Maybe two saturdays ago, Jehovah's witnesses were unleashed onto my neighborhood, haunting all the doors of confused and regretful old Chinese folk.
I read somewhere before, while there are differences within Christianity, we should never have an open debate against another Christian denomination in the presence of non-Christians. And I know better. Faith is great, but the peculiarities drive people mad and sometimes the original intentions can be completely forgotten. Two Saturdays ago, there was a knock at my door. I nonchalantly went to open the door, and noticed the brown-hair-white-skin head through the transom of our door. Door opened. At this point I didn't even think of Jehovah's witnesses. As the Asian lady next to the white lady spoke to me in mandarin, I noticed suited up white men walking down and up my street with a gladness I suppose. When the Asian lady stopped, I told them I spoke English. They said they were here on a community outreach event, a social program. Then they gave me pamphlets and I read "Jehovah's Witnesses" on the papers. "Oh, you're Jehovah's Witnesses".. why didn't they just say so instead of pretending like they're sent from CASL(an actual local non-profit socio-organization) or something. They confirmed that they were JW's. And I said, "well I'm a Christian and I already go to church here in Chinatown." "We're Christians, too!" the white woman flared back as her eyes widened. "Have you ever wondered why there are so many different denominations?" "...yeah" "and which one is the right one?" She opened her bible to educate me
"Day after day in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5:42"
She continued, "Don't you think the ones who follow after Jesus' example as displayed here are the true followers?"
"I'm sure God knows"
"Yes, He does" she snapped back.
"God bless, bye bye now"
Today these two black women came to my door while I was in the bathroom. It was already at least 5 minutes, but they were still there. my dad didn't want to open the door, not because he is shy, but because it's annoying. So we watched them from the window. They finally leave our stoop, and uh-oh.. my uncle was just walking by.. they talk to him for several minutes and gave him papers and got into their van. So they didn't go to any other houses, JUST OURS. and while driving away, I noticed the Asian lady from two weeks ago driving the van. Wow.. just wow.. I really felt like while they talked to me they talked to me as if I was the devil incarnate. Now they sent back-up to come to MY HOUSE, no one else's. I feel lots of things from them-upset, confounded, judged- just not loved like by Christ.
The true example of Jesus-following, I don't necesarily think is knocking on people's doors. Honestly, I think Jesus and his disciples actually got to KNOW the people. They took the time to know their concerns. Those women didn't even give me their names. Maybe they forgot, but I think Jesus lives with and among his people. I think Jesus would be at the bars, the night clubs, the sketchy dunkin donuts, the BP gas stations, the places the "good" people would never go, but would label and discriminate against. He would go to the projects of Chicago, the gang-ridden communities and he would show them love. Maybe that could begin with a piece of paper. But to call other denominations false because I don't knock of people's doors? Are you kidding me? I think God knows. I'm grateful for their faith for God, but I don't know about the method. I know God makes even the worst of situations, even cults, into glory-revealing situations. Ah.. I really don't care for JW's
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