Reply to comment

I have no doubt that proselytizing work can go much beyond shallow "Follow my religion or else!" haranguing. Sometimes, whatever the truth or falsity of supernatural claims being made, what's happening at the core is simply well-meaning people making personal connections to other well-meaning people. Back when I, too, was "out in service" for the JWs and knocking on doors, I saw cases in which a householder welcoming the offered "home Bible study" was merely a lonely (often elderly) person wanting companionship. Yet when it became clear that the "student" wasn't planning to make a commitment and join the religion, the JW visitors didn't necessarily leave in a huff. Lots of people are just too nice at heart to do such a thing! And so a somewhat sweet but sad charade would play on, with people connecting as good people do – yet always with a "Bible study" shoehorned in, despite it doing nobody any good. 

I certainly understand that people, religious ones too, are often trying to do what's right. But let's take things back to the topic of the post. Trying to "save" a lonely stay-at-home senior through Bible study, to no net end beyond hours spent chatting over tea, is one thing. But trying to "save" a high-schooler from a higher education, steering that youngster away from exciting and useful life paths just as he/she should be excitedly exploring those, is something else entirely. It's harmful. As such, we're only doing good when we point that out!