by DuvanMuvan 24 Replies latest jw friends
jgnat - "What are they, the gestapo, that they must have a reason?"
When I started fading, I realized very early on that no matter how well presented the reason for leaving was, it would be rejected regardless.
They don't really give a shit about reasons any more than the Gestapo did.
Since you're not actually a JW, I don't think you need to say anything. They do not own you, if you were never baptized and declared yourself part of the organization.
Find excuses not to attend meetings. I think you will find that after a few weeks away, it will get much easier. :)
If you are trying to keep things simole then don't say 'I don't want to be a JW anymore'. It is too shocking for a lot of JWs and they will want to dig further. It would be better to say that you don't want to attend the meetings anymore and go out in field service.
Hi DuvanMuvan, DON'T GET DUNKED!! If you get dunked, it will be easier for JWs to point the "Shun Gun" at you to make your life miserable.
Talk to a guidance counselor at your school and ask for help to determine your aptitudes you possess and to plan how to get an education/training for a good career and to get a job. If he does not understand your situation, ask him to visit www.freedomofmind.com and www.jwfacts.com to verify that you are trying to escape from a dangerous cult.
Your best excuse is you are too busy studying and working to attend meetings and go in FS.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
I was just wondering if that would work in general, not necessarily for me.
If they were already suspicious of you and your motives it might work. But since they are all about love they rightfully should try to do something to get you to stay. If you suprised them with the request I think most would be honestly concerned for you. But when their half assed help didn't work they would quickly change their tune.
We are all free to do as we please and offer as little or as much explanation as we wish.
The elders and the organization only have the power over us that we, individually, give them.
As mentioned, the problem comes in when they DF or say you are DA and loved ones shun because they still give power to the elders and organization.
Many here are faders- we just walked away without offering any real explanation. I resigned as an elder stating I had doubts, then refused to elaborate any further and simply stopped going. My JW mother says she would have to shun me if I were to DA, so I just stay away from the elders. They often give up trying after a while. They did rather quickly in my case.
Personally I like the statement " It's between me and jehovah and I 'd rather not talk to anyone about it". Wash rinse repeat. Not giving in to further probing. Reminding that further questions were inappropriate and disrespectful.
If I were a JW in that situation, JW that is what I would say.
I was just wondering if that would work in general, not necessarily for me.-Duvan
In your situation because you are not baptised things are very different for say your mum, or one of your cousins that is. If you are close to your JW family and one of them just wants to leave it is more complex if your a baptised JW. The reason being it's a cult, and there is no way of just leaving that will be viewed as legitimate.
I hope that if you are close to your JW cousins and family those bonds remain.
Kate xx
Are unbaptized publishers considered jws or only until they are baptized? Can unbaptized publishers be df'd? NO, but
*** w88 11/15 p. 18 par. 16 Helping Others to Worship God ***
Occasionally, an unbaptized publisher who is a wrongdoer will not respond to loving assistance. Or an unbaptized publisher may determine that he does not want to continue progressing toward baptism, and he informs the elders that he does not want to be recognized as a publisher. What is to be done? Disfellowshipping action is not taken regarding such ones who actually have not become approved by God. The arrangement of disfellowshipping unrepentant wrongdoers applies to those ‘called brothers,’ to baptized ones. (1 Corinthians 5:11) Does this mean, though, that the wrongdoing is ignored? No.
17 The elders are responsible to ‘shepherd the flock of God in their care.’ (1 Peter 5:2) If two elders offering help determine that an unbaptized wrongdoer is unrepentant and unqualified to be a publisher, they will inform the individual. Or if some unbaptized one tells the elders that he no longer wishes to be recognized as a publisher, they will accept his decision. In either case, it is appropriate for the Congregation Service Committee to have a simple announcement made at an appropriate time, saying “ . . . is no longer a publisher of the good news.”
18 How will Witnesses thereafter view the person? Well, at an earlier point he was an ‘unbeliever’ attending meetings. Then he both wanted to be and qualified to be a publisher of the good news. This is no longer the case, so he again is a person of the world. The Bible does not require that Witnesses avoid speaking with him, for he is not disfellowshipped. Still, Christians will exercise caution with regard to such a person of the world who is not worshiping Jehovah, even as Israelites did regarding uncircumcised alien settlers. This caution helps to protect the congregation from any “little leaven,” or corrupting element. (1 Corinthians 5:6) If at some later time he expresses a genuine desire for a Bible study to be held with him, and this seems in order to the elders, perhaps it will help him come to appreciate again what a privilege it is to worship Jehovah with His people.—Psalm 100.
19 If the elders see that a certain person of this sort is an unusual threat to the flock, they can privately warn those endangered. For example, the former publisher may be a youth who has given in to drunkenness or immorality. Despite the announcement that he is no longer an unbaptized publisher, he might attempt to socialize with youths in the congregation. In that situation, the elders would speak privately to the parents of the endangered ones, and maybe to those youths also. (Hebrews 12:15, 16; Acts 20:28-30)
