When Was The Last Time "The Friends" Checked Up On You? Spiritual or Social Visit?

by ÁrbolesdeArabia 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  ÁrbolesdeArabia

  I know of two couples who left the Congregation I faded from, they two have never received a Shepherding Call, I was usually the one who came by with food or offered to help clean their homes.

  Most of you are beyond this like I am, this goes to the new members arriving here who might think the "friends" are coming to check up on them. The elders in my former Hall were too much into drinking and eating, average body weight was 265lbs with pumpkin shaped bodies. I never met men who had more bottles of booze than a Bar.

  New ones, welcome and how are those calls going on with you? Have your friends checked up on you in the last three to six months?
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  Amelia Ashton

  Last meeting was memorial 2009. Not heard a peep since, shepherding or otherwise from KH here or witnesses from my old congs either.
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  ÁrbolesdeArabia

  Amelia, it was hard to sit with a straight face when the Magazines would mention the "loving provision of Shepherding Calls", the majority of Kingdom Halls do not practice this procedure even though the Organization writes we have these elders and friends to provide shelter from the elements from Satan's World.

  Did you roll your eyes too, when the Watchtower and friends would comment how loving our shepherds are and all the good they do for the Congo? It's been four years for you, I enjoyed how the elders would lie and say "We called your home and never got you to pick up the phone!" I said "I have "Caller-ID", it shows no phone calls from your phone number!" "Well, maybe it was last week?" Nope, "it was not last week either!" Elders who are caught in blatant lies "we wanted to do it, it's the thought that counts!" and I told this elder "The World has a saying, "The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions" and "The Smallest Deed Is Better Than The Greatest Thought!".

  That's the Group was are moving away from, men who are willing to lie over very small things.
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  TheClarinetist

  I get relatively regular visits from a local older couple that my mother sicced on me. They're nice enough, but I try to make a point to not be home when they get here.
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  ÁrbolesdeArabia

  My sister played the Clarinet, I loved to listen to her play. You are one who get's a regular call from the old-timers, many of the new elders were told not to waste their time on "bottomless pitts" or friends with depression or emotional problems (70 percent of JW Demographics). How long and when did you start playing the Clarinet? Not a easy instrument to learn to play, I wish I had the skills to learn to play.

  I enjoyed some of the courageus elderly couples, not the most tact but they were not afraid to hug or greet disfellowshiped members and tell them they loved the brother or sister. "Jehovah and Jesus will keep a eye on you, you will always be the good kid we remember and kids make mistakes." What if the Governing Body took notice of the love these "fringe couples" and tried to display true love instead of greedy control and hatred of those who oppose their tryannical rules?
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  irondork

  I DA'd 2 years ago. Haven't seen nor heard from a single one of 'em. My roomie, on the other hand, did not DA. She just quit going. They haven't so much as given her a phone call either.

  I called out their BS pretty clearly in my DA letter and I think the local elder body knows they stepped in it. I think they would be ashamed to attempt a sheparding call at my address.

  Who knows. As far as the CO is concerned, my roommates file is untidy, without any formal conclusion. They may some day be required to settle accounts with her. I look forward to that day.
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  designs

  Actually had an old JW friend call last night, he has had two major surgeries in the past six months and is near the end of his life. We have known each other since we were in our early teens, a lot of history there.
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  DesirousOfChange

  Nah, nothing.

  JWs shoot their wounded.

  Doc
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  rubadubdub

  I walked away on July 3, 2011 on the last day of my DC. Because I was still in my dub-- "Let your yes mean yes" mode, I served lunch for the (Substitute) C.O. in Mid-August, but didn't go to any of his meetings or "participate" in any of the week's activities. Through the years I received many thank you cards for lunches served, but always from the C.O.'s wife. This time I got a not from C.O. Jr. suggesting that I attend the meetings/go out in field service during his next visit, so we could get to know one another better. Of course, the next visit was the final visit from the C.O. who made my eye twith. So sorry to have missed him!

  Through mid-December of 2011. I was stalked. Cell phone voice mail, messages on home answering machine, email, text messages, notes in my door, mags in my door, KMs in my door, notes/cards/letters in mail, invitations to baby showers, invitation to come to C.A. and have lunch in the apartment for the brother and his family who take care of the grounds (don't remember the title--groundskeeper?) and even a letter from an el-dub's daughter pleading me to come back. I avoided all contanct like the plague during this time.

  Then in mid-December I received a copy of the Special Assembly Day program on CD from a local el-dub with a note that I would be so "encouraged" by a special talk about how it was so important to "encourage our brothers and sisters" to come back to Jehovah. I filed it in my circular file. Mysteriously, all further attempts by rank and file members ceased after that Special Assembly Day.

  In January of 2012 I received a visit from a local el-dub. He was alone, so I spoke with him briefly. He tried to make light of the situation by asking me about my "sabbatical"! I told him that I had an out-patient hospitalization for severe, recurrent clinical depression for 6 weeks in Jan/Feb of 2011, was still struggling with depression and didn't want to end up with an in-patient hospitalization. I told him I knew where to find the elders and had their phones numbers to contact them if I needed help.

  I did call that same el-dub to ask him to have a new MS (He married a sister in the congregation, and I knew him by name only.) to STOP giving updates about my "spiritual status" to a sister in the new MS's former congregation who was stalking me through him. I had already asked her to stop with no resluts. El-dub agreed to talk to MS and the behavior stopped.

  Went to Memorial 2012 to appease my only dub-friend left. Won't make that mistake ever again! Seeing all the next generation dub-children in corporate dress made me want to vomit.

  I received a text message from the CoBE inquiring about my welfare during Hurricane Irene (we were under mandatory evacuation). I replied that I was fine, staying with my sister out of town and hoped he was safe as well. I have always maintained a sweet, pleasant demeanor while keeping the contact brief.

  Did not recieve a text message inquiring about my welfare during Hurricane Sandy (also under mandatory evacuation) or the more recent Blilzzard Charlote when we were buried under 3 feet of snow. I think I'm off their radar finally! One can only hope.
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  wha happened?

  JW friends? Well except for one elder I knew well and liked, everyone else? About 7-8 years