A Letter From a JW

[SalixIncendium]

Last night was a first for me. While I'm accustomed to JWs knocking on my door to talk about their faith and have had little printed notes or pamphlets left for me, I've never experienced this.

While going through my mail, I found a beautiful hand-written note from a JW addressing me by name (not sure how she knows it or my address for that matter) making sure I was aware that the Kingdom of God is near.

It was a full page, front and back. While the likelihood of my becoming a JW is about zero as a result of this, I was a bit taken and sincerely appreciated the effort she put into writing this. It went so much further than just having a printed pamphlet dropped off.

In the note, she invited me to write back or text her, and I will likely do this, explaining that I am aware of the Kingdom, though I'm not a JW or even Abrahamic for that matter, and thanking her for the effort she put into writing and sending the letter.

I'm just curious to hear if anyone else has received such a note, how you would react if you did.

I'd also like to hear from some of our resident JWs to see if this is now a common practice given the pandemic.

 

[oldbadger]

Last night was a first for me. While I'm accustomed to JWs knocking on my door to talk about their faith and have had little printed notes or pamphlets left for me, I've never experienced this.

While going through my mail, I found a beautiful hand-written note from a JW addressing me by name (not sure how she knows it or my address for that matter) making sure I was aware that the Kingdom of God is near.

It was a full page, front and back. While the likelihood of my becoming a JW is about zero as a result of this, I was a bit taken and sincerely appreciated the effort she put into writing this. It went so much further than just having a printed pamphlet dropped off.

In the note, she invited me to write back or text her, and I will likely do this, explaining that I am aware of the Kingdom, though I'm not a JW or even Abrahamic for that matter, and thanking her for the effort she put into writing and sending the letter.

I'm just curious to hear if anyone else has received such a note, how you would react if you did.

I'd also like to here from some of our resident JWs to see if this is now a common practice given the pandemic.

Yes! Last week!

Husband and wife K and P have been visiting me for over 30 years now, and last week I received the most lovely letter from them, inviting me to take part in the Easter celebration by Zoom and telling me about their strange past year.

Last spring they did cycle past our driveway on their (lawful) exercise and so I placed chairs our on the drive for them to rest and chat. We've not seen them since then.

I do like and respect the local JWs, but sadly I don't bel;ieve what they do.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Last night was a first for me. While I'm accustomed to JWs knocking on my door to talk about their faith and have had little printed notes or pamphlets left for me, I've never experienced this.

While going through my mail, I found a beautiful hand-written note from a JW addressing me by name (not sure how she knows it or my address for that matter) making sure I was aware that the Kingdom of God is near.

It was a full page, front and back. While the likelihood of my becoming a JW is about zero as a result of this, I was a bit taken and sincerely appreciated the effort she put into writing this. It went so much further than just having a printed pamphlet dropped off.

In the note, she invited me to write back or text her, and I will likely do this, explaining that I am aware of the Kingdom, though I'm not a JW or even Abrahamic for that matter, and thanking her for the effort she put into writing and sending the letter.

I'm just curious to hear if anyone else has received such a note, how you would react if you did.

I'd also like to hear from some of our resident JWs to see if this is now a common practice given the pandemic.

I find your experience with JW and the letter really good. Personally i have never experienced this like you did. But i have to say those people from JW that i have met either by they come to my door, or by meeting them in the town, there is always a good communication and often i find JW to be the most fun people to discuss with in real life and often here in RF too

 

[Samael_Khan]

Last night was a first for me. While I'm accustomed to JWs knocking on my door to talk about their faith and have had little printed notes or pamphlets left for me, I've never experienced this.

While going through my mail, I found a beautiful hand-written note from a JW addressing me by name (not sure how she knows it or my address for that matter) making sure I was aware that the Kingdom of God is near.

It was a full page, front and back. While the likelihood of my becoming a JW is about zero as a result of this, I was a bit taken and sincerely appreciated the effort she put into writing this. It went so much further than just having a printed pamphlet dropped off.

In the note, she invited me to write back or text her, and I will likely do this, explaining that I am aware of the Kingdom, though I'm not a JW or even Abrahamic for that matter, and thanking her for the effort she put into writing and sending the letter.

I'm just curious to hear if anyone else has received such a note, how you would react if you did.

I'd also like to hear from some of our resident JWs to see if this is now a common practice given the pandemic.

Letter writing is just one of many ways that a JW can spread the good news. Other forms are cart witnessing and cold calling people on the phone.

Articles from JW.org on letter writing below:
Letter Writing Continues to Yield Encouraging Results (jw.org)
Writing Good Letters—Sample Letter (jw.org)

I engaged in it when I was a JW. It isn't as stressful as knocking on doors.

What we used to do was write a few letters at a time and distribute it in our ministry the next field service group but in those cases I never wrote the householders name because I didn't know the householders.

It would be interesting to know how they got your name. Have you spoken with JW's in the area in the past and do they know where you live?

