I don't know, I think not mentioning disfellowshipped ones will just reinforce in the r&f's mind that being irregular is leaving Jehovah. It might serve to tighten the noose to those so susceptible.
No mention of DF in new brochure?
by thedepressedsoul 16 Replies latest watchtower bible
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FusionTheism
It's strange that there were no steps at all listed for Disfellowshipped ones, having to do anything different to return than anyone else is. -
OneEyedJoe
I don't know, I think not mentioning disfellowshipped ones will just reinforce in the r&f's mind that being irregular is leaving Jehovah. It might serve to tighten the noose to those so susceptible.
I'm thinking along these lines. I haven't read it yet, but my feeling is that this brochure is primarily to harden active JWs, not to actually get anyone back. They know that in most cases if someone becomes inactive, trying to get them back will be fruitless (or at best, temporary) unless there's some major life event and in that case they're probably fairly likely to come back on their own (this is all assuming that they're still indoctrinated).
Sure, this might pull a few more poor souls back into the cult (but only if they never truly escaped) but the primary purpose is the effect it will have on those who are active. For any with inactive family it will make them think "the GB is so loving that they know how difficult this is and they're trying to help." It will also reinforce that any inactive ones have "left Jehovah" not a man-made organization, thus helping to harden the R/F's view that they're on the moral high-ground and are unassailable - essentially an indirect ad hominem argument against anything that an inactive person might say about why they left. For JWs that know some inactive ones but aren't close to them, this will only serve to increase their feelings of superiority and make them want to go on and on about Jehovah and the cult anytime they happen to bump into them - which will likely be effective in alienating any who are mentally out so that they think "why bother" instead of trying to help wake up an active JW.
Like I said, I haven't read the brochure so correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm guessing there's also a few "examples" of why someone might've left - yes? These are there to further reinforce the idea that there is no valid reason to leave - the examples will probably be things like materialism, fornication, the anxieties of life, depression, a perceived (never real!) injustice that they've suffered, etc. This will cause the readers to look back over past interactions with the inactive person they're considering and re-interpret them through this lens. Did you buy a new car a little while after you left? You're materialistic and probably a workaholic - you're just too selfish to give time to Jehovah. Did you claim depression during your fade? You've become bogged down by the anxieties of life and not putting enough trust in Jehovah. Did you get reproved/DF'd before leaving with no attempt to come back? You feel like Jehovah's attempts to help you were unjust and you are therefore "puffed up with pride" and won't come back. etc. etc. The human brain is amazing at fitting things to patterns (even when they're not there) and when they list reasons why someone might leave the brain's inclination is to automatically make their observations fit the pattern. Sort of a retro-active confirmation bias.
To me this seems more like damage control than any real effort to draw anyone back. Threre's a complex set of emotions that an active JW goes through when someone close to them leaves. There's saddness, guilt, confusion, etc. and in that the mind will often wander - this gets out in front of anyone's mind wandering to things like "what if they have a valid reason?" or "what if they left because they know something about xxx" where xxx is a doubt that they have themselves. Putting the R/F on the moral high-ground (in their minds) will harden their resolve to stay.
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maninthemiddle
Remember there is another group of people we don't see on this website, mentally in but physically out. I think this is for them. as already mentioned once someone is mentally out, this drivel won't sway them.
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leaving_quietly
I skimmed it over last night. There is an experience related in the brochure of someone who was gone from the org for 40 years, celebrated holidays and went to another church. I was surprised because this person wasn't DF'd or DA'd.
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fastJehu
Like _Morpheus wrote 2 months ago:
More here: new-release-brochure-return-jehovah-those-who-faded-left
_Morpheus2 months ago
Marvins thread tittle completly glosses the topic! I didnt even bother clicking because it didnt seem interesting (at a glance). However a new broschure directed towards inactive ones does peak my curiosity.... The chapter titles, if accurate, betray an astonishing lack of insight as to why people leave.
Of course that brochure isnt really written for the inactive. Its written, like all things, for the sole consumption of the faithful. Its a way to put reason to those that leave...either they were disgruntled or impatient, in effect. "See! I know thats why my brother or sister or best friend left because i read in this brochure!" After all, those that leave know better. We know exactly what our issues are and no brochure is going to fix. The org knows too. They will never address the real issues because of course they cant, but they can continue to put a smiling face on and look welcoming if for no other reason than to create a sense of comfort among those that stay for the fleecing.
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OneEyedJoe
Remember there is another group of people we don't see on this website, mentally in but physically out. I think this is for them. as already mentioned once someone is mentally out, this drivel won't sway them.
What I wonder, though, is whether or not this will actually have any impact on them. From what I've seen these folks essentially never come back for good. Sometimes they'll come back for a short time but usually they're out again after a month and you don't see them for a few years. This is in spite of all efforts by family and friends to "encourage" them. Even if some stupid brochure gets them to come back to a meeting a few times, they're not going to stay long. They're still mentally trapped, but they know enough to realize that they're happier when they're not going. The only cases where I've seen someone who was once inactive come back and really embrace it has been after a death in the family, but even then it's about 50/50 (at best) whether they stayed for the long-term.