by DJK 8 Replies latest jw friends
There has been much said and asked about the recent child abuse issues and the settlements made by the WTBTS. Another posters thread raised a question for me.
If baptised/unbaptised witnesses started leaving (the truth?) because they were unhappy about the societie's handeling of this issue in anyway, could/would the elder's and the WTBTS df, da or shun anyone who leaves?
You can not be d/f or d/a for leaving. However if you tell anyone why you left you can be d/f. If you leave and don't say why, or claim depression or some similar ailment you will be fine. If you say you are leaving because of the Societies mishandling of pedophile cases that will be considered apostacy and reason to be d/f.
DJK
Some JWs have successfully left the organization by making a "fade." They simply move from the area and stop associating. However, concerned friends and relatives may notify the local elders to help the "weak" individual and request the elders make calls to help ("readjust") this person. If this person expresses his desire not to associate with the Watchtower or that he no longer recognizes the Watchtower Society as "God's organization" a judicial meeting of elders would be held to determine his standing in the congregation. Then, this person could be disassociated or disfellowshipped.
Anyone who is not baptized cannot be disfellowshipped or disassociate themselves. They just go back to the world. If they are unbaptized publishers, they are no longer unbaptized publishers, and are looked at as worldly people. If they fade, the study conductor will likely hound them to death at this stage.
Baptized people, on the other hand, can be disfellowshipped if they leave on the grounds of the mishandling of pedophile cases. It is called apostasy. But such ones can just start missing meetings and not going out in service, or move and not leave a forwarding address. Such ones would become inactive. The catch is that once you are inactive, they are going to start hounding you to come back. They call this reactivation. At that point, if you still have apostate viewpoints or are doing things that you could get disfellowshipped for, they can and will do so.
If they make it known why they are leaving, yes, they will be brought before a judicial committee.It's called, causing divisions in the congregation.
If they fade and claim illness etc. and keep their true reasons to themselves, no df, will happen. Just the "we miss you" "we miss you" chanting.
Blueblades
Yes, your roommate while having every right to be concerned and upset, would have been better off from a "association with family or friends" standpoint to just keep her mouth shut and stop going. Writing letters, the brothers do with those as they deem appropriate, and telling the witnesses, to "leave you alone" or disagreeing with anything will definately result in an apostasy charge. Its really quite ridiculous.