Technically I never was. I'm just a born-in who dodged the bullet of baptism.
What's Your Status? Are You Technically Still A JW?...
by minimus 92 Replies latest jw friends
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puffthedragon
Inactive, ex-bethel ex-ms ex-pio had been encouraged to go to MTS to become a CO cause a CO "saw it in my future". Then things changed.
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GeneM
DA's with a letter. (text below)
" I love the brothers and sisters. While I find the concept of shunning
archaic, I hold no animosity to those forced to do it, as they have
been made to believe that it is the way they can show they still love
me.
My reasons for disassociation are many. First is the fact that the
natural world shows irrefutable evidence that life as we see it came
about through evolution by natural selection. This fact is not
disputed by any credible scientist. Even those who are featured in
interviews in the recent publications. Real evidence for a global
flood is completely non-existent and in fact the evidence proves
otherwise. The rape, murder and genocide that the God of the Bible
condones is unconscionable and the justifications given are absurd.
The list goes on and on.
I have no desire to destroy the organization or anyone's faith. I
researched these things initially to straighten my faith. You are
going to label me a fool for being so gullible. While you may not
understand this, I now see you same way. That being said, please
remove my name from all lists of membership and discard any medical
directives you have on file." -
finally awake
I assume I am classified as inactive. I have never spoken directly with any active JW about any criticisms or disagreements I have with the WTBTS. As far as they know, I just stopped coming to meetings. However, Just ROn has talked to some of the local dubs and they may have gotten wind that I think they are full of manure.
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Fernando
Technically, although baptised, I have been granted "never was a JW" status, and free to talk to amenable JWs, but still shunned by last congregation.
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sseveninches
Active. I still like with my parents, so I'm waiting until I move out (very soon) to be able to make any moves. I want to be able to at least have some financial and housing stability before taking on any emotional turbulence. Still a "faithful JW" on the outside, but on the inside, I live by my own rules.
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Diest
Fader, no meetings for 6 years no memorial for 3 years. Family knows I don't believe
Fernando how did you get granted status as never was?
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Chariklo
Dagney
I don't consider myself a JW technically or otherwise...in the least. What do lapsed Catholics say? "I was raised Catholic."
Lapsed Catholics are still Catholics, according to my understanding.
Catholics, deep down, are Catholic because of God's grace. In other words, once baptised, you can't be unbaptised. Even if you subsequently go through a JW "baptism" it has no significance other than to put you somewhat at odds with the church. It's really immaterial.
The Catholic view, according to my understanding, is that you've wandered, but will be welcomed home like the lost sheep whenever you choose to return, even if that's on your deathbed.
That is the fundamental difference between jW's and mebers of other churches. For JW's and the WT, you have to "keep yourself in God's love," as the title of that awful book has it. It all depends on you. As far as I can see it is a constant process of knowing that if you put a foot wrong you'll displease an elder and therefore God (Jehovah).
Other churches, and especially and most explicitly Catholics, know that God's love is infinite and immeasurable. Romans 8:38-39. Even the New World Translation can't disguise that:
" For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor governments nor things now here nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor any other creation will be able to separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
The WT has it there in their own Bible but ignores and twists it. And fundamentally, that's what made me refuse baptism at the very last minute. That, and the fact that I realised that I'd be putting myself under the jurisdicion of elders for whom I had lost respect because of their own behaviour.
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Steve_C
Born-in, baptized in 1984, stopped going to meetings around 1999. I guess I'm classified as inactive, but not sure. I told my sister in 2006 that I'm gay; she and my mom have shunned me ever since, even though I never had a judicial meeting or notification of any actions taken. Whatever.
I left the US in 2008. I've thought about going through the motions and attending meeting where I live now, in hopes of being able to communicate with my family. However, I quickly abandoned that idea because I know I couldn't stomach listening to that drivel, even in Chinese.
I don't know how those who know it's BS, but stay active, can do it. My hat's off to you.