A Conversation with a Jehovah's Witness from France

I just had a really nice conversation at my doorstop with an older woman from France who was with the Jehovah's Witnesses. Normally those conversations are short and cordial but they don't tend to go very well. When you get older you get bolder. 

Usually I just say sorry. You're going around telling all the good people out there not to vote in elections. I don't believe that's God's work. Then they say oh but we believe in God's government when Jesus' returns. Yeah I know. So do I. I just believe it's our duty to resist evil while we're here before that happens. We normally just agree to disagree. 

Today I answer the door and I see her with a pamphlet that looks like it an invitation to attend their annual communion service which they just hold once a year and I say Jehovah's Witness? She hesitates to answer my question and keeps speaking. I say wait a sec. You sound French but you don't sound like you're from Quebec. Are you from France?

She smiled and said yes. Then we talked quite a bit about France and Quebec. She and her husband came to Quebec from France in 1967 during Expo when she was 22. I mentioned how we learn French in school but it was the French from France. Quebec French is very different. It's like Shakespearean English. She laughed and said when she first went to Quebec she couldn't understand anyone. They said do you speak French or not and she said well up until now I thought I did.

I really like Quebec and I really like France. They're different but similar. I said as a chef all our cooking terms were in French but my pronunciation of languages isn't very good. 

My son in law taught me a new saying to use on one of the Colombians at the gym. He laughed and said he understood you but you have a gringo accent. I suck. Same with any language. My kids are really good at languages. I'm not. Speaking other langues is a sign of being educated. 

I'd kind of like to go for coffee with them and hang out. Talk about France and Quebec. Maybe work on my French. That's one of the reasons my French sucks is because I never get a chance to practice it. Pierre Poilievre's French is pretty good. I guess that's because he's grandfather is from France. 

Anyways, we're taking for quite a while and she mentions her faith and I say I'm Mormon. Well was. I'm not active. She didn't freak out. She was very respectful. She kept talking and sharing pamphlets. Her husband came to see what was taking her so long. I asked her when she became a Jehovah's Witness and she said she was raised Catholic.

She said back in France you used to see nuns and priests walking around all the time but you don't see that here and you don't see that so much any more in France. I said I saw that in Ireland back in the /80's. I like Catholics because they are sincere and aren't all in your face about their religion. 

She was talking about some of the cultural differences when she first came to Canada. She said she asked a lady at the store for a baguette but the lady didn't understand her. So I reached into my kitchen and pulled one out and she smiled and said yes. 

Anyways, it was a really positive conversation. I really liked the cultural history but I also admired her passion for her beliefs. I used to be like that. I still am very sincere about my religious beliefs but I usually keep them to myself. 

I make the occasional blog post about religion but it's not something I'd talk to a coworker about. I was raised in the United Church. When I was 13 I had an awakening and made my confirmation. At that time I wanted to become a minister but I didn't want to make my living from the collection plate. That money was for the poor. 

When I was in High school I went through a searching period. I had a list of questions fundamental Christianity couldn't answer so I started studying other religious to see if I could find answers to my questions. Turns outh one of my friends from school was a Mormon so I started asking her about her beliefs. 

She said she wasn't that into it but there were missionaries from the church I could speak with so I did. I remember the first meeting I had with the missionaries. It was really positive so I started talking the discussion. A set of lessons the missionaries gave about the church's beliefs. 

I remember one discussion they started off by saying today we're going to talk about where we came from, why we're here and where we're going after this life is over. I stopped him a said wait, people have fought wars over those questions for thousands of years. You're going answer all that in one short discussion? Yes they said. Well lets hear it I replied. 

They pulled out a puzzle and taught the lesson. I said well, that answers all my questions. It makes sense and it's fair. I wish it was true. It'd be nice. I studying with the missionaries for about two years before I was baptized. 

When I said I was getting baptized my father gave me an anti Mormon book to read and sat me down with his minister who grilled me over my decision. I finally just looked him in the eye and bore my testimony and that pretty much ended it. 

Then my father said can we come to your baptism? I'm like hold up. It's not like a wedding. There isn't a part where they say if anyone objects to this decision speak now or forever hold your peace. He said no we just want to come so they did. 

Turns out he was happy about it and just wanted to make sure I understood what I was getting into. My parents never joined the church but they paid for my mission. They were good people. 

When I told my father I wanted to serve a mission he said I figured you would. I knew if you made that decision you'd go all the way. So I'm looking at the pamphlet the French lady left and it says Which of these big questions concerns you the most? What is the meaning of life? Is God to blame for suffering? What happens when you die? 

I have answers to all of those questions. None of them concern me. They sure did when I didn't know. I still believe how we behave is more important than what we say we believe. As you sow, so shall ye reap. Actions speak louder than words. 

I'm more concerned about the prophecy that says the Constitution will hang by a thread because that's now. That's going to take all the religions to pull together to defend it. 

I'm more concerned with freedom than I am with religion. Religion is so easily distorted. Freedom is so easily taken away. Yet we're told those who never fought for freedom shall never know the taste of it. Be steadfast. Peace.