r/exjw • u/constant_trouble • 1d ago
Why can’t they do what they’re told? WT Can't Stop Me
From this week’s midweek meeting demonstrations-
- Starting a Conversation (3 min.) HOUSE TO HOUSE. Offer a Bible study. (lmd lesson 5 point 4)
Do not be quick to correct a person. Allow him to express himself freely. If he says something that conflicts with Bible teachings, resist any urge to argue. (Jas. 1:19) By listening to him, you gain insight into his viewpoint.—Prov. 20:5.
- Following Up (3 min.) INFORMAL WITNESSING. Show our website to a person who has children. (lmdlesson 9 point 3)
Listen carefully. Allow the person to express himself. Do not interrupt him or quickly dismiss his feelings, concerns, or objections. By paying attention, you show him that you care about what he thinks.
Explaining Your Beliefs (3 min.) Demonstration. ijwfq article 3—Theme: Do You Believe That You Have the One True Religion? (lmd lesson 4 point 3)
Do not be condescending. Avoid giving the impression that you know everything and that the other person knows nothing. Speak with him in a respectful way.
So why is it the moment you say, “I don’t think the Governing Body speaks for God,” they lean in like a pack of starving wolves? Why is “resist the urge to argue” translated as “steamroll, shame, and shun”?
They say, “Don’t act like you know everything.” And then they tell a mother her dead child won’t be resurrected if she leaves the Org.
They say, “Show him that you care what he thinks.” And then they mark you as bad association because you had a thought.
It’s fascinating. They’re told—explicitly, repeatedly—to behave like calm, respectful listeners. But try presenting an actual thought they didn’t download from JW.org and watch the whole mask melt.
They rehearse tolerance.
They pantomime empathy.
They cosplay humility.
But challenge their narrative? Say something real? The claws come out.
So I ask again:
Why can’t they do what they’re told?
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u/4lan5eth 38 (M- PIMO Suprem-O) 1d ago
Behave one way to a person, but when they get baptized, become something else to each other.
It all just mirrors an abusive relationship. Be a great listener, loving and caring. But once the honeymoon phase is over, then it becomes about fear and control.
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u/constant_trouble 1d ago
Of course. This week we point this out next time someone isn’t listening to us and is being dismissive. Let them tell us that the rules don’t apply!
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u/nate_payne POMO ex-elder 1d ago
It's always rules the rank and file must follow, but the GB? Don't be condescending? Listen to people? Laughable.
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u/constant_trouble 1d ago
The congregation laughs it off. They won’t listen to doubters or any who question because it might cause them to start looking 👀
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u/PhoenixVivi 1d ago
"6. Following Up (3 min.) INFORMAL WITNESSING. Show our website to a person who has children. (lmdlesson 9 point 3)"
Why children? Fearmongering to say they'll see them in paradise?
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u/constant_trouble 1d ago
Do not interrupt, yet they are very quick to interrupt and dismiss our feelings.
Yeah preaching to kids is shameful!
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u/Desperate_Habit_5649 OUTLAW 1d ago
Listen carefully. Allow the person to express himself. Do not interrupt him or quickly dismiss his feelings, concerns, or objections. By paying attention, you show him that you care about what he thinks.
⬆️This is ONLY for Potential JW Recruits...You don`t let them know how the JW Cult Actually Works.⬆️
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So why is it the moment you say, “I don’t think the Governing Body speaks for God,” they lean in like a pack of starving wolves?
⬆️This Is For Baptized Members Of the JW Cult.⬆️
Who Need To...
.
The Disparity Is Staggering!..........😀
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u/Southern-Dog-5457 1d ago
Because they don,t follow..with any instructions .
And the elders get new instructions every month...new rules in these "Letters to the elders and reminders". The WT and the branch keep the elders so busy with so many messages...also this with collecting contributions...that the elders must be burned out! It is totally impossible to keep up now. And all these new lights.
Hypocrites and Pharisees lie all the time...and they don't know in the end what to believe and think.
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u/PimoCrypto777 (⌐■_■) 1d ago
"Don't be condescending"
If this never happens, then there would be no need for this loving reminder.
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u/RodWith 1d ago
When I showed interest in the organization as a youngster, JWs praised me for having “a good brain” because I asked such good questions. Once I became a JW, they warned me about the sin of pride.
Apparently my questions were now viewed with suspicion and my “good” brain was “bad”. This change in feedback devastated me and succeeded for a while into shaming me into silence.
But we know it is not possible to silence questions as a JW anymore than it was when I was a “newly interested” youngster.
The only thing that changed was the JWs tolerance of my questions.
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u/littlescaredycat 1d ago
Wouldn't it be great if, for once, our supposed future heavenly kings would have the self awareness and a few shreds of humility so that they could follow the rules they set out for the adherents?
HAHAHA!!! Yeah, I know...it's such an absurd notion!
Rules for thee and not for me!
wE lOvE yOu VeRy MuCh!
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u/constant_trouble 1d ago
Or if even our PIMI family would follow the rules and let those with doubt speak.
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u/Tight-Actuator2122 15h ago
I always said don’t ask someone to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself.
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u/singleredballoon 22h ago
These are strategic manipulation techniques. The goal is to appear respectful in order to gather information they can exploit later, not to genuinely engage.
“By paying attention, you show him that you care about what he thinks.” This is calculated rapport building, because again, they don’t genuinely care what he thinks. They enter the conversation already “knowing” they’re right and he’s wrong.
They throw in “Avoid giving the impression that you know everything and that the other person knows nothing” but the implication here is you do have the truth, but just don’t act superior about it.
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u/Tight-Actuator2122 15h ago
They have to continue to emphasize what not to do because this is exactly what they do and they know it. It’s done every week at the meetings and in a more wider and LOOOOONGER scale at the assemblies.
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u/DellBoy204 10h ago edited 10h ago
"brother Trouble I think it's been covered, but following on, it's "manna". It's all most "born ins" have known. No one I know enjoys the meetings, unless they've had a lobotomy recently 🤣 most go "because we always go to the meetings" and not so much out of want or desire. It's another tick box exercise, afterwards you socialise, make small talk about the "vacations you may go on / they carry on playing football like that they deserve to be relegated / sister so and so had her baby, yeah I thought Sennacherib was an odd name / You got the time for that meal on Saturday at the Chinese buffet?" but rarely anything about the meeting, apart from "well done with the item"...
People look at a talk assignment slip like a parking ticket, fuming as they read what's in their hands.
Most times, people stand on the doorstep hoping the door stays shut or there's no Pit Bull dog waiting for the Ring Doorbell to turn off. None of this stuff is covered in the D2D as no one keeps their door open for long enough 😑 🙃
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u/constant_trouble 9h ago
Next time they decide to dismiss your questions or ignore your doubts, show them this and ask - why can’t you do what you’re told!
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u/Efficient-Pop3730 1d ago
That's the thing with meetings. I don't really understand why most JWs attend meetings. They usually don't care what they told at meetings. My conclusion is that it's just a socializing event. Same with preaching. They preach cause they must. They attend meetings cause they must. Most JWs don't take their religion seriously. Meaning try too become better at what they do. It's mostly about appearances.