How do Elders handle non-Baptized believers who ask too many questions?

by WingCommander 13 Replies latest jw friends

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  WingCommander

  Hi All!!

  As follow up to my last post (sorry it didn't all paste from my word document for some reason) I'd like to ask a question. Some of us have now seen how SickofLies JC committee meeting went, and I know alot on here have there own experiences. So my question is this: I have been a non-baptized publisher (born in JW's) for almost my entire life. How do the Elders handle someone like me that is asking the same kind of questions as SOL did, and also sharing findings with others in the congregation? I think I'm truly in the perfect position to mess them up if they ever tried anything. Since I'm not baptized, they really have no authority over me whatsoever. (They wouldn't anyway, I'm too headstrong, not a pushover) It's not like they can disfellowship me?

  I'm really to the point that I'm looking into other Christian denominations and would like to attend other churches to see if Christ resides anywhere else, because he sure doesn't seem to be with the Witnesses anymore. My family (all baptized but me) haven't seen Jack $hit from any of them except around Memorial time in the last 7 years. We could have died, and no one would seem to know. This is sad, as my family did everything there were supposed to for almost 30 years. (even staying at WTBS recommended hotels during conventions)

  Anyway, what do you all think? Am I in a good position? I guess I've already done the fade, but there are other JW's in my development, and if they ever come around I'm sure I'd raise eyebrows with my knowledge that I've gained on here and twist them up. What really brings back memories for me is when I see their children leaving the house on Saturday mornings to go out in field service. I hated it, and I'm sure they do as well.

  Thanks for your opinions.....

  Wing Commander
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  Saru

  Hi there!

  I'm new, so bear with me. If you still have copy of the Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry book on pg.148. In summary, it says that an announcement would be made to the cong, and that he/she would no longer be an approved associate. The cong would treat him/her as one who was df, and that field service reports would no longer be accepted. It's a total crock of pooh! I wish all humans were born knowing that NO person or org has ANY power over them unless they gave it away. In Dr. Phil's words ( which I don't always agree with him)but, there are no such things aws victims...just volunteers! When I heard that, it was if the lights came on & got "BRIGHTER!" Hope this helps.

  Take care

  p.s. I suck at typing , so pardon the typos
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  Dismembered

  Greetings WingCommander & Welcome to the board Saru.

  Back in the 1970's, prior to my baptism I remember during the "bookstudy" getting off track from the discussions in the publication we were studying at the time. I'd ask auxilary questions like "Does anyone here know if Adam & Eve had a belly button?" Back then, we were allowed to get off the boring track we were on, and any aux. questions would be open for anyone to explain. It was fine as long as you said "Oh" and agreed. Watchtower stopped that in the early 1980's and said that off the subject questions would have to wait until after the bookstudy was over.

  Dismembered
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  jwfacts

  Welcome Saru, I look forward to hearing more about your story.
  WC you are in the perfect position to do maximum damage. You can not be disfellowshipped so people are allowed to decide if they wish to associate with you (though as Saru said, you will be classed as bad association, slandered and the elders will actively try to disuade people from talking to you).
  My cousin in a un-baptised apostate, which is great, as she still attends the family gatherings, talks to JWs and gets to put her two cents in as well.
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  bonnzo

  saru....welcome!

  your organized book is seriously out of date. a new one was released in 2005. the "approved/disapproved" staus of non-baptized witnesses was dropped about 20 years ago.
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  lovelylil

  I had a study once that kept asking too many questions and most I did not know how to answer. So I went and asked the elder of my book study the questions and he didn't know how to answer. Then he told me if someone asks too many questions to just cut them off and stop the study because they don't have the right attitude. HUH?
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  darth frosty

  now ya'll k'no the WT$ aint goin let a lil thang like not being baptized keep them from puttin' you in yo place. There is a scripture, in Timothy I believe, that talks about marking someone that is not a brother or in the troof as they would tell it. They use this scripture to essentially disfellowship someone with apostate leanings who is not baptized.
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  Saru

  Thanks for the nice welcome greetings! Yeah- the book I have was published in 1983, but I still think the org is full of pooh!
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  Gill

  Welcome Saru!

  WC - I don't know about someone who'r NOT baptised but is an approved associate, as I assume you are/were, but I know that studies who ask too many questions, who seem to know TOO much about the bible, history etc and so are intelligent and can't be fooled are quickly discarded.

  My Elder cousin and his pioneer wife, had such a study. He had been to Seminary school and knew about the Gnostics, Apocryphas etc and was generally well versed in all things Biblical.. However, they knew only about WTBTS doctrine and slant on the Bible. As they grew more and more frustrated with him and the very intelligent questions he asked, they decided that he had a bad attitude and so they were wasting their time with him. He was dumped, I believe mainly because they had NO idea what the hell he was talking about, and he obviously was not kow towing to WTBTS crap.

  So, basically, I reckon they'd drop you like a hot potato!
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  Confession

  ...the "approved/disapproved" staus of non-baptized witnesses was dropped about 20 years ago.

  Correctamundo. I remember when it happened because my cousin was affected by it. The Society, in a rare display of grip-loosening, claimed to realize that an unbaptized person can only be approved or disapproved by Jehovah. Interestingly they retain the right to place this brand on someone baptized.

  As for unbaptized persons who ask too many questions... It depends on the JW. Some will really hang in there and try to get you to come around. But what if you don't? What if, after all their efforts, you just don't see things the way they do? What if you just keep on asking questions they don't like?

  Depending on the nature of your questions, they could tell everyone else at the Hall...

  "Oh, the apostates got to him. Yep, they poisoned his mind. Those apostates will really have something to answer for!"

  Or they could just provide the requisite...

  "Oh, he's hung up on...

  -the rapture."

  -the Trinity."

  -the Sabbath."

  -(insert your pet issue.)

  Ever hear that one? "Hung up on." Anything you disagree with or keep asking questions about, you're "hung up on." It's now hilarious to realize that if any bunch was ever "hung up on" stuff, it's the JWs! They (and formerly we) believe(d) that Christianity was about recognizing "The Truth" on matters such as the Trinity, immortality of the soul, eternal torment in hellfire, etc. When you try to show the simple point of Christianity, (Christ impaled,) it is they who become "hung up on" these auxiliary issues--and can't see the forest for the trees.

  When they "mark" someone unbaptized it isn't usually like DFing. People will probably not associate with you, but they likely will not refuse to speak with you or anything.