Are you a Jehovah's Witness?

Lee Elder

There is no honorable way to leave the Watchtower Society. Here
are the choices open to a baptized JW:

1. You are an active publisher and a member of a congregation
2. You are an inactive publisher and a member of a congregation.
3. You are an inactive publisher for over 7 years and the congregation
has tossed your publishers record card. You are not associated with
any congregation. (This is a pretty good place to be).
4. You are an inactive publisher for over 7 years and the congregation
secretary keeps your card in the file anyway. (This is actually a
violation of WTS directives but happens quite frequently especially when you have stupid, controlling elders who love keeping their
thumb on others - this is a pretty bad place to be.)
5. You are disfellowshiped or disassociated.

If you are in category 1-4, like it or not, you are a Jehovah's Witness. Actual "witnessing" is not required though demanded.

One can try and argue that they are not JWs for whatever reason, but don't expect elders to agree with you unless you are a category 5.

As for me, I am a dissident Jehovah's Witness. I have not joined another church and have no interest in doing so at this time.

How about you?

One last comment. It has been 7 or 8 years since I was congregation secretary. The figure I used regarding keeping old publisher record
cards is my best recollection.

mike047

Where would an unbaptised publisher, that does not participate anymore stand??

RunningMan

I am currently an active JW. Although I haven't been out in service
in almost a year, I faithfully report a non-existant home Bible study,
so I am officially active.

I consider myself as trying to bring down the system from the inside.

Cygnus

I was an inactive Witness for 33 months until the elders hunted me down as I was seen associating with a disfellowshipped person.

Since I did not fight the allegation (it was true), and since I brought my DF'd friend with me to the judicial committee hearing, I was summarily DF'd myself.

My only defense was the Society's web page where it says former members are not shunned (I told them since I wasn't reporting activity, I was a former member). I was told "some alleged website is not our authority." I appealed to a 1987 Watchtower where a person who had not been active for a period of time, although he committed a DF'ing offense, might not have judicial action taken. The article says, 'the elders might choose to hold the matter in abeyance until such time as the person advertises himself as a Witness again.' I was told that the elders MIGHT choose to, not that they had to.

Obviously, I didn't care if I was DF'd. But it goes to show that the Society will say one thing, and elders will generally do whatever they wish. I did write Brooklyn twice for clarification, and all I received was, 'We find no reason to question the decisions of the committees.'

Belligerent Paladin

I definitely fall into category 1. I'm not even irregular. (Diet and exercise help out)

"4. ... especially when you have stupid, controlling elders who love keeping their thumb on others ..."
(Get real! No such critter exists!)
My dear dad, a dedicated dub, told me that out of the 15 elders in his hall there are only four that he would even eat with, and only three that he would invite to his house.

I think the funniest one was when my fiance and I drove from her parent's house to a par- err... gathering that was five minutes away. The elder next door saw us leave and tried to get a commitee together because we weren't properly chaperoned. We found out about it through the elder who performed our marraige ceremony. He spoke up for us at that elder's meeting then warned us so we could watch ourselves around this particular "brother".

Nice elders are so rare and the number is dwindling rapidly.

The Belligerent Paladin

Danni

RunningMan I faithfully report a non-existant home Bible study,
so I am officially active.

LOL do they ever ask to meet the people you have a bible study with? and if yes, what will you do when they aske to meet this non-existant person?

That was funny.

CPiolo

I don't fit in any of the categories. I am not, have not been, nor ever will be a Witness. I do have the misfortune of being married to one.

This may be nothing more than semantics, but I don't agree that there is no honorable way to leave. Leaving for reasons of conscience or simply disagreement regarding belief seems to be quite honorable to me, as well as it's healthy, empowering and very honorable to leave an abusive relationship.

The dishonor lies with the WT and Witnesses, their abusive treatment of those who leave, and the manipulative threats and actions they use to ensure obedience and association. Where lies the honor in forcing others into preconceived notions of what is good or bad, right or wrong, good association or bad association, worthy or not of love and friendship irregardless of personal circumstances?

CPiolo

RunningMan

Danni: When I refer to a non-existant home Bible study, I am referring to
my own "home". I have two kids.

When they grow up, I will have to be a little more creative.

ISP

A good way to go...is when you move house ...don't attend etc. They have no record of your whereabouts and it all finishes. I am inactive. No real hassles so far, besides some token visits by the elders. I don't see the need to do anything else regarding my position as a 'JW'.

ISP

David Gladden

Wow, some of you are fortunate that they allowed you to "drift" away. They sure didn't let me! They kept calling and even waited for me in my driveway. Then they started threatening to DF me. To get them off my back I sent them a DA letter. A few years later my mother asked the elders about the DF threat and they denied it.

I noticed that several people here recommend that you record ALL interactions with the JWs, and they are right! The JWs will deny(lie), deny(lie), and then deny(lie) again if it will help them. (Reference “Spiritual Warfare” and “the right to deceive the enemy”)

Here is the real kicker, they never officially DAed or DFed me. In their books I am an “inactive publisher with special circumstances”... they refuse to believe that I don't want to be a part of them.

Are you a Jehovah's Witness?

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