Another Question for JW Apologists...

by Jack Burton 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Jack Burton

  I've been following the thread on staying off of apostate sites, and somehow the subject of reinstatement came up.

  I started thinking about this, and I thought about how "easy" it would be for someone like me to get reinstated. Just for the record, I have no desire to ever go back to "The Truth". But, after being raised as a witness, serving in various different positions, I understand how to play the game. Even though I have been DFed as an apostate, I could shave off my beard, take the earrings out, and play nice with the elders. Do whatever they say and TA-DA...reinstated!

  However, my thoughts about the society would not have changed one bit. I would still believe that "The Truth" is b.s.

  My question is this...If this really is God's spirit directed organization, why would I be allowed back? Doesn't reinstatement seem to be about the appearence of repentance instead of anything real?

  Believe me, this scenario would make some aspects of my life sso much easier, but I wouldn't be true to myself.

  Anyways, I hope that question makes sense, and would be interested in any thoughts...
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  leavingwt

  You can also BECOME an elder, even if you're an apostate. You simply have to go through the motions and do the necessary works.
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  Jack Burton

  You can also BECOME an elder, even if you're an apostate. You simply have to go through the motions and do the necessary works.

  Right on. This is why I'm trying to pick true believers brains.
• 

  Farkel

  :My question is this...If this really is God's spirit directed organization, why would I be allowed back?

  The corollary question to that is: if this really is God's spirit directed organization, why would you or anyone else have been institutionally "disfellowshiped" in the first place?

  Farkel
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  Jack Burton

  The corollary question to that is: if this really is God's spirit directed organization, why would you or anyone else have been institutionally "disfellowshiped" in the first place?

  Farkel

  I guess because Jehovah needs the elders to protect the faithful from The Devil Himself! Oh wait...I just asked about the faulty dates of 1914,607, all of that. Amazing how a little question could send the elders into a panic. Just get rid of that little troublemaker, now we can get back to serving wholesome spiritual food to the rest of the sheep. "Four legs good, two legs better"!
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  AllTimeJeff

  This has always been the stinky achilles heel of JW think: "The spirit is with us, except when it isn't."

  Trust me, even at my most sincere, when I prayed so hard ,for wisdom before, during and after judicial committees and elders meetings, I never ever felt, or observed the holy spirit at work. (as the holy spirit is usually understood)

  Have I been aware that I as an elder was being gamed at times? Yup. Did it actually weaken my faith? Of course it did. When you are told to pray and look for indications of holy spirit and instead must play bullshit political games on all decisions regarding people, you quickly see just how much Jehovah really is in charge.

  I doubt after all I have ever written, that I would ever be welcomed back. (like I would ever try....) Everyone knows me. But for others? Sure, and what is Jehovah or holy spirit going to do, when all someone has to do is convince 3 men that you mean what you say?
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  WTWizard

  It is possible to fake repentance, just like it's possible to fake field circus. They check up on you, you give them the answers that they are looking for. Go to all the boasting sessions and do as they direct you, make several reinstatement requests, and don't get caught doing anything "bad". In time, they will think you are ready to return.

  This might be costlier in the future, however. Once enough people get reinstated and then turn inactive, they will be instructed by the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger to hound such people to death. They will be "on probation" for years on end, and they had better put in plenty of field circus (and placing plenty of littera-trash, starting plenty of studies, and turning in good numbers) or get hounded (the reinstatement will be used to guilt them into doing ever more). The hounders will make plenty of hounding calls--especially as the holidays come near. They will start insisting on proof that you have no computers that can access "bad" websites, no holiday items, no "bad" music or videos, and nothing else that could indicate that you are once again slipping. Expect to be hounded if you ever come up with a "bad" comment.

  As for associations, they will "mark" you because you cannot be trusted. They will insist that your family only associate with you under the condition of satisfactory (whatever that means) field circus numbers (with proof that none of them are fake), excellent (that is, along the party line) comments, perfect or near-perfect boasting session attendance, and clean hounding calls (clean meaning no evidence that there could be anything going on behind the scenes). I would expect that it will be made more difficult for those who get reinstated, especially after suspected apostasy.
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  Chalam

  Hi Jack,

  Doesn't reinstatement seem to be about the appearence of repentance instead of anything real?

  Of course, it is all about keeping up appearances. Nothing much has changed.

  Matthew 23:26-28 (New International Version)

  27 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

  As Jesus says in the preceding verse

  26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

  All the best, Stephen
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  C. T. Russell

  Surprised you guys haven’t mentioned the “The Spirit has been grieved!”
  
  Hidden transgression or a secretly apostate Elder would grieve the Holy Spirit. The result would be fewer bible studies, fewer pioneers and a drop in donations. The result is the CO showing up and announcing “The Spirit has been grieved!” Then some horrible wrong doing would be made known that night.
  
  At Bethel there are the “The Spirit is leaving Bethel” stories. One Bethel legend is that during morning worship Sydlik showed up on the monitors and didn’t say a word for a couple of minutes. Then he said “The Spirit has been grieved. It is leaving Bethel because of hidden sin in the family” Immediately a married sister fainted and fell out of her chair. It turned out she and her husband were wife swapping with another couple at Bethel.

  The Holy Spirit doesn't point out wrongdoing, it just leaves the house.
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  Chalam

  Unfortunately, I think He left the house over a hundred years ago :(

  All the best,

  Stephen