Please review my "Disassociation Letter&qu...

by 67mustang 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  67mustang

  I am sending it on Monday, does anybody have any advice or revisions in mind?

  July 22, 2002

  Dear Friends,

  Please accept this letter as my formal disassociation from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. I dont want any hard feelings just a dignified departure. There seems no other way.

  I was baptised when I was 16 years old under the assumption that if I didnt I would be kicked out of the house, some are very unbalanced and fanatical about their beliefs. I simply do not believe a lot of the doctrines of the WBTS, the response I get is that I need to study more. I do not appreciate that approach. Nothing is either black or white. Nobody should force religion on someone, thats what my brother did and Im certain that Jesus did not. If its truly Jehovahs chosen religion, let him take care of it.

  Each Sunday after the meeting a brother would want to study with me and thinking that I would be rejecting Jehovah by saying no I usually went along. These would usually last 5 hours, not the study, but all the waiting and chores etc. this went on for almost 2 years. After discussing this with an Elder the study was stopped. The very next day the brother wanted help moving furniture, again I agreed, this time no bible study, but after the 1 hour of moving furniture I was stranded with them out in the woods while they picked mushrooms, I had no transportation and they didnt ask if I had to be home, showing me no consideration , almost as if to get back at me for not wanting to study anymore. Coincidently this excursion lasted 5 hours. That was the final straw. This sort of conduct surely doesnt bring more converts. I am a human, not a number. They even wanted me to get re-baptised, thats absurd!!

  My personality makes it hard to say no and confront people, but I eventually reach my limitation. There have been multiple occasions that my door has been knocked on for 10 minutes or more, as well as childishly double ringing the bell, the irritant/fanatical approach does not work with me either. Answering the door is futile, reasoning with some people isnt possible.

  There is a double standard at the WBTS. The one that really stands out, is the 10 year affiliation with the United Nations, they claim it was for library access, but further investigation shows that to access that same information it can be done from many locations all over the United States with no membership as an NGO. To be a member they had to agree to the UN charter which goes against everything they preach about the UN/wild beast.

  There are many things I disagree with, I do not want to argue or try and reason them , I do not want a study nor a visit of any kind. I have had 5 years to make up my mind and it is final. Please respect my decision and my privacy. Please update your field service record accordingly so as to not call on me.

  Thank you,
• 

  Elsewhere

  Do you have any significant friends or family in the bOrg?
• 

  soylibre

  I just emailed you and attached a copy of my da letter...I think the main thing in a DA letter is to fully express yourself...this is your LAST statement to these people...because after this...they will speak to you no more!...Say all that you need to...and let it rest...

  Congratulations on your new freedom!
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  67mustang

  Yes my brother is in the borg and hes converting my 2 other brothers and my mom is on and off.
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  DakotaRed

  Mustang, I would say you were direct and to the point. However, other than getting it off your chest, I am afraid the reasoning will fail to be noticed. When I wrote my DA letter, I put that I could no longer be identified with the religion at the very last of the letter. Everything I said was ignored and it was announced immediately.

  LOL, but, I accidentally forgot to actually sign it. They sent me a certified letter with a self addressed stamped envelope and the final page of my letter asking for my signature. Of course, it went in the trash. A couple weeks later, two elders stopped by asking for the signature. Since they woke me up from a nap, I was feeling ornery. When they told me it wasn't legal without my signature, I retorted that it was legal enough to announce publicly, so don't worry about it. They then replied that the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" required that they get my signature. I replied, "Well, then, have him come and get it himself!" LOL, they literally stomped out of my house and have never returned. Well, not those two anyway. And to think, a year eariler, I threw two elders out of the house too. Maybe that is why they avoid my house?

  Lew W
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  67mustang

  What should I expect after I send the letter? Should I sign it? Where do I send it? Do I notarize?
• 

  Cath

  Hi 67mustang,

  I have nothing to add regarding your da letter, just wanted to congratulate you on your stand and wish you the very best. I certainly hope all goes well with your family etc.

  Welcome to the real world.

  Cath
• 

  DakotaRed

  Mustang, I sent mine to the Congregation and the Watcower Society both. They want it signed and no need to notarize it. If, you do as I slipped up and did and forget to sign it, expect a visit from the elders. Of course, if you want to have the same fun I as did, go ahead and not sign it

  If it is all prim and proper, they will probablyj ust ignore you from now on, unless you have an elder who thinks he might save you.

  Here is a copy of the letter I sent. Names have been edited to protect the guilty.