 

[SalixIncendium]

It would be interesting to know how they got your name. Have you spoken with JW's in the area in the past and do they know where you live?

No. I've only been in this area for going on 3 years, and since I live in an apartment with a secured main entrance to the building, I have yet to have a JW drop by to visit. I don't know any JWs in this area.

The return address is the next town over. I don't recognize the name. I'll likely ask how they obtained my information, not because I'm concerned, but out of sheer curiosity.

 

[Altfish]

Last night was a first for me. While I'm accustomed to JWs knocking on my door to talk about their faith and have had little printed notes or pamphlets left for me, I've never experienced this.

While going through my mail, I found a beautiful hand-written note from a JW addressing me by name (not sure how she knows it or my address for that matter) making sure I was aware that the Kingdom of God is near.

It was a full page, front and back. While the likelihood of my becoming a JW is about zero as a result of this, I was a bit taken and sincerely appreciated the effort she put into writing this. It went so much further than just having a printed pamphlet dropped off.

In the note, she invited me to write back or text her, and I will likely do this, explaining that I am aware of the Kingdom, though I'm not a JW or even Abrahamic for that matter, and thanking her for the effort she put into writing and sending the letter.

I'm just curious to hear if anyone else has received such a note, how you would react if you did.

I'd also like to hear from some of our resident JWs to see if this is now a common practice given the pandemic.

There is a Kingdom Hall about 400 metres from our house and I too received a letter from a JW teen about a month ago; it was kinda cute, badly written and basically inviting me down to be saved.
It went in the bin.

 

[Secret Chief]

Yes, because of the pandemic the door knocking has stopped and a hand written letter was pushed through the letterbox at some point in the last year. There's no potential takers in the household so it went in the recycling.

 

[Brian2]

Last night was a first for me. While I'm accustomed to JWs knocking on my door to talk about their faith and have had little printed notes or pamphlets left for me, I've never experienced this.

While going through my mail, I found a beautiful hand-written note from a JW addressing me by name (not sure how she knows it or my address for that matter) making sure I was aware that the Kingdom of God is near.

It was a full page, front and back. While the likelihood of my becoming a JW is about zero as a result of this, I was a bit taken and sincerely appreciated the effort she put into writing this. It went so much further than just having a printed pamphlet dropped off.

In the note, she invited me to write back or text her, and I will likely do this, explaining that I am aware of the Kingdom, though I'm not a JW or even Abrahamic for that matter, and thanking her for the effort she put into writing and sending the letter.

I'm just curious to hear if anyone else has received such a note, how you would react if you did.

I'd also like to hear from some of our resident JWs to see if this is now a common practice given the pandemic.

A friend of mine here in Australia received a letter also. In part it was an invite to the memorial meal at the local Kingdom Hall. He is writing back to invite a face to face talk I think and has expressed some of his concerns about JW theology and the WT organisation I gather from what he said.

 

[Quintessence]

They've been doing this for a while.

I made a thread about it here - Advice from Outsiders - when I got one. I found it in poor taste, to be kind about it.

 

[Eddi]

The other week I got a letter from the JWs through my door

It was a letter addressed only to the occupier, in what at first looked like handwriting. But having inspected the paper and having seen how similar all the different characters were throughout the letter and how generally neat it was I concluded it was a sophisticated faux hand-written note.

Also, the ink didn't look like it was ink that had been applied to the paper by a pen. It just didn't look right enough to be genuine.

But it was fairly convincing.

I'd be interested to know what percentage of people that they bother actually end up joining them. I cannot imagine it to be large but it must surely work or else why would they keep doing it?

 

[sun rise]

I not only have never received such a letter but never heard about the practice before this thread.

 

[Samael_Khan]

A friend of mine here in Australia received a letter also. In part it was an invite to the memorial meal at the local Kingdom Hall. He is writing back to invite a face to face talk I think and has expressed some of his concerns about JW theology and the WT organisation I gather from what he said.

It would be interesting to hear how that goes. Hopefully he doesn't come across too strongly in the letter otherwise he might not get a response.

 

[Samael_Khan]

I'd be interested to know what percentage of people that they bother actually end up joining them. I cannot imagine it to be large but it must surely work or else why would they keep doing it?

It doesn't have to work because the emphasis isn't on how many people become witnesses, but how many hours you spend in the ministry. Time gets tracked and that has a role in determining whether you are in good standing with the congregation and whether you qualify for certain "privileges" in the group. They also preach so that they won't be blood guilty. The main reasons though is to glorify Jehovah's name throughout the world, Jesus said that his disciples must preach and they believe it to be a fulfillment of Matthew 24:14. So if they all of a sudden stopped preaching then none of those last three points would be fulfilled so they have to.

 

[Brian2]

It would be interesting to hear how that goes. Hopefully he doesn't come across too strongly in the letter otherwise he might not get a response.

He is tactful but JWs are such timid creatures, they seem to run when the going gets tough, and he has been known to put so much in a letter that it is overwhelming.
We'll see.

