• 

  Yizuman

  Well, each and every one is a victim of a lie and they don't know it. So why does being hostile towards them have to be the only attitude when they approach the door?
  

  Well before I had my first JW come knocking on my door, I was prepared because I read many of David Reed's books and did my own research using the bible to find conteractions to their contridictions. My first JW encounter was at work, this is where it lead me to study about their religion, learning about their false doctrines and false prophecies. I also learned their flip-flops in the Society's teachings. The most useful I found was their "old light" to "new light" to "old light" to "new light" again. This brings them to a loop. The best tool I learned was to use "questions" as a way to teach them about the Society without letting them know that I am teaching them about the Society. Simply because every JW is trained to LOVE questions, the society gave them a false sense of superiority and I took advantage of it.

  So if you wanna try and be prepared, try like I do, go to the local Christian bookstore and pick up "How to Rescue Your Love Ones from the Watchtower" by David A. Reed, this is a good start, the rest you can learn on your own. Study the bible throughly, like I did. Get your highlighter and outline scriptures that YOU know a JW has never seen or heard of. I read all of Dave's book and they have been envaluable to me in getting the tools I need to witness to them.

  Only 3 I know left the borg and I hope many more left as a result of my encounter with them. Of course I realize the longer you are in the Borg, the harder it becomes to leave it. Especially when it comes to friends and families. Getting in the borg is easy, it's getting out is hard.

  Yiz
• 

  Cicatrix

  How about, "Thanks for your concern. I know where the Kingdom Hall is, and if I ever wish to return, you'll see me there."
  
  It worked for me:)I did cut them off with that BEFORE they began their speil, though.Kinda left them with no where to go conversation wise, so they left. I plan to say the same thing every time they come, as long as it continues to work.
• 

  BONEZZ

  Getting in the borg is easy, it's getting out is hard.

  Yiz....kinda like the mafia huh? You hit the nail on the head. They are so thoroughly trained to stick their turtle heads into their shells when they are confronted head to head, that the only way to possibly reach them is, like you said, act like an interested one and pepper them with "innocent" questions. Most of them (myself included) did not know of the flip-flops, all the false dates, etc. If someone had confronted me with that info I would have brushed it aside and written off the source. However, if I thought a person was truly sincere I might have been inclined to do some research into old WTBS crap and come up with some of my own questions. If they think they've got a potential bible study, they might try and answer a few of your questions before they try and hustle you into the latest book for indoctrination.

  -BONEZZ

  PS. If the dubbie does not know me, I always use the, "when I was in college I did a research paper on you guys and came up with a number of questions." I tell them I researched their Org by using some of their publications and old news articles (never mention internet), i.e. the San Diego whatever and discovered Fudge Rutherford's mansions and stuff.
• 

  Richie

  There is a book that is written about JW's and in it you'll find an enormous amount of information on how you can effectively respond to JW's and back it up with all kinds of scriptures - I glanced through this book at a time when I was visiting some people the other day, but forgot to note the title of it. In a way it's very similar to their publication called "Reasoning from the Scriptures" but to be used AGAINST the "reasoning" of the Witnesses. I will come back and give you the title; in fact I will buy this book myself asap....
  

  Richie :*)
• 

  cyber-sista

  Thanks Sirona for posting this,

  Strange thing was I thought I was prepared. Actually, I have prepared to talk to any elders who come around. Because of what they did to me I have a lot harder line for them. I hold them accountable for many things that happened to me and to others in the congo and I wouldn't mind slamming them with something . It was this sister though she is so dense and in denial and not listening or hearing anything I was trying to say that was freaking me out. She had that glazed over look in her eyes and she was droning on robotically in this real sweet voice. I felt like I was trapped in her dialog. She is a victim. She is like a sleepwalking person and I felt it could be dangerous to wake her up. It was creepy.

  Looking forward to reading any suggestions here.
• 

  kls

  I am so prepared, let them come to my door and see an evil apostate with eyes burning red tell them to get off my property, i welcome them anytime. Chances are they will never want to come back.
• 

  XQsThaiPoes

  Like Cyber-Sister I met a JW fairly recently who immediately started preaching to me. She said Jehovah had removed his holy spirit from me and that is why I can't see the "truth". At the time I was taken unawares and didn't really know what to say, apart from that I don't believe it anymore. Afterwards I was annoyed and pretty shook up (annoyance mostly).

  Unless you were anointed you never had the holy spirit. Anyone ever tell me that I am going off on them, and cutting them down with their own watchtowers.
• 

  reboot

  That's a good point Sirona, if you've prepared something in your mind you'll probably be able to 'find' it when you're taken unnawares next time.

  Iv'e only been called on once since I've left and wrote one letter.

  I simply told them , 'I'm sorry, I can't come back to meetings because due to the UN issue and the Child Abuse cases that ar'nt being dealt with in a christian way and the behaviour of Elder X, my concience won't allow it'.