What would happen if, one by one, each Jehovah's Witness started standing up for him/herself and what s/he personally stands for?
A couple of examples:
A friend of mine, an elder in a rural Northern Kentucky congregation, stepped down from his position a couple of years ago, and when confronted by the elders, he basically told them in no uncertain terms to 'leave him and his family alone.' They're all still Witnesses, but do their own thing, and guess what...they are left alone.
The very last meeting my ex and I ever attended at the congo we helped form and grow, I emphasized to the elder that accompanied us to our car that 'if any elder as an individual found it necessary to make either my wife or me a topic of conversation, I would consider it libel.' To this day, the 'friends' from that congo just think we are attending a different hall.
My mother, an 'active Witness,' uses the NIV in her field ministry which consists of picking up groceries or meds for elderly neighbors, rubbing their feet, or coloring and trimming their hair. She rarely places any literature, and is very picky about only placing the issues of the magazines that do not play on peoples' fears. She did this even as a pioneer.
Within the last couple of years, she was asked to meet 'in the back' to discuss 'something someone overheard someone else say.' She told them that she would not, and that if they ever feel the need to invite her 'to the back' ever again, they might as well just say "Goodbye" because she would leave and never look back. Interestingly, they have never asked her again, and she continued as a pioneer.
She also told me recently that it has been over 2 years since she has heard of any disfellowshippings in her area. This is very interesting considering there were ALWAYS people getting df'd in hers and in each and every neighboring congo...always! The last one was an elder's son who came skipping and prancing out of the closet with his banner held high!
Oh, how the organization would change if everyone just stood up to the power-mongers.
"Kein Mensch muss mussen."