JWs in Switzerland

Now I get a form letter inviting me to learn what they say God says about the pandemic. Less disruptive, I guess.

The pandemic is less disruptive than god, or the other way around?

They're both less disruptive than JW's knocking on the door.

The JWs stopped coming about 2 years ago when Billag was replaced by Serafe.

And I miss them.

It was worth arguing once in a while to save 400 CHF a year.

They were never the smartest peas in the pod and it was quite easy to totally confuse them.

I am careful with knocking down spiritual people who go tracking door to door, it's not like they have a say in their church's mechanisms and marketing.

US Mormons have done a lot of charity work after revolution in my hometown, it wasn't easy for them, they were 18. They used to hate bothering folks at home, but had no choice..

Did you mean "machinations" or "mechanisms"? Either seems valid, and your point is a good one.

Yeah, spelling demon took over me

Well, I meant shinenigans.

We don't save you 400fr, I know

I've always found Jehovah's Witnesses to be nice people, even when knocking on my door, and even though I don't find their particular view of god compelling. Same for Mormons, although I've never had one knock on my door.

I offer Jehovah's Witnesses water and the use of my bathroom, and politely send them on their way.

Every couple of months we get a hand written, hand (non post man) delivered letter in our mailbox .. Addressed to Family _H ..

It's like a full A4 page of nonsense. Stuff about being happy and loving each other and friendliness ..

First time I skipped to the end to see if there was a point to it and noticed the [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) email address.

Yet to notice who drops it in the mailbox

I wish they'd come here. I wonder: What *does* God say about the pandemic?

Pretty much the same as what God says about most things - Not much.

But special humans can interpret this into all sorts of things, much like somebody talking about abstract art.

I guess maybe they're having a global drive - I had a letter forwarded to me by my sister last week, went to my address in Scotland. New couple who have moved into our small housing development who are JW's, said they're sending out letters as they can't door knock due to covid and it contained a pamphlet with details of the local meetings and the JW.org website.

As my house is on a private gated development, I hope they don't think they have a captive audience

The JWs were my first visitors in Switzerland.

Two ladies came a-callin' shortly after the moving van left. Speaking no German and still imbued with 'Midwest Nice' social norms, I invited them in while I tried to puzzle out who they were and what they wanted.

Once the penny dropped I politely declined and thought I pulled it off... until the next day when the two ladies appeared again, to escort me to a meeting.

I fell back on the confused expat thing and beat a hasty retreat. Then signed up for a German course.

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Five years and another move later, this time with somewhat functional German, I ran into a nice older lady while out walking the dogs, exchanged pleasantries as you do. And kept running into her most days. Turns out she is the local JW.

So while I've had many walks discussing the finer points of whether dogs will be counted among the 144,000... I can't knock the JWs. She is the only person in the village who has ever offered me 'per Du'.

Their thing isn't my thing, but the Swiss JWs are polite and friendly. So live and let live.

Same thing when we moved into This Old House. First visitor was a JW with her little girl. When I professed not to speak German (yeah, a cheap way out), the girl handed me a pamphlet and told me in English who they were. They were sweet and not pushy.

I wish I could say the same for them back in Britain, they sometimes have a way of talking to you whereby you don't realise they're JW at first. At least when you opened the door and they said "we're from the Watchtower" you knew where you stood and could politely say no thanks. My dad used to claim he was RC to get rid of them.

Back in the late 60s my mother used to invite Mormons in, she asked one pair if they'd give her a copy of The Book of Mormon to read, then come back a week later to debate it with her

That's rather nice, I'll adopt that approach.

The rain falls on the good and the bad (Matthew 5:45). And don't listen to conspiracy theories. (Isaiah 8:12)

Bernard Black explains the Gospel to avoid doing a tax return.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6TeDM-wlZ4

I watched Black Books again during the first lockdown last year, forgot how funny it was. When I was an undergraduate I used to buy books from a shop that looked exactly like it. Bernard reminds me of a shambling mess of a friend of ours from Yorkshire who's lived in Spain for 36 years, he just turned 60 today and we wondered how he made it that far

Several years ago, I was recovering post-op at home, when two young Mormons rang the bell. Since I was bored, I let them in. They were relieved that I spoke English, and were delightful young men: witty, attentive, serious, interesting, intelligent and polite. So I let them tell me their whole thing, and asked a lot of questions. I told them clearly that I had no interest in becoming a Mormon and would not convert to their religion. Neverthelss, we had a nice discussion, laughed a lot, and they promised to return in few days' time, which they did.

When they returned for their third visit, I asked how much time they had left before they'd have to return to the States.

"Less than two months!"

And I asked: "And does your family know?"

"Know what ?"

I replied: "Well, I mean, about the two of you. Do they know?"

They blushed deeply and swallowed hard and one whispered: "Please, what do you mean?"

I said: "Well, I may be reading you wrong, but to me, you look like you love each other very much, and that you'd like to spend the rest of your lives together, as a couple. In other words: I think you're gay. And I don't think your religion likes that, very much."

For a moment neither spoke, then one started to cry, and then they told me how they'd been trying to "struggle against their same-sex attraction" but had finally given that up and admitted that this is sex, and in their case this is also love.

That visit and the next one were all about when to come out, if at all, and to whom, and how their parents and religious leaders were sure to condemn and possibly reject them, and how many gay people there might be in the world, and what would happen if they were shunned or left on their own accord, and where they could go and how they might earn a living, and how if they didn't stay they wouldn't be able to pay for their education, and whether one could keep such a matter secret, and why it is healthy to be true to oneself.

They left grateful to have been heard. It was all rather wonderful, and rather sad that such love could not be enjoyed and celebrated.

Many many years ago when my mum was still alive she invited a couple of young Mormon missionaries into her house and fed them and had a long chat . The only condition was that they wouldn’t mention anything religious . They kept their side of the agreement and they came back many times and stayed in touch for many many years, even after they returned to the USA . My mum described them as very polite and agreeable young fellows.