Why should I have to sign a letter saying I want to disassociate ?

by troubled mind 84 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  troubled mind

  I don't understand why the Elders want this letter so badly ....For one I don't remember signing a contract to become a Jehovah's Witness ,why do I need to resign ?

  Also I was baptised in 1978 before the baptism questions changed , I dedicated myself to God not an organization . My vow was to follow the direction by holy spirit as revealed to me through the Bible, not the Watchtower .....

  If I belonged to the Luthern Church and quit going after three yrs they drop your name off the member list ........but if I chose to come to Easter or Christmas service everyonre would still talk to me I just wouldn't be a member any more .

  The only reason to force this disassociation agenda is to excercise control over someone and to instill fear into remaining members in my opinion . What do you say ?
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  palmtree67

  Oh, my dear troubledmind.....

  You are absolutely correct in your reasoning. But you won't convince them. Let them DF you, if that's what they want. They will stand before God for what they do.

  I don't think you need to hand it to them on a silver platter by giving them a letter of DA.

  You are sooooo in my thoughts and prayers tonight.

  Love, Palm
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  EmptyInside

  Yes, I agree, it's all about control. I've realized the last few months the organization comes down to technicalities. It's all about dotting the i's and crossing the t's.

  Example: A young sister is engaged to an unbaptized publisher. He gets baptized three weeks before the wedding.

  A friend of the bride commented that she was glad he got baptized or otherwise she wouldn't have been able to go to the wedding.

  I know this has nothing to do with your situation, but they are so much into the details and finalizing everything. From what you have written on this board, you were just minding your own business and living your life. I don't see why they need a letter signed from you, except to make it all official.
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  EmptyInside

  And I just wanted to add, sorry you have to go through all this.
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  african GB Member

  Mind control

  sorry for all the trouble they put you through.
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  penny2

  Ask them where it says in the bible that you have to give them a letter. They are pathetic - sorry you are going through this.
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  Gayle

  You don't have to do anything for them that way,,it is their insanity,,their problem,,they have no power over you.
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  Snoozy

  They want to be able to tell people that you are no longer a JW iin case you do something naughty.

  If people think you are still a JW and you do something naughty, they are afraid it may put a black mark on their religion. They want to be able to say, "They are no longer one of us." They have to keep the org clean you know...

  It's their "CYOB policy....Cover Your Own Butt.
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  AK - Jeff

  You are correct, at least IMO to a point. It is about control to some extent.

  From my perspective though, when I DA'd, it was about my retention of a sliver of control personally in the situation. They wanted to disfellowship me - invited me to a judicial hearing for apostasy. I had been out for three years at the time. They came looking for me. My fate was inevitable - they would either disfellowship me, or I could take the moment to state my reasons for having left, and then legally end my relationship with them. I chose to do the latter - bought a couple weeks of time in so doing - and sent letters to a few people in the congregation stating what I now knew about the organization's history and corruption. Then I submitted my letter to the elders.

  My hope was that perhaps someone would read my letter, and in time, find the exit door themselves.

  So far - none have done so that I know of. Still, it was worth that last burst from my only weapon at the moment.

  In the end, they will do what they do most likely. They will DF or force DA. Even if they don't they will likely smear your name with slander inside the congregation.

  For me, there was little reason not to DA. At least I got the last word.

  Jeff
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  jookbeard

  jeff you have a pm