Shepherding Visit this Weekend

Jourles

First off, the new forum looks spiffy. I like what Simon has done with the place. Been away for a while so it was quite the eye shock coming back in.
Yes, we are finally getting our shepherding call this weekend. A quick rundown of my situation: I have been inactive for quite some time now -- running into the 'years' -- and the wife is still very much hardcore. I occasionally attend meetings, and almost never attend the book study. The day has not yet been set in stone, but it will be either on Saturday or Sunday after the meeting.
I am trying to come up with a few plans of attack and/or defense that may be needed depending on the attitude of the elders coming over. I know for sure that one of the elders is our book study conductor, the other I have no clue. I plan on setting up and stealthing my camcorder to record the visit and I also will be 'wearing' a digital microrecorder with an external microphone running down in my sleeve or wherever I find that it picks up the conversation the best. Not only do I have to stealth these items from the elders, I need to hide them from my wife. I do not want there to be any misconstrued words or statements taken out of context later, hence the reason for the recording.
It seems a bit extreme to be setting this up, but it may indeed be my time to confront the elders on a few issues that they will have no choice other than backing down or leaving with their tails between their legs if they push the issues that I bring up to them. I already have the blood doctrine firmly entrenched in my mind, no worries there. I figure the entire visit could revolve around that one issue alone. Pedophila is a tough one to work with as there are no local issues and I personally do not know anyone in my past that had it happen to them. Besides, the TV networks are run by Satan and have apostates pulling the strings(Dateline, Panorama, etc). The UN issue is also tough because it involves printing out "scans" of letters from the web. I want to avoid any and all contact with the internet when speaking with them. I do not want to give them the opportunity to point at apostates or the internet as my source of information. If I can do that, I can better control the situation. It would be best if I spoke with the words, "The Society says..." or "The Society said at one time..." all the while throwing in a bible verse or two.
It will be interesting to see what happens. Hopefully, all that is needed is my saying that I don't need help right now and that I am researching a few things on my own. Tell them I may think about going out in service later, but I won't. Signing up for the school? Maybe sometime in the future. My book study conductor is very laid back so smoothing him over should not be all that hard. It is the other unknown elder I am wondering about.
BTW, this is the first shepherding call as a "family" that we have received in about 5-6 years. I got a personal one before from an elder and the CO while the wife was in service. Talk about a surprise visit.
http://www.dirtclod.com

JH

For a Shepherding call, make them a shepherd's pie for lunch. Check out the ingredients:


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Shepherd's Pie Submitted by: Gaby
Makes 1 pie

Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready in: 55 Minutes
Average Rating:
*****26 Ratings
15 Reviews

" This is a savory meat pie. "

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Ingredients

225 pound lean ground elder beef

1 onion, to shed a few tears

1 (28 ounce) can peeled and crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

salt to taste

2 cups instant mashed potato flakes

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese cracker men

DanTheMan

So, do you still believe the F&DS is Jah's Channel? Better prepare yourself for that one, they'll tune out all the rest! Is the Society your idol or not?
JH

I see the elders pass close to my place just about every day. They just go by without even looking or noticing if I'm there. If they were truly honest, they wouldn't wait for Brooklyn to force them to go visit inactive ones.
If it came from the heart, they would come and visit outside organized service hours. But since they visit inactive ones well prepared and ask tons of questions, their intentions are not pure.
hillary_step

Jourles,
I figure the entire visit could revolve around that one issue alone. Pedophila is a tough one to work with as there are no local issues and I personally do not know anyone in my past that had it happen to them.
Quite frankly Jourles, this issue would not crack the foundations of any 'good' Witness. It would be quickly countered with the 'We are just imperfect men as were the apostles. Just look at the incest taking place in the Corinthian congregation - and these were annointed' type of argument and you would be quickly dismissed as just another weakened sheep, victim of a Satanic 'World'. I would try a different tack.
Two weeks before the WTS changed its view of what constituted a 'generation' in Christ's Olivet discource, the Awake magazine still contained in its introduction information firmly stating that the generation aware of events in 1914 would see the fulfillment of God's purpose in their day. The WTS is proud of the fact that it's magazines are well researched and prepared months in advance. You might ask these elders whether they believe that the WTS made this enormous change in its doctrine, one of the most important this Century, within a period of fourteen days OR whether they had been aware of the flawed doctrine before that date and were awaiting the 'proper time' to introduce it. Obviously this is what happended.
The conclusion is that the GB were aware that their understanding of scripture around which many people had made life-transforming decisions, was flawed and yet they did not tell JW's about this immediately.I would just inform them that until you had confidence that the GB was not withholding further information that affected the future of your family you would need to take a 'back seat' for a while' and see how things developed.
Good luck, remember these people are probably quite sincere but very misguided.
HS
JT

