by Elsewhere 88 Replies latest jw friends
First, I must say to JT....you totally crack me up. "Cheese and Cracker men"......I'm ROTFLMAO!! What a great comparison!
And Sabine....my heart goes out to you and your situation. I know Marilyn and Dave, and would at some point like to meet you and your husband. My wife and I live in the same area and have known Dave and Marilyn for many years.
And last.....DON'T GIVE IN TO THE CHEESE AND CRACKER MEN!!!
With all the bad news here....combined with a good amount of rumor and speculation, of course...do any of you 'in the know' expect there to be any implications or consequences for those of us who were never baptized?
JT,
What precludes a person from taking legal action, for whatever actual reason, regardless if one disassociated or not? Why would a court deem fleeing (disassociation) from an abusive organization or situation an act negating legal action? We have seen on their PR Website: http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/beliefsfaq.htm
Do you shun former members?
Those who simply leave the faith are not shunned.
The "theocratic warfare" strategy of WTS needs to be challenged in court. Seems to me that JW's are forced to give up basic civil rights inherent with our Democracy when ones associate and are abused when they leave.
Listers may want to check this out: http://www.watchtower-victims.org
"This web site is also the home for a Worldwide Class Action Suit against the WTS which you are invited to join to be recompensed for your suffering. The following is a list of some of the reasons to join the Class:
You have been shunned.
You have been disfellowshipped or disassociated by them.
You have been alienated from your family and friends.
You have lost a family member as a result of the Blood Policy.
You have suffered harm from the WTS.
A family member committed suicide because of the WTS Policies.
You or someone in your family suffered sexual abuse.
Loss of income from a spouse you were dependant on who died as a result of WTS policies:
If you believed you have been deceived, received negligent dissemination of information, misinformation, or were lied to.
You suffered mental anguish as a result of WTS policies.
If you consider yourself a victim of Penal Sanction.
If you believe that your basic human rights and freedoms have been withheld or interfered with."
I can't agree with the idea of lying because we were lied to. Personally, I won't lower myself to their level. Do you really want to become what you hate? If you do, how are you any better than they are? I agree with what Mary said. Just don't answer the door. If you have caller ID, use it just as if this was just another telemarketer calling to sell you something you don't need. I already don't answer the door everytime someone knocks, so for me this would be an easy solution. It's not that difficult to become unreachable. I've done it for years.
Stan
If they DA everybody there will be no publishers left to count!
Stan - whatever.............You are a much better person than I am. I would raise myself up to your level if I could.
Mak
Feeling especially testy tonight.
I can't agree with the idea of lying because we were lied to. Personally, I won't lower myself to their level. Do you really want to become what you hate? If you do, how are you any better than they are?
Well, Stan, I mostly agree with your statement, but since leaving the wonderful world of totally black and white thinking, I now know there are times when as the jw's say "people don't deserve to kow the truth". Of course, right after my daughter died, and for about two years after, my statement wasn't a lie, I really felt that way. There must be something wrong with this particular area, if I can move somewhere else, I'll surely find true, loving jws. Jehovah will surely take into consideration all the horrible injustices that have happened to me, and will help me until I can find a loving hall.....
Well, I know better now, and I am not willing to live in hiding or be invisible.
Thanks Jimbob, I hope we can meet in person real soon.
Stan Conroy?????? Too funny. This has to be a coincidence. Stan Conroy was a senile old elder from the city I grew up in. Im laughing so hard I can barely type. Who are you masked man?
I wish to share with you a formula that will keep the elders away if you live in South Dakota. join a local church,Put up 800 Christmas lights on the outside of the house, put up and decorate three trees, register to vote, run up the US flag on a 30 ft pole attatched to the front of you house. So far no visits about my family's inactivity......My wife and I were very active publishers in this area of the state only a few years ago. We moved back to the area after a 5 year leave. Many of the local witnesses have litterly run us down and give us hugs! We have made no attempt to contact or rekindle any old relationships. Yet, no visits or calls from the borg. Maybe the borg lost our trace pattern? It has been months. This is funny!
My question is this. Do you think, knowing that I was a JW (I have never given them my name), that I can expect a visit?
of course in the world of wt location means nothing- it is a call that is up to the elders ,but despite the fact that it has been 20+yrs means nothing to a real Society man- many times we would ask the friends DID YOU MEET ANY INACTIVE JW IN THE TERRITORY
and if they said yes we would visit them, but it all depend on the local body, some elders are more in tuned with the org procedures than others,
so while they may not, if they do they would feel they have every right since they are appinted by god and you are not-
keep in mind the driving force behind this, wt MUST BE ABLE TO LABEL YOU -
weak , pillar in the congo, pub, pioneer, elder, apostates , DAed and the list goes on and on and once they label you then the rank and file know how to treat you-
