My name was brought up last night in the elders meeting !!! (page 3)

LockedChaos

Forget 'em

They will all get over it................

Found Sheep

yuck!! I'll be next so keep us posted to what goes on. I have an elder trying to find "proof" that he can df me? only stopped going for about 1 1/2 years...

Jim_TX

I agree with what LeavingWT said...

"Brothers, I don't know why anyone would have said things like that. I love Jehovah with all of my heart, and I would never say anything negative about his earthly organization. Those folks must have misunderstood me."

Only... I might consider adding something along the lines like...

"Who is it that is spreading all of these rumors and gossip? Perhaps THEY should be investigated - as this is a serious offense - and is punishable by reproof or disfellowshipping. In fact, if you are listening to them, and believe the gossip - you too are guilty. Be careful 'my brothers' what you listen to and believe, for we are in the last days where brothers will turn on brothers... etc."

You get the idea. Make it sound like THEY are guilty - not you.

Good Luck.

Jim TX

chickpea

ya know, with a little imagination
you can play a cool hand of what
we lovingly call "theocratic warfare"

1. Do you still want to be a JW?
(actually, you can truthfully say yes...
without adding: because i have family
i would like to maintain a relationship with)

2. Do you believe the GB is the F&DS?
(yes again.... the b0rg is the only group
that yaks about the F&DS and they say
the GB is that entitiy... their game and
their their character descriptions/designations,
so no harm/no foul to agree with their fantasy...
pretend it is a sci-fi convention and you are a character!)

HappyGuy

Ask your father who said these things and call them up. Say "Brother gossip monger, I heard that there is gossip going around about me and that this gossip was discussed by elders, do you know anything about it, I am trying to do as Chapter:Verse says and blah blah blah" and quote some scripture that would apply to the fact that people are gossiping about you and you want to handle things in a spirit of Christ like love and understanding.

They won't be expecting that. Then, if Brother Gossip Monger brings up the accusations ask him if he is discussing them with you as a shephard or as a member of the Judicial Committee, but remember the JW elders do not acknowledge the sanctity of information obtained from a shepherding call.

If Brother Gossip Monger gets into serous allegations, act surprised and say "Wow, that sounds serious, can you please put down in writing exactly what the charges are with dates and times when this was supposed to occur so that I can pray on the matter and do some personal study to determine how best to ...", in other words stay firm that you expect something so serious to be communicated in writing.

If Brother Gossip Monger brings up a meeting with them first say that you will be happy to after you have had a chance to read the letter they send you explaining the situation. Then ask if the meeting is to be a shepherding call or a Judicial Committee meeting.

Apostasy is hard to defend against because it boils down to he said / she said and the elders will always take the word of someone who is active over someone who is inactive.

You are in a tough spot because they make these rules up to suit them.

Have you been discussing your personal beliefs with active JWs? How do they know you no longer believe?

I agree with others here that you don't owe these people anything, so playing mind games with them is perfectly all right. Realistically, they do hold the future of your relationship with your family in their hands. Sucks, I know.

If this is the first time an elder has contacted you in a long time you should bring that up. "Where was alll this concern when I was missing meetings 3 years ago?"

WuzLovesDubs

Do these people sincerely have nothing better to do with the sheep in the congregation who are in NEED of them than to chase after people who have been GONE for years and years?? come the hell ON already. TO THE ELDERS: Go do something USEFUL ELDERS and quit being gossipy old women looking to find someone to punish for YOUR misery because YOU are stuck in a cult!! Arent you always saying "Let the dead bury the dead" ? Go give food to a poor family or visit somebody in the hospital and quit WITCH HUNTING.

dissed

Two witnesses that heard you say something means nothing if you recant what you said.

"Yes, I did say that and that was a mistake. I've since contemplated on that point and feel I was wrong to not only think that, but to express it. I now feel fully the GB is right and thank you for helping me back on the path of JG ..yada, yada, yada....."

Its only if you stand by that 'unhealthful teaching' is when you have to answer to the JC.

On the other hand.....

If you have your house decorated for Halloween, you have some esplaning to do. But still not impossible. "OMG! I didn't see that! Who put that here?!!!" I will take that down imediately brothers!" lol

willyloman

Reviewing this thread, I just want to make one more point:

If you're going to drop out of the org and you hope to just drift away without consequences, you must have a plan. It should be based on what you already know about the way the org works, the way the elders generally react to events, and the "language" or word phrases that can be used to deflect suspicion/action. Review the way others have left and build on the most effective model.

If you are ready to leave, you already know the "truth" isn't the same as reaL life and that you've been playing a role. So use your acquired acting skills by playing a whole new character. And don't forget the script.

brainwashed-from-birth

If you dont meet with them they will dF you. They will first try to track you down for weeks, and if they feel you are openly avoiding them they will just DF you. They have all the power.

Midget-Sasquatch

If having any smidgeon of a relationship with your JW family is important to you, then you've got no other choice but to lie

through your teeth about what you believe or doubt. Yeah, not noble but I found it works.

No point in trying to avoid them. They'll keep trying to talk with you because the accusation has been made and they can't let it drop.

Many congregation BOEs are being urged to clean up house of possible apostates.

And truth is, they secretly love the witch-hunts. They have nothing more meaningful in their enslaved lives

and its play-time for their sanctimonious half-brains. Can you tell I'm bitter?

.....I had a sheperding call just this last Saturday.

My name was brought up last night in the elders meeting !!!

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