Ok all... I was in a store looking for bedroom furniture and in walks this former elder with his new woman - they too are shopping for bedroom furniture. He got DF'd like 5 years ago so he has no idea I'm DF'd.
Recently, I've been thinking about how, when I got DF'd, I would sit in the parking lot of the KH waiting for the meeting to start, and so would other DF'd people. I thought to myself, why are we afraid to talk to one another. We should start our own support group. (Of course, now we know how wrong forming independant groups is... ha ha ha)... Anyway... I thought it was a good demonstration of how JW thinking infiltrates our minds... even when they kick us out, we still follow their rules.
So... I thought to myself, "I'm going to say Hi to this guy" cause he was a very nice "brother". So, as to not interrupt their shopping (they were into a discussion with a sales person) and for discretion, I decided to jot a quick note that said, "Hey (name), I'm no longer a JW. I wanted to say hello. Feel free to call me. (###) ###-####. So, I hand it to him and he looks shocked that I'm talking to him. I go out to my car and out he comes and waves me down.
I roll down the window and he says, "I didn't know you were DF'd... are you going back?" I said, "No.. it doesn't look that way. It's only been since Feb., but I don't think so. How about you?" He says, "Yes, I am. I'm going to meetings. Not as many as I should, but I'm trying. But, I guess we'll see you later then." I said, "Ok. You take care."
His tone and the look on his face was just as if I had been scolded by an elder. I wanted to puke and punch his lights out for being so condescending. So... I don't know if I should open myself up to anyone I see that's DF'd or not. No one deserves to go through that kind of "disgrace" over and over again. It's certainly not Christian, nor is it loving.
What do you all think? Any advice? Any similar stories?