Can Witnesses Do That?

by Dutchie 27 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  mrs rocky2

  Hyghlandyr,
  The congregation you are dealing with must be exceptional. I wish that were the case universally, but unfortunately it is not. It is very common here where I live for the elders to encourage sisters to leave their unbelieving mates, even more so if the mate is an apostate. In fact, JWs here with unbelieving mates are not regularly included in social activities, are the last picked for car groups. My mother-in-law has been in the congregation over 45+ years, when her non-believing hubbie died they were nice enough to do the memorial at the KH, but only a handful of Witnesses attended-mostly non-Witness relatives and neighbors. One would think she deserved a little more emotional support than that. I used to believe these kinds of things only happend in our little berg, but in talking to others it happens more often than not. Any way you look at it, unethical things happen, people are hurt....I'm not participating in any 'take the WT down' activities and don't have a spiteful vendetta, other than I walked away almost three years ago and haven't looked back - mostly because of 'little' things like this. Couldn't handle the discouragement.

  I wish you peace,
  Mrs R
• 

  ChiChiMama

  I may be wrong but this sounds like a case where the JWs knew about your background in the organization and felt your child is fair game,instead of it being a random call.

  They want to give your child who suposedly knowes the "truth" already the chance to stand up for themselves and have a chance at everlasting life even if it means defying you.

  I've seen experiences just like this in the magazines where kids of ex JWs were praised for sneaking out of the house for their Bible study or meeting attentence.All the while demonizing the parent/parents for opposition and persecution of this effort.

  They went way over the line here no matter what.
  Do what you think is best.

  Of topic question

  Can anyone see the photo in my profile and the one under my signature?

  ChiChi
  
• 

  Dutchie

  Thanks for your comments, ChiChi. I appreciate them very much.

  Do you mean the "Angelfire" logo? Yes you can see it in both places.
• 

  ChiChiMama

  Dutchie,

  Dang it!
  You are supposed to see photos not logos, so now I know I've got to do this another way.
  Thanks for letting me know what you see.

  ChiChi
  
• 

  Simon

  I can see a little dog on both if that helps?

  BTW: Welcome to the forum ChiChiMama !
• 

  Simon

  Re: the topic ...

  I would raise as much stink over this as I could and make them embarrassed to so much as speak to any minor without written permission from parents.

  Of course, I would also beat the crap out of them too, not that I'm suggesting physical violence (disclaimer)

  Sounds like your kid handled it well though!
• 

  Hyghlandyr

  4christ:

  You stated:
  >I am familiar with Bible teachings. And do the JW's not claim to
  >follow God and Bible teachings? Is not the fifth commandment (or is
  >it the sixth) for children to honor their parents? Shouldn't JWs
  >encourage children to do this, even if the parents are "worldly",
  >since the Bible states how children should behave in respect to
  >their parents?

  First, no the jehovahs witnesses do not follow bible teachings. Frankly none of the groups Ive seen do. Or perhaps I should say that they, like the rest of christians, selectively follow aspects of the bible. The JWs are just a bit more whimsical in their approach.

  I still think it ultimately rests with the parents. Strong foundations will result in a strong resistance to anything contrary. My sister teaches her kids about "The Goddess" which is of course utter nonsense because everyone knows the Deity is male. (Except Bridh, and she is absolutely yummy, came to me in my dream yesterday to answer a question I had been asking, and one thing led to another, and..um. Ahem.. I digress) Anyhow, my neices will forthrightly state when I antagonize them, "do you want to thank jehovah for the food?", WE DONT WORSHIP JEHOVAH WE PRAY TO THE GODDESS!!! They are Five and Four respectively. Eventually they will grow older, and less deluded and realize that they themselves are goddesses and they dont need to worship anyone except themselves. But for the time being I can guaruntee the JW arrows are not going to puncture their armor.
• 

  Hyghlandyr

  Mrs Rocky2

  "The congregation you are dealing with must be exceptional."

  Maybe. But I would state I am more so. Besides my extreme good looks, I have dealt with the elders. Someone online complained to them that I was an apostate. I wont go into all of the details when they came but I covered a couple of points with them, both at the initial phone call, and later in person.

  1...They had no authority over me because:
  A...Authority is given by consent, allowed by assent, or taken by
  force. I didnt consent actively, was not passively assenting
  nor does the society take it by force, Do they? <innocent look>
  B...Because I had not given permission for my congregation records
  to be transfered to them, and they never were, never shall be
  my elders.

  2...The Society claims that they do not shun former members. That I
  have ceased to be involved in the faith and thus, despite their
  asking me numerous times, I had no need to DA myself, and could not
  be dfed. (It is on their website that they do not shun)

  3...I am in fact an apostate, I told them this plainly. An apostate
  is anyone that leaves any religion, faith, belief, philosophy,
  world view, or political party. Not someone who is opposed to that
  former viewpoint.

  4...That I did in fact 'attack' the witnesses, demonstrating that they
  are demonized for holding to wicked claims, such as their
  pernicious belief in the mythical land of China, which everyone
  knows does not exist, and is merely another conspiracy of the
  United States Government, in order to keep us fearing the 'unseen
  enemy across the sea.'

  So I was careful in how I addressed them, this being a glipse of what happened when they came here. Nevertheless, even before, and after this, they have not suggested to her to divorce me. And frankly I am fairly lousy at being a husband. Well, I am a great *modern* husband, believing in the full equality of the sexes, women had their time to sit around, watch tv and drink coffee, now it is the mans turn.