It's just so weird - I was talking but they weren't hearing me. Everything I said fell on deaf ears. When they answered my repeated questions, they didn't answer them! They kept repeating the same things. Whatever I said, it was 'Wait on Jehovah', 'Don't be presumtuous' etc etc. I am always being called 'Presumptuous' or 'Opinionated' - it is really getting on my nerves. I can't say too much for fear of being booted out while half my family are still in, but I just can't sit back and watch the elders walk all over someone I love and reduce her to a quivering wreck. I am so angry! Their visit made me more depressed than ever. One of the 'loving' elders (the ringleader who has never liked me) even said I was jeopardising my chances of ever seeing my daughter again. The daughter he was talking about is Claire - she was killed when she was 5 years old. He was obviously trying to get at me with emotional blackmail - but it won't work!
One of the 'loving' elders (the ringleader who has never liked me) even said I was jeopardising my chances of ever seeing my daughter again. The daughter he was talking about is Claire - she was killed when she was 5 years old
I am speechless and totally disgusted! How low can they sink?? I would never allow that man back in my home!! Good for you for recognizing that as emotional manipulation and I'm so sorry to hear that you lost a precious daughter My mind cannot grasp how painful that must have been and continues to be for you. What a lack of love shown by that elder...and this is shepherding the flock with care????
I have become quite hardened to their petty remarks over the years. The thing is, I think this elder genuinely believes what he says and thinks I am doomed. He is always putting his foot in it and is the most tactless man I know.
If you refuse to answer a question, there is no real evidence against you.
Minimus, unfortunately this will not work....although disfellowshiping won't be the outcome, the person will be labeled un-cooperative, and be labeled rebelious...in time after a few more visits...if the same tactic is used...the person will definately be dissasociated...disfellowshiping someone obviously requires proof of an extreme wrondoing.(adultery, apostacy, fornication etc).
Disfellowshiping is always as a last resort. And sometimes unfortunately VERY dependant on the commitee of elders.
If you refuse to be co-operative during a visit, especially after the GB instruct the elders that such a visit should be in the form of assisting an inactive one to come back to meetings...then they will only look upon it as rebelion.
Rebel, irrespective of the elders motives....he should never have used your deceased daugthers memory in that way...it was to say the least very callous of him.
Edited by - elderrepents on 29 December 2002 9:39:51
If the elders are absolutely determined to weed out those 'inactive' ones within their territory then the way I see it is that I have 2 choices.
1/ Either I agree to meet them and engage in a game of mental gymnastics in order not to say something or display a rebellious attitude so that I may preserve my 'status quo' of being a fade away or
2/ I simply refuse to entertain their power games and get on with my life.
As stated before and echo'd by several other posters here they have absolutely no authority over my life. Even their terminology 'Disfellowshipped' 'Disassociated' etc are all terms which hold no meaning for me. How dare they assume to come back into my life after an absence of 11 years simply to get me to say YES/NO to a belief system that I hold in utter contempt.
Unfortunately I realise that I have benefitted from the 'fade away' loophole but it was just a matter of time (especially with the proliferation of information on the internet) before they closed that loophole. But I accept that by standing my ground and not accepting their authority in my life means the likely loss of family.
But my response to that: GO F*** YOURSELF WATCHTOWER. YOU MEAN NOTHING TO ME.
Well, Big Tex won this bet - I held my breath all during Christmas holidays but no elder showed up. I'm very pleased to see that they are living down to our expectations of them and, no matter whether my co-worker ratted on me or not, they are too lazy to come over and bully us. Too bad, though - we all had some sort of nasty virus and it would have been a pleasure to pass it on.