 

[SalixIncendium]

The other week I got a letter from the JWs through my door

It was a letter addressed only to the occupier, in what at first looked like handwriting. But having inspected the paper and having seen how similar all the different characters were throughout the letter and how generally neat it was I concluded it was a sophisticated faux hand-written note.

Also, the ink didn't look like it was ink that had been applied to the paper by a pen. It just didn't look right enough to be genuine.

But it was fairly convincing.

I'd be interested to know what percentage of people that they bother actually end up joining them. I cannot imagine it to be large but it must surely work or else why would they keep doing it?

Mine was different. It's on stationary and obviously not a copy, and the salutation addressed me personally. It took a bit more work than yours did.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I not only have never received such a letter but never heard about the practice before this thread.

Nor have I.

 

[Samael_Khan]

He is tactful but JWs are such timid creatures, they seem to run when the going gets tough, and he has been known to put so much in a letter that it is overwhelming.
We'll see.

Quote from one of the below articles:

"Of course, there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” (Ecclesiastes 3:7) We respond to sincere people who are interested in finding out the truth, but we avoid getting into pointless arguments. "

They will often consider a person who raises objections to their religion insincere, not wanting to find truth and raising pointless arguments.

Here are articles from their website about those who accuse them of things.:

Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Respond to All the Accusations Made Against Them? (jw.org)

Defending Our Faith — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY (jw.org)

 

[Brian2]

Quote from one of the below articles:

"Of course, there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” (Ecclesiastes 3:7) We respond to sincere people who are interested in finding out the truth, but we avoid getting into pointless arguments. "

They will often consider a person who raises objections to their religion insincere, not wanting to find truth and raising pointless arguments.

Here are articles from their website about those who accuse them of things.:

Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Respond to All the Accusations Made Against Them? (jw.org)

Defending Our Faith — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY (jw.org)

Of course it is good advice but it also seems to be part of the closing of the eyes of JW to the truth of many of those accusations, even if the accusations are completely justified.
There is a resistance on the part of JWs to find out information from you if the information disagrees with what is fed them by the WT.

 

[Samael_Khan]

Of course it is good advice but it also seems to be part of the closing of the eyes of JW to the truth of many of those accusations, even if the accusations are completely justified.
There is a resistance on the part of JWs to find out information from you if the information disagrees with what is fed them by the WT.

Spot on. So if your friend had to go to JW's with facts that disagree with the official facts that the organisation wants them to agree with then they most likely will give a standard reply, but if that standard reply is rebutted by the person they are speaking to then will consider them argumentative and stop the conversation.

When I was studying with the JW's and when I was in the group I was considered argumentative because I asked too many questions that couldn't be answered with a simple answer. In their Bible Teach book they have a section on Jesus being Michael. When I was studying and went through that with them I didn't agree, saying that Michael is ONE of the chief princes in Daniel which means that there are many archangels, but they couldn't reply and told me to disregard my objection to the teaching and must just accept it. They said I was being too argumentative and should just follow the "simple" teachings of the Bible, a book which isn't simple at all.

Even on this forum I will post articles directly from their website to support an argument I am making and they will say it is apostate lies, even though it comes from their official website. This shows the mentality they have, that they can't stand scrutiny if it isn't on their terms.

But not all JW's are like this so your friend should give it a shot no matter what, but may need to consider the tactics he use. I have been blunt on many occasions and presented facts from the get go, but I drove those I was speaking to away because I came across too strong.

 

[Brian2]

Spot on. So if your friend had to go to JW's with facts that disagree with the official facts that the organisation wants them to agree with then they most likely will give a standard reply, but if that standard reply is rebutted by the person they are speaking to then will consider them argumentative and stop the conversation.

When I was studying with the JW's and when I was in the group I was considered argumentative because I asked too many questions that couldn't be answered with a simple answer. In their Bible Teach book they have a section on Jesus being Michael. When I was studying and went through that with them I didn't agree, saying that Michael is ONE of the chief princes in Daniel which means that there are many archangels, but they couldn't reply and told me to disregard my objection to the teaching and must just accept it. They said I was being too argumentative and should just follow the "simple" teachings of the Bible, a book which isn't simple at all.

Even on this forum I will post articles directly from their website to support an argument I am making and they will say it is apostate lies, even though it comes from their official website. This shows the mentality they have, that they can't stand scrutiny if it isn't on their terms.

But not all JW's are like this so your friend should give it a shot no matter what, but may need to consider the tactics he use. I have been blunt on many occasions and presented facts from the get go, but I drove those I was speaking to away because I came across too strong.

A bit like treading on egg shells.
I have supplied evidence from sources with links to the WT online library and quotes and dates from Watchtower Magazines and as far as I know they have not been read.
I have a discussion going with nPeace which started on Religious Atheists ( Religious Atheists? ) but was transferred to another thread, Link , if you're interested.
I haven't been there for a few days onto the new thread. It is almost as if I want to take the same advice that the WT gives it's members,,,,,,,,,,which is how I feel sometimes about discussions on the forums in general at times.