Judicial Defense ? (page 2)

TR

The WTS may have you by the short hairs if you were baptised in 1985 or after. At least in their minds. The emphasis is on adherence to an organization in the second set of questions.

pre 1985 baptismal questions:

(1) Have you repented of your sins and turned around, recognizing yourself before Jehovah God as a condemned sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his SonJesus Christ?
(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening power of the holy spirit?

1985 and after questions:

(1)On the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will?
(2)Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with God’s spirit-directed organization?

TR

RedhorseWoman

I would have to agree with the majority of the replies here....avoid them.

There is no need to play by their rules. If you do not believe that the WTBTS is the sole channel through which God works, then you do not need to follow their dictates.

Unless you absolutely need to make a declaration of your standing for your OWN benefit, not theirs, I would suggest a quiet departure from the life they dictate into your own life.

thinker

I must say, I have to agree with just about everything said on this board. I wish I had had access to this site, when I was going through all my trials. My husband is fully aware of the actuality (sp?) of what goes on in the back room with judicial meetings. I have informed him. He just keeps hoping to save others from the heartache of what I and many others have gone through. He is definitely aware of what is written and what actually happens aren't always the same. But wouldn't everyone agree his reasoning is sound. And using their own quotes. Interesting, if not effective.
Thinkers Wife

Pathofthorns

Your husband is a very kind person. His reasoning is sound, just that it will be wasted on a Judicial Committee. What one has to remember is, no matter how intelligent a Witness is, at some point to remain a Witness, he has abandonded sound reasoning.

Your husband's research is good, if only for himself and those who will care to reason on it. There's a time and place for everything, and a Judicial Committee is neither of those things.

Path

Pathofthorns

I will say one more thing as well. No matter how much information your husband gathers, no matter how hard he tries to understand, there will always be something lost until one has lived it.

There is a whole "mindset", a whole "pattern of thought" that JWs have. It takes years to develope and a lifetime to abandon. Its very difficult to explain and impossible to understand. You only know by having done the time.

Path

waiting

Hey Path,

As any jw will concur - true words you've spoken. Frenchy's brought this point out before. Only a long-time jw understands the mindset of another jw. A devout jw - only another understands the confines of his heart and outlook on life.

I've never pioneered, never wanted to. I don't understand why some of these people go through the troubles - for decades.

As for what goes on behind the locked committee doors? No one understands until they've gone through it. If the sinner was absolutely guilt-ridden and just wanted to confess and come home to Momma, they will not understand another who feels they have done no wrong by reading about their own history and talking about it, or an improper attitude, independent thinking, etc., etc.,

"Worldly" people think we can just walk away and get another religion more to our thinking guidelines. They don't understand the life/family loss that goes along with disfellowshipping or disassociation. They don't even understand the words. Some of us don't either.

waiting

Edited by - waiting on 21 December 2000 11:39:46

thinker

Everyone,
Thank you all for your replies. But, let me make my point perfectly clear. The WTBTS writes high and mighty words in print but their actions are harsh enough to earn the label "cult".
My imaginary "defense" was just one way of illustrating the hypocrisy of their words. Again, I never expected this to really work, I only wished to point out the duplicity.

RR

I would agree that 'absence' is by far the best solution. I have not seen the inside of a kingdom hall in some eight years, and no one has ever bothered to contact us even though we have moved several times, my mother-in-law is still in the congergation and everyone knows her. So it wouldn't be hard for them to try and seek us out if they wanted to, I think that is the key word, they don't want too.

"People in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones"

RedhorseWoman

The WTBTS writes high and mighty words in print but their actions are harsh enough to earn the label "cult".

This is not the only reason that the WTBTS has earned the label of "cult". Not too long ago, I read the BITE model set forth by Steve Hassan to determine the cult status of a group.

Even though I had been inactive for some time, I never would have classified the WTBTS as a cult. I just assumed that I had a problem in dealing with the inequities I had experienced.

After reading the BITE model with an open mind, I was quite horrified to realize that the WTBTS matched the criteria about 80% of the time. I had been the victim of a cult. It was a shock....but also a relief. This realization explained why I felt as I did and acted as I did after leaving.

Former JW's have a bond due to the similarity of experiences and mindset. Most of them (especially those who had been JW's for a good number of years) go through the same trauma after leaving. That's why support boards can serve such a great function. You can discuss thoughts and feelings with those who truly understand.

Judicial Defense ?

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