Millions now living, expect to be DA'd

by cyberguy 39 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  whyhideit

  Every time I heard a name disfellowshiped I felt a little sad and uneasy with the faith. It just never went down that well, even though we knew it was part of the organization. I mention this, as I have to wonder about this new procedure. How is it going to feel to the active Witnesses and Bible Studies to hear so many names being disfellowshiped? Personally I think it could do a few things.

  1. Show to the current Witnesses, how many people have really walked away from the faith they hold so dear and perfect.

  2. Stresses out people who were doing just fine without this procedure. This would happen when they suddenly have to treat people who have been out for years, relatives and friends, like they are dead. This could really hurt families with children, spouses, siblings and parents inactive.

  3. It could simply just depress people to see old friends names spoken from the platform in such a negative manner.

  Let's face it, when you hear a person was executed in Prison, it does not thrill you. You might think, "they got what they deserved," but you have to wonder "does one murder warrant another." In this case, with the Jehovahs Witnesses, you are seeing people punished for simply leaving. Something that was done, in history, when people left the Nazi or Communist parties and other restrictive organization. Let people be, and stop trying to stomp around on power trips. Personally, I would not be surprised to hear about a few elders opening up a can of worms they may be hard pressed to contain. Sometimes it is best to leave the Genie in the bottle.

  Edited by - whyhideit on 23 December 2002 15:31:11
• 

  NikL

  I went to the meeting with my active JW wife yesterday and her book study conductor came up after and arranged for a little meeting later in the week. When I came up he asked if I would be there. I am the inactive one not my wife so either they are calling on everyone or they are calling on her because they are concerned that she is married to an inactive one or maybe they wanted to interrogate her about me. Either way he made it sound like I was not the one they wanted to speak to.

  I am not sure what will be the fallout but I will probably be there Thursday morning when they stop by.

  Anyine have any ideas?

  Nick
• 

  shera

  Control Freaks
• 

  MrMoe

  So THAT is why Dad and I had a HUGE falling out...

  A few points to ponder...

  A) Don't hate the elders, they are part of the machine

  B) No single person is guilty, even the majority of the Governing Body is warped by the lies of their predecessors - who died off.

  I for one plan on being evasive, although I think my father (an Elder) has already asked me. I just can't lose my Dad, I am all he has left, and he means a lot to me, even if our relationship is strained.

  When dad asked me (over the phone,) I simply said well yes of course, I am in good standing, I was stumbled, and please drop it or I will end up sounding very apostate to you. But he didn't let up, and we exchanged some "words." I brought up some basic doctrine issues... Then asked "Let it go Dad and leave me alone about it." Shoot, so that was what it was all about.

  I gave him the bottom line. I said point blank "Dad, do you love me?" He of course said yes. Then I said "I am inactive, was stumbled, leave it ALONE. Dad, are you looking for a reason to have to end up reporting me for apostsacy? ." He was quiet. Then I said "Dad, I love you, you mean everything to me, please don't cross that line. If you push, I will tell you, but for now I tell you what you WANT to hear, what you NEED to hear. Isn't that good enough? Don't you WANT Emmie and me in your life?" He was crying, I could hear it in his voice. He told me he would leave me alone, and I was simply inactive, then he poked me into returning to the meetings and I said Dad, please let it go, just let it go. So he did, and that was the end of it.
• 

  Ravyn

  the way to fix the ignorance of the brothers to an announcement of the elders that you DAd yourself, when in fact there was no such letter written is to take out an announcement in the local paper(before the so-called meeting with the elders if you have to), run it for 3 consecutive Sundays stating that you have not written any letter and any other information you might want to include. It can be written like a legal notice or like a personals ad. I guarantee someone will read it, even if you have to make a phone call ahead of time and tell some of your old friends or relatives that it will be there. Nothing gets something done faster than an announcement on the Service Meeting telling you not to----eg using the internet.

  Ravyn
• 

  wednesday

  Nick,

  Can u trust your wife? Does she know/or have u made your feelngs about Jws known to her? perhaps they are just stopping by for a upbuilding visit, but i doubt it.

  has your wife expressed any "negaitive" thoughts to anyone? It may have gotten back to elders.

  I don't know where u are on your way out, or even if u want out, but be very careful if u don't want them to trap u into saying something u may not be ready to say. Also, have u or her said anything to anyone that could be implied as against the org?

  So, before they come, have a talk with your wife and find out what is going on. remember, u do not have to allow them in your home if u are not ready to talk to them
• 

  ballistic

  Being an organisation dominated by figures and numbers, I expect they want to put a figure on actual "members" rather than "active" members.

  This exercise will isolate out of those "in-active" the exact number who still class themselves as members.
• 

  Ravyn

  JT---

  everytime I see 'FDS' I think of Feminine Deoderant Spray. and they think they are a 'sweet-smelling odor' to Jehovah? Kinda' puts me in mind of the phallic stick they held up to his nose......

  Ravyn
• 

  Pleasuredome

  mrmoe

  that was quite interesting to read....sounds like your dad partly just couldnt help himself in asking dodgy questions and the other part wanted to hold back.....a battle within himself....who was in control?.....himself or his programming?.....i do really feel sorry for your dad and others who are like that.....a battle of conscience and loyalty to an organisation or to loved ones.....terrible that loved ones are/can be dumped for the sake of an organisation that only exists in peoples minds. i say that because if it wasnt for the people that give their minds away to this org then it wouldnt exist at all.
• 

  Pork Chop

  I'd like to support donkey's comments. I've now checked with multiple elders in multiple congregations and got exactly the same story he did. This is to be a short, intensive effort and then the results will be evaluated. There is no direction to go out and look for people to disassociate. The brothers I talked to said they had no intention what-so-ever of taking any action on anyone regardless of their response. They all said they wouldn't be at all happy with any kind of attempt to disassociate people that hadn't been around for years.

  That's not to say that everyone is going to take that approach.