Getting re-instated for fun & profit.

by Trismegistus 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  Trismegistus

  As I have previously mentioned, I have been DF'd for about eleven years. Recent issues have brought me back to meetings for a bit. Of course, the elders desire to talk to me about my options.

  AT FIRST, my reaction was similar to my parents view- tell them vague promising things while attempting to get something out of them.

  But then I thought about getting back & then dropping the whole shebang later. This would put me in a much better position to get things that I DO think are important- such as friends who don't believe, but for whatever reason won't leave. I can't put any judgement on them; I can think of any number of issues with leaving. I experienced some of them.

  I mean, is there any way that I can have a disciplinary action put against me if I join and then ditch out? I didn't think that they could DF you if you don't go to the comittee.
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  MrFreeze

  They can and they will DF you for not attending a judicial committee. They will assume you are unrepentant.

  Welcome to the board by the way.
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  Trismegistus

  Thank you! I'm assuming- as always- that this is based on the congregation's elders?

  What if the local elders have no contact information for you? Can they DF you based on this?
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  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  If you get reinstated, they will feel entitled to scrutinize every detail of your private life. Even if you don't do anything after your reinstatement to get disfellowshipped again, they will still gossip about you, hassle you, and treat you like scum.

  I've faded, but moved about 100 miles away, outside of the circuit, and now live in a big city. I got some hassle after I moved, but I can still talk to family and easily avoid scrutiny.
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  Trismegistus

  Eh, they scrutinized my private life & gossiped about me LONG after I left. And you get used to being treated like scum by the majority.

  Still, there are current JWs that are only there for the fear of ostracism that I've already faced. And there was always the bizarre belief around here that it's OK to talk with faded/non-baptized exJWs.

  I figure lying to get reinstated will be just as easy as lying to get baptised.

  Editing for the additional comment: I suppose there's that aspect too. Just showing folks that they can't rely on the Elders to accurately gauge the real intentions. Their Holy Spirit would certainly be flawed to allow me back.
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  diamondiiz

  It may take 6-12 months to get reinstates, which means you need to attend BS meetings for this length of time, and be regular at recruiting -is this really worth the trouble? Once you get re-instated the so called friends who shunned you for a long time may continue to shun you if you stop all the meetings the day you get reinstated, so really is it worth wasting more of you life trying to accomplish something that may produce nothing but frustration?
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  MrFreeze

  If they can't contact you, they probably wouldn't have any reason to DF you. If there is a reason to DF you, it is usually coming from a family member/"friend" who has ratted you out. They would go through them to contact you probably.
• 

  yknot

  Weigh your time and gains.....

  Play the game if you feel it is worth it!

  Once you get to where you desire....just start slacking more and more into a fade into inactivity.
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  Trismegistus

  I dunno. Right now I'm bored and really have few people to talk to. Until I change that around, it's a good enough way to get out of the house.

  Really, I'd post more specifics, but I don't know how tech-savvy some of the younger Elders in the congregation are. I mean, this site is the first forum on a Google search! Even the largest Luddite could find this place!
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  diamondiiz

  Find an interest, join a club, hell, go to another church to meet real people. Anything is better to going back to a cult to find only conditional friends who will shun you as you try to re-enter they ranks and will shun you once you stop being regular. If you go to a larger church at least you'll have a greater veriaty of people to meet instead talking to drones who for most part have no real lives and interests of their own.