JW's Offer Me A Plea Bargain.

by Englishman 38 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Englishman

  I haven’t mentioned this before because, when it happened I was quite rattled.

  There was a knock at the door a little while back, and who should be stood there but John Dayment, the fella who used to be my Dad’s assistant when he was PO of Weston super Mare, back in the 60’s.

  He had with him another chappy, I think that his name was Rod something, and they both launched into how good it would be to see me make my way back. Apparently they were both elders, and this was my once a year visit. I was disinclined to be rude because my Mum is still in contact with John – hey, for all I know he might be my step-father one day! I digress.

  Anyway, John burbled on about this and that, then he said – get this folks – because I lived a clean and blameless life(moi?) and was I not an apostate (!), that I could get re-instated within about a month.[/]

  Folks, I have to tell you that this left me with a horrible feeling. After all my internet work, after all my letters to various newspapers, after all my slagging of the dubs in various pubs, I am one month away from re-instatement? Imagine how Butch Cassidy would have felt if the reward money for his capture was set at only $10! Bloody insulted!

  Anyway, as he prattled on, it became apparent that there was, indeed, a catch to this offer. You won’t believe this but I swear that it is true. You recall that I was disfellowshipped in 1972? And that I was DF’d because I refused to shun by best pal who had been DF’d the year before, in 1971? Well, I could be re-instated within one month [I]if I contacted my pal to tell him that, as I was making my way back to Jehovah, I would no longer be able to associate or speak with him until such time as he too, turned back.

  Well, I was speechless, but I have to tell you that I felt that I had come close to shaking hands with the devil here, just the fact that someone assumed that I could go along with something like that still makes me feel tainted by the visit.

  Maybe dumping my pal to get a reduced sentence would have been the ultimate plea bargain?

  Englishman.
• 

  writerpen

  Never heard of the one month deal. Does anyone know if this is a new policy or something?
• 

  Englishman

  He told me that the 12 month recommended shunning peroiod was from the date of DF'ing, not from the date of when someone tries to make their way back.

  Englishman.
• 

  ARoarer

  How nauseating they are.
• 

  expatbrit

  Nauseating: yes.
  Manipulative: yes.
  So bloody obvious about it: yes.

  File this one under the "trying to kill two birds with one stone" file.

  Expatbrit
• 

  Scully

  Englishman:

  I would have asked them if they were asking me back as a kind of statistical plumping up of the congregation.

  Love, Scully

  
  
• 

  coffee_black

  They just really don't get it, do they?? Makes my skin crawl.

  cb
• 

  target

  I saw a one month deal once. An elder's younger sister who had dallied with her sister's husband wanted reinstatement. While the PO was out of town, the reinstatement hurriedly took place. 30 days. A piece of cake.

  Target
• 

  patio34

  Hi Eman,

  Shiver . . .

  Hah! Like their own wolves in sheep's clothing.

  Thanks for the heads-up on another tactic of their theocratic warfare.

  Pat

  

  WTBS: Quit peeing on my leg and telling me it's raining.
• 

  Englishman

  The other thing that bugged me was that I don't feel that I owe anyone any explanations for what I might have or might not have done when I was 26 years old.

  My best pal was 22 when he was DF'd, now he's on the verge of retirement, he's got a large family and is also the traditional "Pillar of the community" in the village in which he lives. He's also 53 now, so how absolutley ludicrous is the suggestion that this fella still deserves to be shunned!

  Englishman.