Vasectomy

by Stephanus 23 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Steven

  Hi All,

  Steph,
  Before 96 it was a no no!
  After 96 it was a conscience matter!
  in 99 it's a no no again!

  I read with interest this thread since after the '96 quoted article came out I had a vasectomy & then got really personally messed up in '99 when it was "turned off" again.

  There were lots of personal reasons for me to have the vasectomy & it only needs to be said that the decision wasn't made lightly.

  Initially I was personally opposed to having a vasectomy also I thought that it was not allowed but when the '96 article said it was a matter of conscience coupled with our situation - it seemed the responsible thing to do.

  Anyway a did it - & after recovering - boy was that sore! we got on with our lives or so we thought. Then in '99 when the "no again" article came out I was personally very upset.

  I didn't really tell anyone how I felt, not even fully my wife. However for months I was worried that I had committed an unforgivable sin & that God wouldn't love me anymore & hence my life & efforts in the truth were pointless.

  Amazing isn't it - I didn't blame the fickleness of the WTBTS but instead thought that it was my fault!!!

  Needless to say I got over this when I realised that I had done what I thought best at the time & if God didn't love me for that then TOUGH!

  Perhaps though this was one of the things which started to make me doubt - back then I didn't think of it that way but I am pretty sure it was now.

  So that is a personal experience of how I got messed up by the changes the WTBTS had on this issue.

  It is a big decision but everyone should make it themselves for purely personal reasons & no one should tell you to do it or not - especially not your religion. I don't see any scriptures that touch on it so there should be no comments!

  One final thought. In my congregation after the '96 article 2 other brothers had it done & ONE WAS A MINISTERIAL SERVANT. This made me feel more comfortable with my decision since I had it done after them. I wonder how they felt - we moved out of the cong. before '99 so I don't know if the MS had any problems from this.

  Hope this helps - phew I never thought I would discuss this one but I am glad I did - Thanks for the topic...

  Steven
• 

  ISP

  Hi steve drop us an email please. Your mail is blocked!

  Best

  ISP
• 

  Thirdson

  I didn't notice anyone comment but the WTS article makes some allowance for sterialization for the health of the mother. (I am sure the WTS lawyers checked that this get-out clause was added) It doesn't differentiate as to which partner has the procedure. This is a good excuse if found out. The couple say it was done on the basis of medical advice. Are the elders going to check your medical records?

  I knew of several brothers who had it done and were open about it...at least their wives were. One brother had it done much to the relief of the elders who spent a great deal of time counseling this brother about his many unruly kids. (It was for the health of his wife.)

  I thought the biggest concern of most brothers was the thought that if news leaked then everyone knew that at some point the brother had to provide a post-operative sperm sample for verification. Now how do you get a sperm sample?

  THirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
• 

  Amazing

  Hi; Vasectomy's were always kind of frowned on, but if you got one, it was a policy of 'don't ask, don't tell.' If the congregation found out, and felt stumbled, then a man could be removed as an Elder. I see from the above post on the first page the there is some newer information that I will read more later.

  Anyway, the likihood of a man running around announcing his vasectomy is very low. So it has gone on a long time. BUT, some sisters are incredibly nosey about 'birth control' other couples use. And I knew of some of would pointedly ask a couple what they use. In my own case, onw sister asked, and I tried to avoid answering. She then stated that I was avoiding saying because I must have had a vasectomy. When I failed t deny having a vasectomy, this was all she needed for a news broadcast.

  She went home, told her husband to get a vasectomy because Amazing has one, and he is an Elder of the Anointed. Before long, the other Elders pulled me into the back room to share with me that the conmgregation was getting vasectomy happy. - Amazing