by Lady Liberty 23 Replies latest jw friends
Dear Sir82,
Thank you for shedding more light on the proceedure. And I agree with you it was my misunderstanding that it was a "policy"... The way I understood it, and from the experience I gave, I thought it was at the elders disgretion to do it or not. So thank you for clearing that up.
Sincerely,
Lady Liberty
I completely agree with Sir182 on this one. If your elders told you that, LL, they were way off base, which doesn't surprise me at all!
That announcment is NOT a way to get rid of inactive ones.
My take on it is that it is the same announcement for a DFing or if someone DAed themselves, and its end result is that the person is viewed and treated as DFed. It's probably some kind of legal protection for the WTS, and completely obscures the line between DFing and DAing.
S4
Persons who make themselves 'not of our sort' by deliberately rejecting the faith and beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses should appropriately be viewed and treated as are those who have been disfellowshiped for wrongdoing. -- The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 23
Whether this could be extended to wilful and long-term meeting non-attendance and then whether an announcement could be made is open to debate, but the end result in the minds of the true believers is the same.
Hi ho Hi ho its off to shun we go....:-)
I remember that quote, Besty. I think it was actually a way of treating as DFed folks who'd left and had obviously "deliberately reject(ed) the faith and beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses..." without actually having to have a JC meeting and announcement.
Some viewed this much more strictly than others!
S4
Lady Liberty,
You are correct in thinking that there is a provision in kicking people out who no longer attend meetings. However, there is a process, and you alluded to it in your thread.
In the last two elder schools I went to (when I was an elder), specific instructions were given on dealing with inactive ones. Elders were instructed (they told us to write verbatim in our notes) to pose one of three questions. One of the questions was, “do you still consider yourself as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses?” If the reply is no, then the elders were to make a public announcement that such-and-such “is no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” If they said yes, then they were to offer a Bible study, etc.
Cyber
Cyber:
Did they give any instructions to the elders on what to do in the case of someone who wouldn't answer the question, "Do you still consider yourself one of Jehovah's Witnesses"? If I was ever asked that question, I planned to follow one of their tactics of answering a question with a question. "Why do you ask? Why do you need to know? What do you intend to do with that information?" If they insisted on asking again, I would say, "I prefer not to answer as I am a private person who would like to keep my feelings and opinions to myself and only discuss them with people I know very well and trust with my innermost thoughts." I intended to say this with the utmost gentleness and respectful manner so that they could not accuse me of having a rebellious bad attitude.
Has anyone ever known anyone who responded this way to an elder's visit and elder's questions. What was the response? Was action still taken against them?
Cog
pose one of three questions. One of the questions was, “do you still consider yourself as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses?” If the reply is no, then the elders were to make a public announcement that such-and-such “is no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
... and this is how they can DA someone. Very tricky.
Good thing people who are fading have this kind of information, so they can prepare for it. Probably they could either avoid the elders as long as possible, and if confronted just don't answer that question about whether you're still a JW or not. If you choose not to answer, can they still DA you? If you just say "I wholeheartedly believe in the Bible as God's Word of truth" but evade the question, maybe they couldn't get rid of you (if you cared for family reasons to be able to stay in contact).
Thank you Cyberguy,
You could also use "thocratic warefare" and LIE and say,"Yes of course we are still Jehovahs Witness", like we did. What can they say then?? They will most likely just encourage you back like they did to us.
Sincerely,
Lady Liberty
Thanks guys, I have missed so many meetings this past year, and asked so many unaswered questions of my elders and the GB that I figured my announcement was next.
nervous coaster
So if the elders ask you if you consider yourself a witness and you say yes....what do you do when they then offer you a bible study and you refuse? Can they DA or DF you for not accepting a study? Not really. But in my experience, if a body of elders want you DF'd there's not a damn thing you can do about it except lie, lie, lie. Tell them you're going thru some depression or have some personal family problems, etc.
When I tried to fade, the buckaroo elders tried to DF me when I just wanted to be left alone. They pushed matters by asking probing questions and I was too dumb to not be honest with them, and in the end, I DA'd myself and moved on.
If I knew then what I know now, things would be different. Gymbob
