by poor places 16 Replies latest jw friends
Can you be df'd for atheism? If you only tell the elders that you don't believe in God, and as a result will be decreasing your activity, will they reprove you and/or df you if you aren't repentant over time? Pretend that you aren't telling them ANYTHING about your feelings regarding the organization or governing body. You only talk about your lack of faith in God.
Obviously I'm looking for a way of talking to elders and decreasing my activity without getting punished.
They can DF you for any reason that suits them.
I believe denying the existence of the nominal source of their authority would likely be grounds for disfellowshipping.
Don't tell them anything and just stop all the activities you don't want to participate in and end of story. It's none of their business why you don't want to go out in service or give talks. If you have crazy family members that would shun you just keep this info to yourself otherwise be prepared to get disfellowshipped since you obviously have to believe in god to be part of wts.
If you want to fade, it might be best to not talk to anyone about it. Just start missing regulary, decrease your field service, and then keep on decreasing until you disappear. It can be tough, especially if you have friends and family in your congregation, as they will call and try to do all they can to "re-activiate" you.
If you never say anything to anybody, then they have no idea that you have "woken up", or that you have researched anything.
Some have had success saying things like "i've been stumbled but i'd rather not talk about it". Others have blamed it on depression.
My advice - if you definitely do not want to get disfellowshipped (for whatever reason) - then stay away from meetings with elders. You could even say things like "yeah, i've got to get back rolling with it" or "i hope to see you at the next meeting".
Best of luck to you.
JWfacts told the elders that he does believe in God anymore, they did not d'fd him til much later.
On one of the forms from the CO to bethel he wrote that "non-belief is not a judicial matter". So you possibly could say you do not believe and get away with it. However, I would not recommend taking such a risk. Your elders may feel that you are a threat to the congregation and find some dubious reason to disfellowship you, particularly if they feel you will discuss your thoughts with others. It is safer just to say you are stressed/worn out etc and need to take it easy for a while.
I hope you like butter and jam, cuz you are toast if you talk!
Poor Places,
Out of curiosity, what is it about atheism that attracted you? Did you find theism untennable? As someone who moved from agnosticism to Chrisianity, I'm always interested, and somewhat saddened, when folks go in the opposite direction. (Yes, I realize there is a difference between atheism and agnosticism, but it's only a small leap from "nothing can be known about God" to "nothing can be known about God because He doesn't exist.")
I've found theism--particularly Christianity--to be intellectually vigorous and existentially satisfying. So if you're willing to discuss the matter, please let me know what moved you toward non-belief.
In Christ,
Rufus
If the elders think you are promoting a false teaching (by talking to others in the congregation, some elders might view it this way). If someone who claims to believe there is a God can be disfellowshipped, a person who does not is in danger of being df'd. The time lapse in others situations could come under the statement, "perhaps such persons can be restored."
*** w89 10/1 p. 19 par. 14 Maintain Your Faith and Spiritual Health ***To protect the spiritual health of the congregation, elders need "to exhort by the teaching that is healthful and to reprove those who contradict." (Titus 1:9, 13, 16; 2:1) Perhaps such persons can be restored to a spiritually healthy state. (2 Timothy 2:23-26) But what if they unrepentantly promote false teaching? Then, in effect, they must be quarantined. They are disfellowshipped, and we stay away from them so that their spiritual infection does not spread to us.—Romans 16:17, 18; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13; Titus 3:9-11.
*** w86 4/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses. What do such beliefs include?
That the great issue before humankind is the rightfulness of Jehovah’s sovereignty, which is why he has allowed wickedness so long. (Ezekiel 25:17) That Jesus Christ had a prehuman existence and is subordinate to his heavenly Father. (John 14:28) That there is a "faithful and discreet slave" upon earth today ‘entrusted with all of Jesus’ earthly interests,’ which slave is associated with the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Matthew 24:45-47) That 1914 marked the end of the Gentile Times and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens, as well as the time for Christ’s foretold presence. (Luke 21:7-24; Revelation 11:15–12:10) That only 144,000 Christians will receive the heavenly reward. (Revelation 14:1, 3) That Armageddon, referring to the battle of the great day of God the Almighty, is near. (Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11-21) That it will be followed by Christ’s Millennial Reign, which will restore an earth-wide paradise. That the first to enjoy it will be the present "great crowd" of Jesus’ "other sheep."—John 10:16; Revelation 7:9-17; 21:3, 4.
if a Christian (who claims belief in God, the Bible, and Jesus) unrepentantly promotes false teachings, it may be necessary for him to be expelled from the congregation. (See Titus 3:10, 11.) Of course, if a person just has doubts or is uninformed on a point, qualified ministers will lovingly assist him.
