Did You Ever Say "Thank You For Disfellowshipping Me?"

Magick

It's been a while since I cared about the current events of Jehovah's Witnesses.

After leaving, my sadness turned to anger then bitterness, then dismissal. But recently, it's all come back to haunt me like a bad disease.

Reading about new jehovah's witnesses and talking to relatives, it's like we're talking about two different organizations! It seems that my experience as a Jehovah's Witness isn't the experience today. I'm made to think that I am the one who is crazy and what I went through never really happened. "That was probably just where you lived" or "that was in your own mind." "jehovah's witnesses never said that" "Jehovah's witnesses never said you couldn't go to college."

I just spent a few minutes perusing the "official" jw site.

First of all, what I noticed was that it looked like Jehovah's Witnesses LITE.

It was soooo generic and "streamlined". If you look up subjects like depression...you read watchtower advice like "be sure and see your doctor and take your medicine!" What the HELL?

Then I get to the subject of disfellowshipping...and I see this alien looking and weirdly pleased old dude (Robert Pevy) who apparently writes for the watchtower, talking on video. (He was the senior writer for the 1988 Revelation-It's Grand Climax At Hand! book...his work was edited by GB member Lloyd Barry)

This guy Pevy...looks like he's nodding his head "yes" smiling at me and in a very comforting tone telling me he's about to stab me in the eyeballs. He's telling me how loving disfellowshipping is...

like I should lay on the ground and kiss the toes of the elder who comes and gives me the greatest gift I could receive! (yes, I know it's a great gift...but, I'm trying to use sarcasm here)

AND to top it off...he tells the story of a young girl who was sooooo grateful to be disfellowshipped that after her life was destroyed and she lost everything she had ever known....she comes back and says "THANK YOU!"

So, this gets me to wondering. HOW many of you on this board who have been disfellowshipped have written a letter to your congregation AND to the society letting them know how THANKFUL you are to have been disfellowshipped?

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http://www.jw-media.org/vnr/2122827332/311131.htm

Practicing a Bible Standard
Disfellowshipping

Disfellowshipping is a procedure which is laid down in the Bible . . . A young woman who was disfellowshipped and later reinstated said: "I am happy that Jehovah loves his people enough to see that his organization is kept clean. What may seem harsh to outsiders is both necessary and really a loving thing to do. I am grateful that our heavenly Father is a loving and forgiving God."

Robert Pevy, Jehovah's Witnesses Writing Staff;
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A man filmed the announcement of his Disfellowshipment made by two Jehovah’s Witness elders who came at his door. Watch the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DDEN_SFhZs

sass_my_frass

When my elders disfellowshipped me, as I was leaving the room I Thanked Them. Only a few months later I was well and truly out of that mentality and couldn't remember why I'd gone to the meeting in the first place. Cognitive Dissonance. Look it up.

Now, if they were ever to get in contact to apologise, I'd forgive them, and thank them again, this time for a completely different reason. Being disfellowshipped was the second-best thing that ever happened to me. If they hadn't, there's another 2.5 years of my life that would have been wasted already (just since then). I probably never would have worked them out. I'd still be a freak show, I'd be making life hell for my magnificent husband, and I would never live. I really am grateful to those old maggots.

IP_SEC

LOL no, Im still waiting on my thank you card from them. I disfellowshipped them alt

sparrow

I'm waiting for the chance to say a big f$%^king thank you. Best thing that I could ever hope for. (and I want to use the "f" word when I do)

Crumpet

I did when I was writing letters for two of my reinstatements. It seems the elders really do like to be appreciated and "glorified" for being that channel of God that gets to mete out the discipline.

However with hindsight I'd have to thank them on account of I would never have met so many people I really love having in my life. And if they hadn't I wouldnt have been at LT and Xena's wedding!

I get what you are saying about the Witness Lite thing. There do seem to be geographical distances as well as a bit of a shift even in the last 20 years. For example someone on this board who lives in US but wife is from Asia found df'ing in the West far more stringent in the whole not being able to talk to family that it is where she comes from. I do remember the school brochure. I do remember how we were sternly discouraged from particpating in any extra curricular activities that could be spent in "theocratic pursuits". I remember how ostracised were those few families brave enough to allow their kids to go to college and uni. I remember how depression was never discussed but how clearly so many were (it seemed elder's wives were prime candidates). They were just "poorly". After all how could Jehovah's happy people be depressed. I remember feeling a fraud when I was told constantly to smile as we walked to assemblies or worse on the field service which I truly loathed. Its changed a bit since then for sure, but perhaps when you are within that constant flow with the drip feed of five meetings and endless circle of study and ministry you just don't notice it.

VanillaMocha73

I'm thinking about it. One of the elders on my DF committee just showed up in court, supporting my abusive ex and listening to him lie in court and get called on it by the judge. Suppose he will be DF'd next?

SirNose586

I think anyone who says this has been transformed into a masochist--someone who suffers from the Stockholm Syndrome, big time.

tijkmo

I did when I was writing letters for two of my reinstatements. It seems the elders really do like to be appreciated and "glorified" for being that channel of God that gets to mete out the discipline

yeah they made me thank them when i got reinstated...thank them for the work they had put in to help me get reinstated..i couldn't believe my ears..i was so exhausted tho i didn't even fight them on this occasion.

idiots