I want to relate this experience I had on Monday, 24 September and get others’ thoughts on it.
As some of you know, I returned to Alabama six months ago after a thirty-one year absence. Until yesterday, I had made no effort to contact any of the Witnesses I knew from my earlier residence. However, my sister knew a man I had once been very friendly with and she called him and asked permission to give his phone number to me. The man agreed and I called him yesterday.
He was glad to hear from me but the first thing he told me was that he was disfellowshipped. I told him that made no difference to me first, because I was disfellowshipped also and second, that even if I was in good standing I would not shun others. He relaxed and we talked.
The upshot is that even though he has been out for nine years, he has decided to seek reinstatement. I told him that I had no intention of ever returning. That led to a long exchange between us with him urging me not to let “imperfect men” influence my decision to abandon “the Truth.” In turn, I told him my quarrel wasn’t with any particular individuals but with the organization itself, an organization that stood condemned for its hypocrisy and lies as well as the deleterious effect it has had on the lives of many people.
Since he had once served as an elder, I let him have it with both barrels. I told him the entire judicial committee arrangement was unscriptural, that nowhere in the Bible could the Society’s procedures be found, outlined, or even hinted at. If he could show me just one passage where these star chamber tactics were endorsed, I told him, I would humble myself and return to the meetings.
I then closed with this: “I have no wish to force my association or company on anybody, so if you want to break off all contact after this conversation, I’ll understand.” You can imagine my great surprise when he told me he wants to talk to me again. Now maybe he was simply saying that to make me feel better. For my part, I’d love to get together again, but I’m not holding my breath. But if we do meet, I imagine the conversation will be an intense one. I welcome any suggestions about what should be on the agenda.
Quendi