STOP Talking to Your Family OR ELSE!

by UnDisfellowshipped 76 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  William Penwell

  Now this is an order from the body of elders,

  "Many try to portray the beliefs and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses as dogmatic and restrictive. When answering questions about your religious beliefs and practices, emphasize the fact that you have formed your beliefs and adopted your practices after much study and reflection your religion is not simply a matter of rules which have been imposed by the elders. You want to emphasize the fact that you are a thinking, well-balanced, and reasonable individual who is competent to act as a parent.

  Will
• 

  William Penwell

  cbew said,

  While serving as an elder I knew of many that came back just for that reason and not because they really desired to be good JWs again. Any thinking person can see this for what it really is - emotional blackmail. Hopefully many still in will wake up and see the ugly truth behind this lastest tactic.

  I know myself that was the only reason why I got reinstated. It should be a law a religion not be allowed to use emotional blackmail on people.

  Will
• 

  Francois

  That collection of odious bullshit from the WTBTS is proof positive that they are in no sense led by a god who "is Love." Rather, that collection of misapplied, mistranslated, and self-serving nonsense proves the JWs to be what we all have know about them for years...they are COWARDS, spiritual losers. If there were fewer of them, it wouldn't surprise me to see them all move to some place like British Guyana and drink Kool-Aid. After all the difference between the Jim Jones cult and the JWs is a matter of degree, not kind.

  francois
• 

  metatron

  Keep these quotes at hand - ANYTHING a Witness says in praise of the organization
  is as tainted and non-credible as a victim of a Stalinist show trial.

  They have no freedom to simply leave. They have no freedom to openly dissent or disagree.
  Witnesses are not permitted to openly expose scandals within the organization.
  They are NOW COERCED into meeting attendance and reporting field service time because of the
  Watchtower's arrangement of using relatives as hostages in disassociation.

  When did the Watchtower get a moral right to coerce or demand that unwilling people
  be Jehovah's Witnesses in the disfellowshipping arrangement?

  As I've said before, the Society is deliberately lying about disfellowshipping.
  The Bible clearly says (Thessalonians) to 'not treat [them] as an enemy but admonish
  him as a brother'. The 'not eating with such a man' is CLEARLY THE MOST EXTREME RESPONSE
  COMMANDED - it DOES NOT SAY 'never speak to such man'. It also applies to 'anyone
  called a brother' NOT someone who walks away telling everyone he doesn't want to be
  a Witness anymore.

  The Society's own Writing staff made the scriptural argument that Christians actually
  have an obligation to speak to them - "admonish" - but the Governing Body put a stop
  to the reform because of their GREEDY DESIRE FOR CONTROLLING OTHERS. When the 1980's
  ended, all efforts to reform this matter had ended.

  They are deliberately lying - and will increasingly find themselves HUNG by their own
  words demanding the breakup of families in which individuals 'vote with their feet'
  and leave Watchtower tyranny.

  metatron
• 

  Dansk

  "Persons who make themselves not of our sort by deliberately rejecting the faith and beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses should appropriately be viewed and treated as are those who have been disfellowshiped for wrongdoing."

  How's this for blatant hypocrisy. It's on the authorised site of the Office of Public Information of JWs:

  http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/beliefsfaq.htm

  Do you shun former members?

  Those who simply leave the faith are not shunned. If, however, someone unrepentantly practices serious sins, such as drunkenness, stealing, or adultery, he will be disfellowshipped and such an individual is avoided by former fellow-worshipers. Every effort is made to help wrongdoers. But if they are unrepentant, the congregation needs to be protected from their influence. The Bible clearly directs: "Remove the wicked man from among yourselves." (1 Corinthians 5:13) What of a man who is disfellowshipped but whose wife and children are still Jehovah's Witnesses? The spiritual ties he had with his family change, but blood ties remain. The marriage relationship and normal family affections and dealings can continue. As for disfellowshipped relatives not living in the same household, Jehovah's Witnesses apply the Bible's counsel: "Quit mixing with them." (1 Corinthians 5:11) Disfellowshipped individuals may continue to attend religious services and, if they wish, they may receive spiritual counsel from the elders with a view to their being restored. They are always welcome to return to the faith if they reject the improper course of conduct for which they were disfellowshipped.

  My wife, two sons and I left the Borg 3 months ago. In that time we have ALL been shunned (including my younger 13-year old son who isn't even baptised) and not a solitary person has been round (thankfully!!) or telephoned to "help" us!

  So, the rank and file are advised through the Watchtower and Kingdom Ministry to treat those who leave the Organisation as if they were disfellowshipped while the JW official public information website churns out the contradiction that we are NOT to be shunned.

  Dansk
• 

  the bandersnatch esq.

  Quote: ":( I hope that when I die, if some afterlife does indeed await, it will be kind to me in spite of the fact that I was once a JW." Starfish, it's not often that things make me emotional, but this really brought a tear to my eye. I echo your sentiment.
• 

  Fleur

  thanks for stringing those all together, much appreciated.

  if anyone is ever feeling a weakness toward going back to the borg, this should be required reading, and ought to help them get back on track.

  heartless bastards, the lot of them.

  fleur
  (formerly known as essie)
• 

  Stefanie

  This was great thread!
• 

  Leolaia

  Indeed. Something to use the next time they darken my doorstep...
• 

  nilfun

  Do you shun former members?

  Those who simply leave the faith are not shunned. If, however, someone unrepentantly practices serious sins, such as drunkenness, stealing, or adultery, he will be disfellowshipped and such an individual is avoided by former fellow-worshipers. Every effort is made to help wrongdoers.

  Do you shun former members?

  Those who become inactive in the congregation, perhaps even drifting away from association with fellow believers, are not shunned. In fact, special effort is made to reach out to them and rekindle their spiritual interest.

  wow, they changed it. what a surprise not.