by minimus 48 Replies latest jw friends
Think of the signs you are not a witness any longer:
Fellow witnesses no longer seek your company.
They don't visit you.
They don't offer to help you when you have need.
They NEVER kick in for gas.
They back stab you with hateful gossip.
WAIT,
With that's how they treat each other when they are active and in good standing, so how could you tell?
After a decade or so, the old cards will have been destroyed. You may exist, but only in the memory of the oldies
Wasanelder Once - yes I did start reading you post and thought, "no, no that's how it is."
I went to IKEA today. I was df'd for sticking with the prophet Daniel, who I reckon was a Jehovah's Witness, and in IKEA I bumped into a good number of the old club members today. I noticed a slight difference in behaviour. Some heads definately turning in an opposite direction or remained resolutely staring into their coffee and not looking up. Therefore, that's one up on them not visiting you.
Also, another person who was not in my cong, greeted me very warmly so I told her what had happened and she remained very warm and friendly. But she didn't know what to do with the basket she'd been looking at. She was nervous.
In addition to these changes, I have noticed that many who have never joined this man-trap of a club, are interested in hearing what has happened to you. They also appreciate being able to ask about the Bible without feeling they are going to be hit with a Watchtower, an invite to KH or anything else that makes them uncomfortable.
BluesBro, so I am but a distant memory. Good!
Wasanelder - your last line sums 'em up EXACTLY. The positives and gift that keeps on giving is never having to waste precious life's time w/any of it again.
BluesBrother - "After a decade or so, the old cards will have been destroyed."
You're sure? 'Cause I'm actually cool with that.
Wait, haven't we heard stories here about uber-elders who've allegedly tracked down old cards (among other things) as part of their attempts to out suspected aclostates?
Or am I wrong?
They may keep the cards of the inactive but many congregations do ditch the DAs. I remember an officious service overseer who pulled out the cards for the inactive, df'd and da'd and put them in another drawer. A visiting CO was reviewing the cards and thought it was suspicious that the congregation had no inactive, df'd, or da'd cards in the file. Confronting the elder body at the CO's meeting with them, the service overseer admitted to the BOE and CO what he had done (it seems he was concealing the cards from the CO).
Each BOE does want they want to. If they get called out by the CO, they just come up with some half-assed explanation.
Many BOEs go through the motions of contacting the inactive before the CO's visit. My husband called them drive-bys, he and another elder drove slowly by the house, from that determined they were not home, and drove by. I understand that the BOEs are no longer told to contact df'd and da'd once a year.
If they know that the person has died, the cards are destroyed. Of course they could drive by the cemetery and see if they are in.
^^This. I figured the secretary would move the cards to another drawer during a CO visit. The reason is if they were queried as to if they attempted to "save" me, reactivate me by calling on me, they would have either lie to say they did, or tell them they have had no contact.
Mind you, I was happy to not have their visits. I figured out later it might have been because my brother is a well known elder to them, and they might figure "leave her to him to sort out."