  Watchtower Bible and Tract Society

  Attn. Governing Body

  25 Columbia Heights Brooklyn, New York 11201-2483

  20 June, 2000

  Lewis A. W*****

  **** NE **th ct.

  My Town, Wa.

  Dear Sirs;

  This letter is a follow up and final correspondence from me pertaining to the goings on I wrote about in September and October of last year, at Salmon Creek Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Since your reply to me on January 18, 2000 matters have kept worsening for me. I have been totally shunned by the elder body. In fact, my wife was told by brother C*****, an elder at Salmon Creek, that the elders are totally avoiding me as they dont wish to make matters worse. Is this the type of spiritual assistance a stumbled one gets? Especially after so many have interfered to the point of one disassociating oneself?

  On more than one occasion, another member of this congregation, A***** M*******, has verbally interfered and made comments to my wife, her sister, about me personally. She has said that my wife needs to stand up to me and tell me off and that I should not be heading my household. Apparently, she has arrived at this decision by comments from my 13 year old stepdaughter, a runaway that has turned to drugs and sex. Ms. M******* has stated to my wife that she believes the 13 year old over my wife, or me, since it sounds more like what Lew would say. However, in the seven years I have known Ms. McCollum, she has never sat and talked to me at length nor has she taken the time to get to know me personally. Her comments have been made to authorities in positions of responsibility with the state. All this has been done since yet another investigation and clearing from the local Child Protective Services. Ms. M******* keeps doing this behind my back without verifying the accuracy of any statements or discussing any of it with me personally. The matter was brought up to the elder body at Salmon Creek last September, apparently to no avail. Ms. M******* continues to stir up contentions within my household and seems to take great pleasure in seeking out and finding fault, even where none exists. Any form of discipline I may have ever administered is complained about, yet, since I have stopped disciplining all together, she evens complains that I am not taking part in any worldly counseling sessions. It seems there is absolutely no pleasing yet another member of Salmon Creek Congregation.

  Others that have contributed to this matter include, but are not limited to; A*** R*********, C**** R*********, C******** W***, T**** B*****, B*** G*******, M****** B****, S**** T*****, and numerous others. It seems I am only considered a good brother when one of their vehicles breaks down and they think they might get a quality repair at cheap prices. (I am an Auto Technician by trade).

  I find all this to be contrary to what scriptures say about Christian conduct and can no longer tolerate the mistreatment I have been receiving at the hands of Jehovah's Witnesses these past 6 years.

  Please find enclosed copies of a letter exonerating my wife and I from wrongdoing by CPS, as well as copies of current Washington State Law and some comments from past Watchtower literature.

  In closing, I can only say that since love is the identifying factor of true disciples of Christ, John 13:34, 35; and there has been no love coming from Salmon Creek Congregation towards me, yet constant gossip and backbiting about me, even though I have avoided attending meetings for some 5 years now, that I can no longer, in any form of good conscience, allow myself to be identified with the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Rest assured, should this conduct and behavior towards me personally continue I will seek whatever relief may be available to me in a Court of Law.

  (Mark 9:42) But whoever stumbles one of these little ones that believe, it would be finer for him if a millstone such as is turned by an ass were put around his neck and he were actually pitched into the sea.

  (1 Peter 2:13) Accordingly, put away all badness and all deceitfulness and hypocrisy and envies and all sorts of backbiting,

  Regretfully Yours

  Lewis A. W*****

  CC. A****** J. M*******

  **** NE ***th St.

  My Town, Wa.

  F**** H******** or

  Presiding Overseer

  Salmon Creek Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

  **** NE ***th St.

  My Town, Wa.

  Lew W of the off the market class

  Edited by - DakotaRed on 21 July 2002 3:54:11
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  Vivamus

  Mustang,

  I applaud you for your courage. However, brace yourself for the reaction of your loved ones. Shunning is a horrible thing, and you can never be totally prepared for it. But my god, the freedom you'll have!

  Good luck!

  Viv.
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  CC Ryder

  Mustang.....Soylibre has a good point....say all you need too....it will help getting everything off your chest....My wife and I did not submit a letter...I gave two Elders a 20 minute explaination out in front of our home...I requested some time and patience on their part until my wife felt well enough to go to a Committee meeting...they requested I come to the Hall to discuss the matter further....Last thing I said was....I will not repeat myself again....I gave you an explaination...If you missed it the first time....Tough Luck....A week later they announce that we had DA'd ourselves....we found out later most everyone thought we wrote a letter....LOLOL...Saved me the writers cramp.....LOL.....

  Good luck with your quest.....Hang in there with the possible shunning dilemma...things change all the time...change is the only constant!!!!

  CC