While I admire your spuke and determination, I hate to rain on your parade- depending on the elders you may not be able to get off more than one volley.
All the issues you have in mind are excellent ones and if your elders ARE NOT SOCIETY MEN you will be able to raise them, BUT if they are SOCIETY MEN you will not
you see they are coming to see you cause you are spiritually weak and sick not for you to have a soapbox to spout forth your views,
you see BY THE MERE FACT that you don't share thier views on THE ORG MEANS WELL AND YES HAS MADE A FEW ERRORS should tell them you really don't want help.
i just spoke to someone last week you tried the same thing you want to do- and the elder being a SOCIETY MAN shout her down cold
he pointed out to her that she needed to REFOCUS ON THE BASICS
MEETINGS, FIELD SERVICE AND PERSONAL STUDY "WT Style"
as i tell folks are the time, you neeed to ask yourself a few questions
1 what is your purpose in challenging them
is it to show them up, is it to get something off your chest, is it to educate them on the errors of the org, is it you need to feel good about nailing them to the wall
if your purpose is just to "F%CK" with, GO FOR IT- you will have a great time--
but if your purpose is to try and show them the errors of the wt, then don't hold your breathe
i recall as an elder seeing folks like you, INACTIVE, WEAK, NO TITLE, NOT TAKING THE LEAD IN YOUR FAMILY according to WT rules-- XEROXING 50-100 pages, puttting them into little binders to give to all the elders AND WE LAUGHED AT THEM-
for our only concern was DO YOU WANT TO COME BACK TO JEHOVAH, all the little details of errors and misapplication of the bible by the wt didn't mean a RAT'S A$$-
MY ONLY SUGGESTION IS THIS:
since you have indicated that your wife is a diehard jw, make sure my man that you have comtemplated the full ramification of what this could do to your family
just an exp-
one guy i know much like yourself, wife diehard, had the elders coming over, his wife was so excited casue she felt that jah knew what they needed as a family a good sheparding call and her life with her husband would be back to normal, field service, meetings, the family study with the kids, etc
instead he like you set up this whole PRODUCTION and when the elders came over and his wife was in the room
HE WENT OFF and every single thing he said, much like what you will probably say was on the money, but here is there problem-
2 days later, his wife left him took the kids and filed for child support and now they are tied up in court and $$$$
after the elders left , they contacted his wife the next day told her that she AAND THE KIDS were IN ABSOLUTE SPIRITUAL ENDANGERMENT and she needed to read the Nov 15-88 wt HOME A PLACE OF REST--
Well he showed the elders who was the BIG DOG, problem was HE WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THE FALLOUT
AND you like so many other jw i see who come here, sad to say and i hope this is not the case with you ---------- ARE NOT PREPARED FOR THE FALLOUT and in a few days we hear WHAT SHOULD I DO- -- WELL ITS TOO LATE
so i try to let folks know , while yes we want to tell the elders a pc of our mind, in my view it is a waste of time
instead wasting a night with the CHEESE CRACKER MEN, why not hookup with some of the guys at work go bowling and have a beer
if you plan on leaving wt completely you need to start working on your new cliente of Friends that you will need once they declare you an offical apostate
While I understand folks emotional need to do what you plan on doing, I only suggest that you make sure you fully understand the ramification o esp in regard to your wife and kids if you have those
just my 2
Makena1

Jourles - best wishes for a successful "visit".
Hillary wrote: The conclusion is that the GB were aware that their understanding of scripture around which many people had made life-transforming decisions, was flawed and yet they did not tell JW's about this immediately.I would just inform them that until you had confidence that the GB was not withholding further information that affected the future of your family you would need to take a 'back seat' for a while' and see how things developed
I really like this paragraph. Adding to my store of bullets should the same happen to me. Thanks,!
Mak
of the cut and paste class
Makena1

JT - you are right on the money as usual.
Mak
a former cheese and cracker man
ikhandi

External microphone and microrecorder? Why go through all that? If you don't wish to be bothered by the elders just say so. Why go through all that drama? Just be honest skip the dramatics. I mean since when are the elders the wt police?
wannaexit

Ikhandi,
The elders ARE the wt police. Most could not care less about the sheep. Their only interest is to pounce on you when you break wt law.

Shepherding Visit this Weekend

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