Why no letter for DF'ing?

by sd-7 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  sd-7

  I think it was blondie who just replied to chickpea's topic, saying that elders are told not to give people a letter when they are DF'ed. This sparked a matter of curiosity for me. Why is it that people wishing to be reinstated have to write a letter to the body of elders, but the body of elders will not write a letter to a person stating that they are DF'ed? What is the (and I know there is one) legal reason for this particular protocol? Anyone know?

  I'm curious also because I'm 95% sure I'm going to be DF'ed soon, once the Thought Police catch up with me--and they've been very lazy about that, mostly because I've not spread around too many questions about the way the organization does things. That, and, well, what better "princes who rule for justice itself" than unskilled shepherds who routinely abuse their sheep, right? I love it. Any thoughts on my question would be welcome here. Thanks.

  SD-7
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  babygirl30

  Not to hijack your thread, but I have often wondered the same thing....and....WHERE did the whole "write a letter" stuff come from? NEVER saw that in the Bible?! So it's not enough to be publically humiliated by an announcement, having your family/friends shun you, and being known as a supposed 'unrepenetent sinner'......NOW if you want to come back, you have to write a LETTER to 3 men begging to be let back in?
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  blondie

  The elders are counseled not to give anything in writing for legal reasons. Of course, nothing is written in stone. The elders in this area will send letters to the potential df'ee regarding meetings with the jc but they are told not to put anything about WHY they are meeting with the elders. Any elders are free to jump in. These letters are sent 3 times certified mail to prove they made a good attempt to contact the person. Then the elders in this area will df them without having met with them.
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  creativhoney

  if you have a letter of shunning you have something on them.
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  babygirl75

  I've never understood the whole writing a letter thing either. One of my good friends who was df'd twice and reinstated twice, now df'd a third time, had to write two letters. She said that she had to explain what her sin was, why/how she was repentant. That just blows my mind! Why go through all that again. If you've been punished by being shunned and you are making the attempt and going to all the meetings, why can't you just meet with the elders like in the original JC and explain you want to be back. Why do you have to grovel and beg? I've even heard of some being turned down for reinstatement saying that the elders didn't think they were ready. wtf!

  But, yeah, the elders not writing a letter is to cover there ass from lawsuits or slander.
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  sd-7

  By all means, feel free to hijack. That's what Internet forums are for! Anyway, very true--no scriptural basis whatsoever for writing a letter to ask for reinstatement. And why does the Society even care about telling elders not to write a letter about DF'ing? Don't they do everything possible to make sure JC's are legally separate from the Society anyway? They've already covered their faithful and discreet behinds.

  The contrast, found in the Bible, is that of the apostle Paul writing a letter, not just to the body of elders alone, but to the entire Corinthian congregation, asking them AS A WHOLE to welcome back the man who had repented of his sins. Note that the man did not then have to write another letter asking for forgiveness. But this is just another example of the petty legalism that is common in this religion.

  I can tell you one thing, I'll be [condemned] if I ever write a letter to any man asking to be reinstated, as if men could somehow magically restore my relationship with God. If they DF me, I'm done for good if I'm obligated to write a letter just to get back in. Now that I know that if anything, I'll be a free man once they do that, I've got nothing to lose or to gain by doing their paperwork.

  I look forward to the time when that happens, and the COBOE wants me to get my 'publisher's card' to forward to my new congregation. "Why bother?" I'll reply. "I'm 'no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses', remember? You said it yourself. That being said, I don't HAVE a publisher's card!"

  SD-7
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  Out at Last!

  They want you to write a letter so they can feel superior and to further humiliate you. A continuing punishment until they are convinced you are pure enough to get back in. What ever happened to" Do not judge others, Lest...."
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  asilentone

  Blondie, I now understand why one elder would not email me back after I asked him a hard question. It is about someone slandering me, he never emailed me back on that one. The Watchtower are Wimps!