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TheListener

Rockhound, I like your idea - because it's nice. But, the Society isn't in the business of nice. They are in the business of placing WT and AW and books. If they remove the pressure for that type of witnessing work their number of placements will drop instantly. They can't afford to not move the merchandise. Although I agree, they should review Ray Franz's article from the late '70s about sacred service and how encompassing it really is.

I think the new light will have to do with inactivity. It's a simple matter to say anyone who is not active is not a Jehovah's Witness. The main thrust of being a witness is supposed to be preaching the word. So, if you're not preaching then you're not a Jehovah's Witness (I'm sure exceptions will be made for those who are mentally ill or infirmed).

IMHO this will not halve the number of witnesses. Most witnesses go out at some point during the month even if it is just for one hour. Most witnesses who don't go out know enough to report one hour.

Don't forget, it takes 6 months to become inactive. Until then you're irregular. That gives the elders plenty of time to bring you back before you become inactive.

garybuss

They have three main problems right now . . . blood, membership, and money. How will they deal with them?

blondie

I don't see the WTS officially saying inactive JWs have DA'd themselves. Will and have individual JWs treated inactive JWs as if they had DA'd or been DF'd, of course; that is the time-honored "privilege" of individual JWs to judge each other worthy of everlasting life or not.

The WTS has a long written history of asking elders and other JWs to "encourage" the inactive to come back........even after being gone for many years. Unless the person is clearly doing something that is a DA or DF offense, I don't see any official action being taken. Remember that the WTS always has "worked both sides of the street" when it comes to their policies and doctrines.

BTW is being irregular, missing one month, better than missing 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or the dreaded 6 when you flip over to "inactive." Where is that in the Bible?

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w04 5/1 p. 21 par. 13 Strengthen One Another ***

At times, the pressures of life or other difficulties can cause some to slow down or become inactive in the field service. (Mark 4:18, 19) We may not see inactive ones at congregation meetings. Yet, they likely still have a love of God in their heart. What can be done to strengthen their faith? The elders can offer kind assistance by visiting them. (Acts 20:35) Other congregation members may be asked to assist too. Such loving visits can be just the right medicine, as it were, to revive those weak in faith.

Is 6 years gone time to say the person has DA'd or should be DF'd?

*** w04 5/1 p. 21 par. 15 Strengthen One Another ***

One elder visited a married couple who had been inactive for six years. The elder writes: "The kind and loving concern displayed toward them by the entire congregation had such a tremendous impact that it moved them to return to the flock." How did the once inactive sister feel about visits by congregation members? She now says: "What helped us to become active again was that neither the brothers who visited us nor the sisters who accompanied them ever showed a judgmental or critical attitude toward us. Rather, they were understanding and provided Scriptural encouragement."

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km 9/05 p. 2 Service Meeting Schedule ***

Relate the good results achieved from efforts to assist inactive ones.

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km 2/04 p. 4 par. 7 Keep Telling About Jehovah’s Wonderful Works ***

Book study overseers will want to give special attention to any who are inactive or irregular in their group. Extend a personal invitation to them to work with you in the ministry.

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km 2/03 p. 5 par. 2 Help at the Right Time ***

These pressures can become so great that such ones may neglect vital spiritual matters and stop having an active share in the Christian ministry. Yet, despite their difficulties, ‘they have not forgotten Jehovah’s own commandments.’ (Ps. 119:176) Now is the right time for elders to provide such ones with needed help.—Isa. 32:1, 2.

Emma

As soon as I was fading in earnest, when I stopped meetings and service, I was treated as df'd. I think this has been happening through the borg and depending on the overly-righteousness of your family. I don't think it needs to be "official" as everyone seems to have the word anyway.

Elsewhere

I *guarantee* you that any "big announcement" this fall will basically be: The end is near! Go to more meetings! Go out in field service more! The End is near!!!!

Cabin in the woods

I think that Rockhound might be onto something here.

This would allow people to increase hours, they would suddenly become a much more loving group in outsiders eyes and for those that hate door to door work this would make the religion much more 'user friendly.'

cab

DannyHaszard

I *guarantee* you that any "big announcement" this fall will basically be:; The end is near!; Go to more meetings; Go out in field service more!; The End is near!!!!

ARMAGEDDON IMMINENT WTS PR media push ! this summer

LovesDubs

Personallly I would love it if they DAd inactive ones that still considered themselves JWs...it would take my self righteous husband down a HUGE peg and show him that he cannot decide for himself what is acceptable and what isnt for him to continue to be a JW and continue to shun others. He'd get a taste of his own (their own) medicine. But think about what that would entail. If they went out and gave all these inactive ones a last chance to get back on board theyd have to set up new rules. In other words that inactive one couldnt then just go to a couple meetings, talk to a coworker about how pagan Christmas is for half an hour and leave a couple magazines in the laundry mat and be reclassified as IRREGULAR now and off the hook right? Or could they? And then those that didnt respond and didnt get back on track would have to be DAd and there would be like a whole LIST of names every week that would have to be read to the congregation of those who were "No longer one of Jehovahs Witnesses." It would be like the death camps...an elimination of all of those who didnt play by their rules, none of which are in the Bible.

I think that would be devastating to hear from the congregation's viewpoint. I think many would reconsider being associated with such a hateful organization. It would definitely take some heavy duty double talk to make that kind of a move appear to be Biblical and Godly.

bennyk

From a discussion regarding the possibility of DA'ing "faders", somewhat more than one year ago (16. June 2005):

The WTS is caught between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
The congregations are filled with the weak and inactive. It may be that the GB fears that the level of apathy is reaching critical mass. JW culture is changing and it is becoming socially acceptable to ignore the shrill and strident calls for conformity and obedience. The Org may be willing to do a bit of pruning to preserve the hard-core elements from the erosive effects of the inactive and the faders. Following the debacle of 1975, the WTS lost many adherents, but these were soon replaced by new and significant growth. They may risk such a move (DA-ing faders) with a view to long-term potential for increase.
On the other hand, many less-than-zealous Witnesses remain only to preserve relationships with family and friends, or because they have no support network outside the Organisation. The GB must know this. If the WTS "offs" too many, they will inadvertently create such a support network. Watch the dam burst and the reservoir empty...

JH

I remember a link that Blondie posted recently to a WT article that stated "if we were not out in the witnessing work we really were not one of jehovah's witnesses".

This reminds me once, when a old MS, former elder, asked me if I still consider myself a JW, and I said yes back then. Then he told me, "A Witness witnesses", meaning you're not going door to door, even less going to the meetings....

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