Pondering A "What If" Ultimatum

OnTheWayOut

Okay, I will tailor this to my circumstances, but it's really a general "what if" question on how you think most JW's would react.

So, I am a fader. 100% inactive, but never been called to a JC. So what if I bring home a huge lottery winning? I mean huge. Just to fill in numbers to remove any "Well it might depend on how much?" answers, we will say that the one time payoff will clear us 50 Million Dollars (U.S.) after taxes. Easily, more than a million dollars a year to spend for the rest of our lives even if we didn't make another dime with the money.

So what if I bring home that lottery ticket and tell the JW wife, "We have two choices. We can go to the 'brothers' and I can confess to gambling and ask them how I can show repentance. (Go ahead and guess what the answer will be, especially if they consult with 'Mother' about this one.)

OR.....

You can leave the JW's and enjoy the money with me."

I know that my wife would probably try to squirm out of all that and say, "You don't live as a JW anymore, so I don't think you really want to go to the brothers, but I don't need to leave the JW's. You are the head of the household and I can abide by your decision to keep the money."

I would say that wasn't one of my decisions. I gave them as "Go to the brothers or YOU leave the JW's." I have set this up as a tough one for her, because I am saying I would abide by whatever the brothers tell me to do NO MATTER WHAT.

Of course, most JW mates, if forced down this road, would never want to lose the money. There are alternatives. They could go get a lawyer to keep me from giving away their half. They could seek an unscriptural divorce to have half of it, saying it was unreasonable of me to ask them to give up their beliefs. But even there, I would have to tell a judge, I am willing to come back to those beliefs and do whatever the JW's tell us to do.

Anyway, maybe it sounded more fascinating to me than it does to you once I wrote it out. Still, any thoughts? What would the JW mate choose or would they look for more alternatives?

Phizzy

I believe the latest Elders book says that buying a lottery ticket is not a DFng offense, is that right ? if so, it may change your little scenario a bit.

By the way, this is hypothetical isn't it ? I mean, if you have actually won 50Mill. for real, please accept this as your first begging letter.

finally awake

A True Believer tm would gladly rip the lottery ticket to shreds if it meant the UBM would come back to the Truth tm . However, for anyone with any doubts, the money would prove irresistable. I'd love to win that kind of cash.

slimboyfat

If I won that amount of money I doubt I'd spend much time worrying about the Witnesses at all.

garyneal

Yeah, right. I'm sure the elders would overlook that gambling offense if they knew that they would benefit in some way. Green handshakes for the CO, increased contributions in the box, "Brother OTWO, we find you repentant and since you were never disfellowshipped, consider this a private reproof."

slimboyfat

I heard about a sister in Scotland who won the lottery. It was in the newspaper. She was a pioneer. She repented and she was reproved and stayed in the Witnesses... don't know how long for though. Probably she left after a while.

N.drew

Good idea. Tweak it and put it in a book, the kind with alternative endings. Funny! But your not going to win the money, you know. But in case you do because I said you won't, then please send some, but make it enough. OK!

OnTheWayOut

I believe the latest Elders book says that buying a lottery ticket is not a DFng offense, is that right ? if so, it may change your little scenario a bit.

The elder book says that greed, gambling, extortion are judicial offenses. The loophole is there for it says that if a person makes a habit of gambling and after repeated counsel unrepentantly pursues a course of greediness, judicial action would be appropriate.

So I would have to make a habit and receive more than one session of counseling prior to this.

In order to even bring this to reality if I did win the big money, I would have to hold on to the winning ticket and establish the habit while holding that ticket by buying MORE lottery tickets and returning to the situation where I am subject to counsel by these guys. NO WAY. NEVERMIND.

I will work it out without the ultimatum if I ever win the big money.

leavingwt

You cannot put a price on everlasting life.

Jesus turned down Satan's offer, and many JW's would choose Jehovah over a winning lottery ticket.

OnTheWayOut

But you know....

if gambling is wrong, I could still do this. I am not confessing in a way to demand a JC, I am confessing in a way to seek advice on how to correct my path. The scenario is still valid. I would just say that we can do whatever we are counseled to do by the brothers if she doesn't want to leave the JW's and go enjoy the money.

Pondering A "What If" Ultimatum

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