Elder update--good elders

VeniceIT

The former elder I posted about last week, (see this page http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.aspx?id=36893&site=3) has been doing research in the elder book, which he still has, and WT's apparently trying to understand why the elders took away his privileges because he allowed his wife to associate with inactive witnesses, rumored to be apostates. He, himself, is always very kind to them, and welcomes the wife to their home when she comes by. His wife found a stack of papers on his desk, and showed them to me, where he had highlighted and underlined, and added stars to many segments of the printed materials. All of it has to do with what an elder body is to do when a member of the congregation begins to "drift away". Interestingly, none of those things were done with the people in question. The shunning of an inactive one is an individual's decision, and not a mandate of the entire congregation, and no should impose their conscience on another, which is being done to him. If a person is considered to be an apostate, they are supposed to announce it to the congregation, to protect everyone. That also has not been done. Hmmm. I wonder why? Are they afraid of lawsuits? (another rumor about this couple is that they will sue if any action is taken............not true) We are wondering what he is going to do with his research. He is still seldom attending meetings, and isn't participating in field service yet. The CO is due the end of October. Maybe he is arming himself for a confrontation.

heathen

we have to announce a person is apoatate, ok - HEAR YE HEAR YE VENICE IS APOSTATE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

minimus

Venice....They are cracking down on all dissidents! Anyone suspected to be against the Society will be interrorgated and dealt with.

kenpodragon

I am expecting very soon for the Witnesses to tie up loss ends and start to recommend in the Watchtower that "inactive" ones should be treated like DF'ed ones. This way they will try to scare up attendence at all those empty KH's.

My thought

Dragon

VeniceIT

HAHHAHAHA I've been an APOSTATE for 2 years now hun

Ven

Swan

Kenpodragon;

That is a thought. They always warned that during times of persecution they would do something similar, i.e., announcing at one meeting where and when the next meeting would be held. This was to reinforce the importance of regular meeting attendance and encourage people to attend. The WTBTS reasoning would be if inactive ones started to find themselves shunned, they might have to get on the stick and start attending regularly. It would also take care of the fade outs.

I met a couple recently who tried to fade out and the elders tracked them down. When they said they didn't care what the JWs did, they just didn't want to go any more, the JWs told them "You're either for us or against us!" They wouldn't accept any compromise. Their all-or-nothing thinking has now got them two more apostates where they would have probably had just neutral people before.

Tammy

Swan

Venice,

I don't think that 2 years is considered official by the WTBTS until your aniversary date comes up in a week or so. You were just an apostate wannabe until then.

Tammy

VeniceIT

HAHHA ok ok ok Oct 3rd I'll be offically Apostate for two years

(please send gifts, I'll registar at Pottery Barn )

Ven

Swan

LOL! Good 4 U Ven!

Nathan Natas

Hi Venice,

I have a lot of empathy for what this elder is going through. Right now, I think, he is beginning to experience his own "is it them or is it me?" cognitive dissonce. I hope that he will be able to find at least a small support group to help him deal with the inevitable saddness and sense of betrayal and loss and possible depression. (Sadness and depression are two completely different things.) Somehow I feel confident that if he is a friend of your family he's going to come out of this OK.

I've signed your registry at the Pottery Barn for the complete set of LeCrusette cookware. It was the least I could do.

Edited by - Nathan Natas on 25 September 2002 20:39:33

Elder update--good elders

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