Ack. Hee-hee! I was visiting my grandparents because my grandmother is quite ill. The doorbell rings, and my grandfather says, "I bet it's those Jehovah's Witnesses." As I can move faster than either of them, I got to the door first. *evil grin*
Years ago, my grandfather made the mistake of telling a JW woman what his name was. So now every year or so (Is this the average for RV's or were they just trying to notch up some time doing bogus RV's?), she stops by. She was with a man who I am almost certain was an elder. She mentioned she spoke to him (said his name) and leaves magazines for him. She then launched into the standard JW drivel...'We're speaking to people about the problem of homelessness. Do you think there will ever be a time when there are no homeless?' *yawn boring said the same thing myself years ago*
I told her that my father was a Witness. I didn't let on that I was DF'd. The elder asked what I thought of the religion. *insert sound of can of worms being opened*
I smiled, and said I used to be a Witness too, but I left because I had a serious problem with one of their policies. (Did I mention I'm up for Understatement of the Year Award?) I proceeded to tell them my issues with the child abuse policies, protecting the organisation rather than the children, etc., etc. I told them that the way the policy works now, parents have no way of knowing whether or not there are sexual predators in their congregations. I told them that I had been abused (didn't say by whom), and that the elders had told the abuser, who admitted his crimes, that he was allowed to remain an elder.
At that point, the elder said, "Oh, I don't believe that." I simply raised my eyebrow at him for having the nerve to call me a liar, and he shut up. I then informed him that I had been told this by both the elders and the abuser. I told him that no one else in the congregation knew that a sexual predator was in their midst, and that I knew of many other cases where the same thing had happened, because I had researched it.
He then said, "Where did you research that? The Internet?" (Said with as much disdain and loathing as is possible to get into one word.) I said, "No, court cases are a matter of public record. I used to work for the government." *innocent gaze skyward* All I got out of him after that was an "oh."
I put a few bugs in their ears, all of which I am certain went unheard by Holy Righteous Know-It-All Elder. But I watched the "sister." She looked a lot more thoughtful. I think I touched a nerve with her when I said, "How do you think all those parents would feel if they knew their children were associating with admitted sexual predators?"
Who knows? I have no doubt Mr. Elder Man is a lost cause, but the woman actually did look like she was considering what I said. *shrug*
That's the first time a Witness has spoken to me since I left 5 years ago. I still haven't seen them at my door, even though I live in a different country now. No one here knows I'm DF'd.
They found me when I visited the US
by Wolfgirl 8 Replies latest jw friends
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Wolfgirl
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doofdaddy
Well said Wolfgirl.
Imagine the conversation back in the car.
Elder: Wicked apostate slurring the wt's good name..
Woman: Hmmmm
Elder: She wasn't abused as the elders would have dealt with it
Woman: Hmmmm
Elder: You don't believe her do you?
Woman: Hmmmm
Elder: Watch your attitude sister, as you are showing signs of rebelliousness
Woman: Hmmmmmm
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zagor
Yup, when you are flying in clouds its hard to believe that some people are down in trenches.
I know their attitudes all too well. The assumption is that mother WTBS and all its children are spotless and everyone else is just making up stories to spoil their good name. It is a blissful existence, unfortunately too many of others not so fortunate are suffering in silence while “perfect” WTBS elders are congratulation each other as if they are masters of the universe. -
OldSoul
You might be surprised, Wolfgirl. Sometimes "elder men" don't have a clue what is going on either.
Wolfgirl plants, someone else does the watering...you never know where it might grow.
Respectfully,
OldSoul -
Goldminer
Way to go Wolfgirl! I get very frustrated when they just try to deny serious wrongdoings(child abuse,UN) like it's all taken care of and they did nothing wrong.I'd love to go to another town and have a jw who doesn't know me try to pull their good-religion cheese on me.
Goldminer
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upside/down
Yup...*yawn boring said the same thing myself years ago*
u/d
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blondie
Actually this is a way all people tend to react to child abuse accusations, saying that the victim is lying, whether it be the WTS, the Catholic Church, the Lutherans, the Mormons (just about any religious group that has a reputation they want to maintain). It happens with sexual harassment charges in businesses and government, the victim is not believed.
It is just that the WTS says they are the only true religion and that God speaks only through them. With that self-anointing, we should expect better of them than the groups above.
Blondie
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Es
heheh that was great well done
es
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Wolfgirl
Thanks. :) It was rather amusing to do. I've wanted a chance to talk to one of them for a while now.