Disfellowed on 7/16/14 for sending a letter to my former congregation (page 4)

steve2

You write well and from the heart. Well done!

Deets Magill

This was incredibly well written.....and clearly it's written in sincerity, straight from the HEART! I thank you so much for sharing it.

spbondgirl007

WOWWWWW!!! So much awesomeness here....I wasn't expecting to hear from so many so soon--thank you!!

With regard to the responses, I recieved a few. Some said they wouldn't read the letter because they "don't follow men"; one said she loved the Org. and i was wrong (but didn't elaborate); another said she was going to start investigating because she wanted to do what was right; and lastly...

"So sad you have no deep understanding of the scriptures. We serve Jehovah, not man, you have been following man instead of making the truth your own.

When one studies and see the deep things of God and KNOWS he has an organization that is teaching nothing but Bible truth.....you don't get misled and confused. Please do not email me anymore. I spend my time studying the bible and helping others learn about God's Kingdom, I hope one day you look into the deep things of the Bible instead of looking at men."

Pretty crazy, eh? JW's are fully convinced that they are the only ones serving God (everyone else is serving men and Satan ) but nothing could be further from the truth!

I must cut this short cause i have to get my butt moving on the treadmilll before its gets any bigger (blame it on the Corona and lime...haha) but I will be back soon to answer more questions! Thanks again everyone!!

earthfire

Excellent letter! It's so sad that some of the responses are from people who have blinders on. BUT at least you have one thinking so far. That's awesome!!!

spbondgirl007

The info. below is for those of you who showed an interest in reading up on what the elders said to me after i emailed my letter (posted previously) to the congregation...enjoy!

Approx. three days after I sent my letter out to everyone in the congregation, one of the elders in my former congregation called. The first thing he wanted to talk about was subjection to the Org. Citing the example of Moses and Aaron, he discussed how the GB is being used by God today even though they make mistakes like Moses did when he commanded water to come out of the rock. The following is my response via text message:

I thought a bit more about your example of Moses and Aaron. What you failed to mention was the fact that Moses’ single slip of the tongue cost him his life. In one moment of frustration, he "directed attention" to himself rather than Jah; spoke "rashly with his lips"; and "acted undutifully towards Jehovah" (insight book, p. 438) But the GB has a lengthy and ongoing track record of such offenses! What's worse is the fact that they pass the buck for these sins rather than show repentance. How do you think jah feels about that? His dealings with Moses makes the answer to this question crystal clear...maybe you should consider these things the next time you put Jah and the GB on equal footing at one of the meetings. (I am alluding to a comment this elder made at a meeting once; it’s quoted in my letter…”whatever comes out of the mouth of Slave, consider this as coming out of the mouth of Jehovah”)

elder #1 text response:

The questions I ask myself are like those of the apostles: "Whom shall we go to away to?" (John 6:68) Where did you learn the truth about the soul, the real condition of the dead, hellfire, the trinity, the paradise, the Kingdom, being "no part of this world", the 144,000, etc.? Was it from the churches of Christendom? Or was it from Jehovah' s Witnesses? Those from whom you get your information; where did they get whatever truths they have? From their own selves? or from Jehovah's Witnesses? Further, Jesus said that "this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth" during the last days. Who is doing this work today? The churches? Those who espouse your views? Do they follow the example of Jesus and the apostles, who "preached publicly and from house to house"? These are the questions that are so revealing as to whom Jehovah is using and blessing.

My text response to elder #1:

I do appreciate that i gained a love of god's word from the witnesses but that in way obligates me to worship the GB rather than jah. It doesn't somehow exempt me from the divine obligation to obey god as ruler rather than men; to test every inspired expression, etc. Had the rank and file understood this In the first century, they wouldn't have rejected the Lord's counsel to flee Jerusalem. Their religious leaders were "sons of Abraham" and “teachers of the law” but that did not excuse them from the responsibility to "make sure of all things".

Good afternoon! I would like to conclude my thoughts from last night....According to the scriptures, neither preaching nor any other "powerful works" cancels out the sinful practice of hypocrisy in Jah's eyes --under any circumstances. the Pharisees were "sons of Abraham", "teachers of the law" as mentioned previously, and yet The Lord condemned them for their double standards in worship..."woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one of you, you make him twice as much of a son of Gehenna as yourselves." like these self-righteous men, JW's practice hypocrisy, i.e., do as I say, not as I do", so Matthew 23:15 above aptly applies to them as well. (also Matthew 23:3, 28; 7:21-23)

Elder #2 text:

I’ve read your letter and spoke with Bro. XXXX about your exchange w him. In light of all of that are you formally saying that you no longer want to be one of Jehovah's witnesses? We only ask that as a last resort as we would prefer to meet and discuss the matter. If however your mind is made up we will respect you decision. Thank you

My text response to elder #2:

good morning...as I mentioned to bro. XXXX, there is no point in meeting with you two because there's nothing you can say that I haven't already heard and taken into consideration...I still worship Jah and talk to others about his truths but refuse to practice hypocrisy and bow down to an image--an Org.--as i once did. if you choose to disfellowship me, I know this is the real reason why (my refusal to obey the GB as ruler rather than God), for I spoke the whole truth and nothing but the truth in my letter.

