Any Change on YMCA Policy?

bavman

I had heard recently the WTBS may have changed their policy on the YMCA. It would be helpful to me personally if they have. I did know of a couple of people in my last congregation who went but I also heard some elders talking against it. So, what is it. Yeah or Nay?

isaacaustin

I believe my wife has told witnesses our kids go. I have not heard anything back from her on it.

blondie

No change in writing or by official verbal statement. I do believe many new jws have no clue about the stance on YMCA membership.

Dagney

What Blondie said.

I do know long time JW's that now use the pools etc. Nothing is ever said. I think it is something the WTBS hopes goes away. Kinda like 1975.

drew sagan

No change. My wife was DF'd in 2007 for joining the YMCA. It basically was used as an excuse to DF (she voluntarily offered to cancel membership). They were angry she stopped attending meetings and because she refused to give them a definite answer in regards to if she would come back they moved to DF her.

I had a conversation on the phone with a Watchtower representative at the time. He was a pretty big prick to say the least. He first told me that he "didn't have much time and would have to rush through explaning this" . I used some rather logical arguments that he avoided by sipmly stating the article from the 70's was still current. When pressed on the specific merit of those arguments that appeared in the 70's article (as well as points it ignored) he simply would ignore what I said and restate their position. Very unfriendly fellow, was pretty rude throughout the conversation.

If you joined and don't tell anybody nothing will happen. If they find out something may or may not happen. It all depends upon the Elders. They decide how far to go on each individual case. I think it is the current "standing" a person has before the Elders (family relationships, history, friendships, willingness to support the WT, ect) that will determine what happens. The "rules" are bypassed many times for people on the Elders good side.

For example, my wife offered to give up her YMCA membership and she was DF'd. An Elder on her JC had a daughter that got pregnant while not married and she wasn't DF'd (possibly private reproof, but possibly not even that).

leavingwt

Drew,

That is quite the story. Thanks for sharing it.

I hope folks will read it and take to heart how legalistic these folks can be.

They're ALL about leaving the 99 sheep to care for the 1.

-LWT

BabaYaga

Drew Sagan said: For example, my wife offered to give up her YMCA membership and she was DF'd. An Elder on her JC had a daughter that got pregnant while not married and she wasn't DF'd (possibly private reproof, but possibly not even that).

Whew! Good thing all of these decisions that affect a person's entire life and family relationships come directly from Holy Spirit, huh!? Otherwise, it would look pretty arbitrary and politically motivated, if not down-right evil.

undercover

As already noted, it's still current per the latest articles that discuss it, but I agree with Blondie...most new generation dubs probably don't even realize that it's a no-no.

A couple of years ago, the local Y gave out stickers that said, "I Y". They were plastered all over cars all over town. I went to the memorial that year and saw several cars in the parking lot that had the sicker. I knew at least two of the cars were owned by active JWs.

Yet, some old timers still remember it. Some JW family joined the Y and when it was discovered by some older ones in the family, they were immediately set upon for seeking fellowship with this group. The younger ones who had joined were puzzled. What was the big deal about joining a gym, they wondered. I just watched from the sideline, highly amused at the dysfunctionalism of it all.

Dagney

Wow Drew that is quite a story, and so recent.

You know, they are just nuts. Nuts with the ability to destroy lives.

drew sagan

In our case we had been gone from the meetings for over 5 months. During that time we had a number of engagements with Elders, none of which were very plesent. They would say that they wanted to "encourage us" and then come over and tell us how terrible we were. I remember one Elder asking me:

"So, what terrible thing did you do?"

I believe what he was trying to ask was "What immoral action have you committed that is keeping you from the meetings, because people don't stay away for any other reason?!"

Needless to say they were very angry at me. During this time I refused to cross the line and give them specific replies to questions such as "do you believe in the faithful slave". Because of this they were frustrated with me and my wife. When the YMCA thing came out it was an effective tool to get done what they wanted to do. If we had joined the YMCA and kept it to ourselves while attending meetings and field service most likely nothing would have happened. But we pissed them off and for that they decided to take action. Joke is on them, their religion sucks.

Of course now my wife has no contact with her sister. This breaks the heart of her dad (non jw). He has made the comment that "now it's like he doesn't have a family".

Any Change on YMCA Policy?

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