Jovvies

So, I had a visit from some Jehovah's Witnesses the other day. Seemed like a nice enough couple. The wife stood silently about a metre behind the husband, like any good submissive wife would, while the husband did all the talking. Almost cracked up laughing at the cheesy way he tried to instigate conversation with me... So on the front of the 'Watchtower' magazine is a picture of some brunette girl accompanied by some headline question about stress. He asked me if I was worried about everything going on in the world, and if it made me stressed, and then went on to say that the girl kinda looked like me. Cringe. I informed him that I was a Christian, to which he replied, "ohhhh" in such as way as if to mean, "then I know exactly what I'm going to say to you now". I don't exactly remember what he said next... something about holiness... and then asked me how I go about addressing this holy being that I follow. I said that I call him 'God', to which he replied something to the effect of, "aahh, but with so many different beliefs and beings out there, how do you know you're talking to the right one?" and went on to inform me that I must know that he is called 'Jehovah' and so I must use this name if he is to hear me and respond. I let him know that I didn't quite agree with him on this point, but if he wanted to leave his magazines then he was welcome to. He did so, and I got back to my coffee and hang out time. That's essentially the end of the story, but the whole thing got me thinking, as these types of encounters often do. It makes me a little sad that the use of the name 'Jehovah' is so fundamental to this man's faith that he brought it up as his main argument. I mean, if you believe there is only one true God, then does it really matter how you address him (other than with respect, of course!)? He's going to hear you anyway. I know that God hears me whether I call him by name or not. I'm pretty sure there are much more important aspects of faith that we could've been talking about. It also makes me wonder how effective their door-knocking methods really are. I'd love to read some statistics or something!
On a similar note... because the name thing gives me the impression of people insecure in their beliefs, so much so that they won't be heard if they don't use the right one, it brings to mind another observation. I have a great aunty and uncle who are Jehovah's Witnesses. They were at my cousin's wedding in January. My cousin who is a Christian. I won't mention how they acted about the fact that it was in a church, but at the reception the MC announced that he was going to pray for the bride and groom before they left and instantly my aunty and uncle, who were sitting at different tables at the time, got up and raced off to the bathrooms. I don't know about you, but that screams insecurity to me. I've been to their childrens' weddings and certainly didn't disappear when there were prayers or ridiculously long sermons affirming their faith. That's just not something that would affect or threaten my own beliefs. I don't know. Maybe there was more going on. But whatever. And honestly, it makes me sad more than anything. It was a little amusing too, to observe.