Were you told by JC that God will no longer listen to your prayers?

by Hortenzie 22 Replies latest social family

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  Hortenzie

  I was Df-ed 3 years ago. During the process nothing extraordinary happened. Everything proceeded as if according to a script. Elder who knew me for years treated me with dignity and respect but I couldn't recognize any semblance of feelings on their part. The only thing that took my breath away was that at the end one of the elders made a statemen that Jehovah God will not listen to my prayers anymore - it actually felt that he was forbiding me to pray. I was speechless and just left without a word...

  Did that happened to you? Do the elders have procedural script for Judicial Committees? Were you told that God will not hear you anymore?
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  purplesofa

  I never was told that when I was DF, but I was told I no longer had Jehovahs holy spirit. And I felt as though I had a death sentence.

  I really did not think praying would do any good anyway.

  It was many years before I started to pray after being DF.
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  Oceanblue

  I was told that prayers were the only thing that nobody could take away from me. The elder who told me that at the JC meeting stressed that fact too. He also repeated it when I tried to get reinstated I have no idea why that elder told you that because he def. was out of line for saying that.

  As for elders having a procedural script, I do know that in their handy dandy elder's book, they have a list of certain things they have to ask and look for during the JC meeting. Based on the info they get out of you and your reaction, that is how they decide to disfellowship you or not.
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  donuthole

  Yes I was told this and know of others who have experienced this as well. I have been researching the background of this for an article I'm writing. Technically the Watchtower teaches that Jehovah only hears the prayers of Jehovah's Witnesses, those who have relative righteousness by association with the slave class. Once you are "no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses" you no longer have the privilege of prayer since God does not hear the prayers of the wicked but only the righteous.

  I would be interested if some elders could weigh in on this. It is common enough but as we know there is often some variation between elders and how they deal with things.
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  purplesofa

  hmmm, I thought JW's taught that Jehovah heard heartfelt prayers.

  there is an article

  You are Precious in Gods Eyes, something like that from the nineties in a WT

  and it has a sentence in there that we might petition God to do something he otherwise might not do.

  purps
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  Hortenzie

  Thanks for all the comments so far... Purplesofa - you are right. The article is found in WT95 4/1, pages 10-15. Paragraph 10 makes the statement you mentioned but the context shows that it applies to God's servants.

  The other thing said at that occasion was that even after being df-ed I still remain dedicated to Jehovah. Which I though was odd. How can I be still dedicated to Jehovah if he doesn't listen to my prayers and "his" organization shuns me?
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  purplesofa

  well i thought being DF was being disciplined by Jehovah and God disciplines those that he loves.

  They really have it all messed up.

  They cannot keep you from preaching when you are DF, I remember them telling me that for sure.

  purps
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  jamiebowers

  I can't remember being specificallytold that, but I held that belief for many years after being df'd.
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  villabolo

  Hortenzie, I was told by a member in my Judicial Committee that disfellowshipped persons tended to go insane and commit suicide.

  villabolo
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  Chalam

  The sad irony is this

  John 14:6 (New International Version)

  6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

  The Father hears all the prayers, He is omnipotent. However, the is only one Mediator between Him and man, the man Jesus.

  1 Timothy 2:5 (New International Version)

  5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

  JWs are taught the WT is their mediator, not Jesus. So draw your own conclusions.

  Blessings,

  Stephen