Disassociating inactive ones?

madison149

A few days ago someone wrote about a new rule that came out in elders school this summer about inactive ones still being accountable to Jehovah's (Watchtower) rules. Does this mean that they are going to start disassociating ones who have been inactive for years who are not upholding the rules? I know of a few people who have not attended meeting in several years who either celebrate holidays or in other ways break the rules and everybody knows it. Nothing is done to them because it has been so long since they've attended that they're not really considered witnesses in the community anymore. So does this new rule mean that the elders are going to start tracking these people down?

I just started the fade away a few months ago, moved to a new town hoping for some anonymity, although my mom (not knowing at all how I feel) has informed the elders of my new address. Anyway, this sounds like it will make the fade, and especially any hopes of living a normal life, very difficult. Unless you don't mind getting da'd, which I'd hoped to avoid since my whole family is still in.

Can anyone provide more info? Thanks!

pr_capone

Can someone be da'd? I thought that was only something you could do yourself? I knew they could DF you but not DA.

Outaservice

Not so pr_capone! Three Elders (conference call) called me one night and asked if I was going to disassociate myself. I said, "Of course not!" So they told me they was going to do it for me then!

I asked them "What sin are you charging me for?" And they said, "Non meeting attendance!" I then said, "Whew, I thought it was something serious!" I then asked if this was something they were going to do to all who were not attending, and listed several names. They said, "No, just you!"

Outaservice (Who feels very 'special' that the Brothers gave him personalized attention!)

pr_capone

Ya know... it doesnt bother me so much that they are doing that. I dont care to go back anyhow. That will though affect many people who just want to be out but still want to be able to speak to their family who might shun them if they are DA'd. I see this as a way to force some of those who have faded to come back. "If you want to speak to your family ever again, you will begin to attend meetings regularly again... or else!" Sounds like they are holding family memebers for ransom.

Just another "loving provision" from the society, eh?

donkey

They have a new trick.

Elder: "Do you still consider yourself to be a Jehovah's Witness?"

Inactive: "No.."

Elder: "In that case you are disassociated."

By answering NO to the question they will use it against you. Never answer NO. Evade it with something like "Well, I still live by my Bible Trained Conscience (TM)".

Jack

Simon

How about replying with a question:

"Well, I'm baptised aren't I and am not disfellowshipped ... do you consider me a Jehovahs Witness?"

Never answer their questions, simply pose your own:

"Why do you aske that?"
"What makes you say that?"
"Why do you want to know?"

pr_capone

Donkey, I agree with what you say unless you just dont care whether you are DA'd or not. Such as myself, my family is finnaly out.. there is no reason for them to have my name on their books as a member. Inactive or not.

madison149

What if you just never meet with them? Can they DA you without talking to you first?

Abaddon

This little thing is the loop-hole I used to exit without getting DF'd. I didn't want that, or to DA myself, as I have family ties I wanted to avoid stressing.

After a year or so, when my divorce was going through, they had me up over the fornication charge, but I got out of the DF'ing by being 'repentant', but not interested in going to the meetings at 'that time', but not desirous of DA'ing. The fact the JC had a combined IQ of a cave troll helped in this, but as I could show from the publications that if you were inactive for a certain period of time you weren't really regarded as a JW, and therefore if I wasn't regarded as a JW due to my inactivity I could hardly be DF'd, they didn't have thr wherwithall to out argue me and just let it drop.

AnotherEscapee

Hi everyone

This discussion is extremely interesting to me, as I find myself in this very position as we speak. So far, the elders have tried to trick me into disassociating myself but I've written to them stating I definitely do not intend to do anything of the kind. Now they are on a witch hunt for me. I've not attended any meetings for close to 3 years, I've told them I've been stumbled and have fallen away but they are not satisfied with this, they are after me but I'm putting up a grand fight. A few weeks ago they had a judicial hearing and promptly disfellowshipped me but as I wasn't aware of the meeting and they really mucked up of some other procedures they had to back down. Now they're attempting it again but I'll go down fighting - why should they have the right to effect my relationship with my girls and the hundreds of witnesses who live in my town, not that i see the witnesses anymore but its the principle of the matter. How dare they inflict their narrow minded, bigotted, prejudiced, pigheaded, stiff necked attitude on me!

Abaddon - I've tried your reasoning but they ignored it, any other ideas?

Disassociating inactive ones?

Share this