Is there a new 'rule' about disfellowshipping which can make it null and void?

by whitman 26 Replies latest jw friends

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  jwfacts

  Elderite - "The first question "we" (elders) are supposed to ask, and the first question the branch will ask, is "did the person ever Pioneer or sign their name on any type of application for special service".. cause if so that is taken as a sign that you were indeed dedicated."

  Interesting that you say that. I applied to Bethel for an annulment on the basis that I was baptised as a minor and the response was that since I had applied to pioneer when I was 18 I had made other binding contracts with the society when no longer a minor.
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  elderelite

  ya there you have it (sorry it didn't work for you). It is rare to let that fly.. we had a letter about it and then some "verbal" instructions that negated the little loup hole in the letter.. maybe I can find it, but essentially it seems the branch does not want to open that door
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  moshe

  The WT is treating this like a legal contract. Contracts can be cancelled, if they are obtained by the use of fraud. I doubt if very many JW studies would get baptized, if they had full disclosure provided to them in adavance of the "colorful" history of the WT Society. That being said, the WT does provide enough information on a regular basis as to the true man-made nature of it's religion to enable a JW to see through their religious charade. No JW is held in the KH against their will. The strong ones do leave all the time and some do quit rather quickly once they have enough facts.
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  Quillsky

  The WT is treating this like a legal contract.

  Indeed.... isn't it a bit insane that having your body put underwater for a second is considered the (quasi-legal) equivalent to putting your signature to paper?
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  bigmac

  never mind what the WATBITS may say about the matter, i know my baptism was invalid: in 1962, i was 14, & i got dipped because my dad did & also other youngsters in the cong. as well.

  OK, in my late teens i pioneered & was an MS for a few years , then the truth set me free. never to return.
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  whitman

  QuietlyLeaving: You noted that: I wonder if this has to do with elders being re-invented as independent agents"

  (sorry, I'm hopeless at making my posts look pretty and organised like everyone else)

  I haven't stayed that up to date on technical changes in the borg on that kind of issue....what exactly does it mean that they are being 're-invented as independent agents'? What are the implications? I absolutely agree that it would be interesting to test the waters on this one.

  xchange: What a horrid situation! Loopholes, loopholes, loopholes (as Elderdelite would say ;))

  JWfacts: I didn't realise it had always existed as an option. This is the first time I've heard of it, hence my post here. It certainly sounds as though there are some precedents that have been set, but consistency is not really the mark of this particular beast.

  Coffee: So if that's the case and you were baptised before you were old enough to really understand the implications, where does that leave you now? Did they recognise that your baptism was void?

  Quillsky: You aren't suggesting I'm the actual elder involved here are you? Context can be tricky on here. I'm involved, but only as a family member watching on - I'm not an elder, and I'm not DF'd either, otherwise I'd be putting this loophole to the test myself.

  Thanks again everyone. I appreciate the feedback.
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  Kandigirl

  Wow very interesting topic....I wish that was now the practice, it would make things much easier for some people.