Elder #2 text response:

So let me get this straight one last time. You were taught what you call Gods truths through an organization that you now call an image that requires idolatry to be able to remain in its good graces. You say you learned this while in a spiritually weak state from those who were admitted apostates because the org would not listen and adopt some of their views.

And now your convinced that Jahs will for you going forward is to either teach bible truths you learned from an org you now disdain or try to convince former religous associates to adopt the view of your new group and develop the same disgust with this org and its slave that you and your group share.

Please consider 3 script pts

1. Who really is the faithful and discrete slave whom his master appt. If its not this one you must be saying its your new one

2. By their fruits you will recognize them. What righteous fruit has your group produced other than disdain for their former.

3. Not everyone saying lord lord will enter........but those doing the will of my Father. Is Jahs will for all his servants to be assoc w a group that took its very identity from an org that they now turn on and call apostate. Teaching others to hate this org and this slave is your whole ministry? Susan, you have a dead chicken on your neck and your calling it sweet smelling. Please meet w 2 of us. You have been over reached. Its not too late. Your brother still….XXXXX (Note: the “dead chicken” comment was kind of an inside joke!)

My text response to Elder #2:

Good morning…. In reply to your message, my study of the scriptures alone made it clear to me--long before I left--that Jah does not approve of the practice of hypocrisy; and yet I was continually required to preach/teach one thing but do another --or face expulsion from the congregation. (Matt. 23:3b, 28, 15; Romans 2:21) I believe I spelled that out very clearly in my letter. This realization had a snowball effect as it led me to question the scriptural accuracy of everything the Org. said and did from that point forward (acts 17:11; 1 john 4:1; prov. 146:3,4) Once I determined that the GB was not really the “faithful and discreet slave” as they claimed, it all made sense—the hypocrisy, consistent misapplication of God’s word, etc. It was at this point that I decided to leave. Approximately six months later, I discovered I wasn’t the only one who had seen and smelled the same “stinky”, lifeless chicken dangling from the GB’s neck :-) . So contrary to your assumption, I did not “learn this while in a spiritually weak state from those who were admitted apostates”. Rather, it was God’s word alone that led me to the light of “truth”-- something the Org. has ventured further and further away from over the years. (John 17:17) Speaking of God’s word, the similarities between apostate Jerusalem and the Watchtower Org. is truly uncanny—the self-righteous arrogance, false sense of security, the hypocrisy, etc. …yes, it’s not too late bro. XXXXX…”to begin fleeing to the mountains”. (Matt. 24:16)

pronomono

Excellent, well thought-out letter.

Oubliette

Great letter.

Congrats on your B.A.

jgnat

The untold benefits of a college education. The elders were dealing with a deep thinker!

Uh, oh. In the deep end and they left their floaties at home.

TTATTelder

Good stuff. I really liked that last reply...

The elder's whole premise of "look what the org gave you" is just a way of changing the subject. It also reminds me of the typical abuser that will say things like - "You were nothing before me" - "Look at what I've given you" - "Look at what I've done for you" - all in an attempt to control the abused, make them feel guilty, scared, and obligated to stay.

Having done whatever "good" things a person or organization has done does not excuse abuse. This organization abusively threatens to take your family and friends away from you, publicly defame you, block you from "everlasting life" through their "sin against the holy spirit" doctrine concerning apostacy, promise you eternal destruction at Armageddon, etc etc. This is all emotional and mental abuse. Period.

Their indoctrination ploys are obvious and embarrassing as well.

If they are the "Lilly-white christians delivering nuggets of eternal truths" they claim to be, then why are they holding a gun to people's heads?

Seems just a tad bit contradictory.

Sorry for the rant... thanks for posting the replies.

-TE

flipper

BOND GIRL- Your response to the elders text messages is priceless ! Very well done ! Keep the good work up. I'm sure the elders may not change- however- they will not soon forget everything you've told them. Never know- one of them may start questioning their own alleged faith some day. Good work

Disfellowed on 7/16/14 for sending a letter to my former congregation

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