by fancyschmancy28 17 Replies latest jw friends
Vicky,
I also agree fully with the advice of Ranchette. But if the local Elders one day turn up on your porch, and start hassling, I strongly recomend you to take legal advice and take action. Why? As you said, you NEVER had nothing to do with this congregation (as you lived in another state) and you were NEVER affiliated with it.
see what others think about this.
Joe
Hi Fancy,
No offense meant, but what's your problem?
The way I see it, you're in the very best position possible... off the elders' radar screen yet not alienated from your family, nor is your family under pressure to ignore you. It's a situation many here would envy.
If you haven't already done so, the one possible further useful step you could take is to live somewhere out of your original congregation's territory; this ought to remove you completely from their radar range. If this is impossible, and the elders try to visit, simply ``yes them to death,'' thank them for their concern and tell them you'll try to make it to the Hall one Sunday real soon.
Use a balanced and carefully planned approach to this situation. Why? There are two reasons.
In the first place, despite your inactivity, I assume there are friends or relatives or occasional contacts you are interested in maintaining a relationship with, correct?
If so, you need to plan. Secondly, gather your thoughts, gather some information and research and come to a finalized viewpoint concerning whether or not you accept/agree to participate in any WTBS proceedings.
Why bother? Well, if you decide there aren't any people you need to remain in contact with, then you can afford to make a statement about leaving if you desire. If not, you have the option of remaining perpetually inactive and unavailable to the WTBS and keep your contacts or possibly lose them by attracting their attention to you if you surface with some action, like attending church.
Personally, I feel once you are out of the WTBS, why waste time with any organized, human religion ever again anyway? The lesson is not to let humans decide anything for you ever again and develop your own belief system, with or without the Bible. The choice is yours.
But, don't be hasty, unless you don't care, don't have anyone to care about in the WTBS and want to make a statement.
Room 215 and Utopian Reformist:
I do live off the radar of the elders in the congregation where I grew up. My mother still goes there, however, she speaks to my sister who is disfellowshipped. My other relatives speak to her also, in spite of her being disfellowshipped. My sister was disfellowshipped 20 years ago for fornication. If I tried to break ties now, my mother, I think, would take that much more seriously. Which is what everyone is pointing out. I had not thought it out. I am going to do nothing. However, I would like to explain.
I have been debating religion with my husband for approximately 15 years. He was raised a catholic and, similar to me, he just kind of faded away. Until about 4 years ago. He now goes to chruch every Sunday. I have gone a few times, however, being raised a JW, I find it hard to listen to what is going on. I am distracted by the crosses and the communion thing. My husband and I had a very long discussion a few nights ago about religion. He does not believe that I really do not have faith in a "God." He thinks I just had a bad experience as a JW and if I meet a nice priest, I will change my mind. I am not an aethestic, however, I would say I am agnostic. He thinks a priest will change my mind. He is not a true believer in the bible; he thinks it is a lot of fables that were told numerous times until someone figured out how to write them down. He believes that human interpretation changed the stories so many times, there is no way we will ever really know what happened 6000 years ago. I agree with that.
I agreed, after numerous attempts by him, to speak to a priest. I am more interested in why they hold women back, don't allow birth control and a few other things. I told my husband I will not become a catholic. I do not believe in organized religion. After my experiences with the JW's I do not think any religion is much different. All use social and lifestyle controls to control people.
I am not searching for a new religion, so much as really curious as to why the JW's hate the catholics so much. (that much I remember)
I know as elders we were informally told told that if someone was "away from the truth for more then five years and not known in the community as a brother, not to bother df'ing or da'ing them."
Just do what you want. You don't need the elders permission.
Thank you Roybatty-that is good to know. I have never brought this up to my mother. She would "freak!".
Any information on why catholics are so disliked? (besides the fact they are not JW) If I do speak with a priest, I would at least like to sound semi-intelligent.
fancy:
I just wanted to commend you for your approach- i feel tht you are the beginning of a new bred of persons who before making ANY MOVE will consult with others and get the entire Pros and Cons of How to get out of 'WT
you are truly a smart person- you unlike so many dear bro and sister in the past who didn't have the net to help them along- suffered for many years till the net came along and help them get some CLOSURE on their lives
I wish you well in your journey for freedom
james
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=5574&site=3#66584
Any information on why catholics are so disliked? (besides the fact they are not JW)
My theory is this; the Catholic church has been, for ages, a truly scumbag organization. As such, and by virtue of being the largest and debatably first "christian" religion, they were an easy target for Russell and Rutherford.
The catholic church is a much less dangerous religion than it used to be, and the JW organization gets slightly less dangerous every day as well. But they are both, truly-madly-deeply full of shit.
