by ToesUp 34 Replies latest jw friends
It has happened before.
For a number of years during the mid-1980s, they did mount a concerted campaign to contact both those who had become "Inactive" and also those who had even "Studied" with the JWs. These efforts did appear to pay off, if the statistics in the yearbook are to be believed - i.e. during that time, the increase per year of "publishers" actually exceeded the number of those baptised.
Each of the elders at my assigned Kingdom Hall has made the cookie-cutter "shepherding call" with me. In its' entirety, it consists of this one sentence, "Brother Stillin, if you ever feel like going out in service, I'd be glad to accompany you." That's it! I tell them that I appreciate the thought and they leave me alone.
It has been like this for years. Nothing has changed. I know that I am not a part of the intimate friendships that exist among Jehovah's people anymore, but that's OK because it's so tiresome to have to tolerate all,of the charades and playacting. I have quite enough drama at home with my sainted wife. Come, Lord Jesus!
There was a directive to all elders at a recent CO visit.
It directed that there will NO LONGER be any efforts to visit the DF DA or Inactive in the territory. ( such as through the annual visit that used to be the case)
They said that "If these ones wish to establish contact, they could approach witnesses doing cart work and make their wishes known"
So the GB have put the onus on the DF DA or inactive person to put in efforts, rather than the society chasing us up.
Elders are too busy to go after inactive ones, you would need a dedicated team to do it!
Most elders cannot even do shepherding calls regularly...
toesup. Only if they have money....
As the organization declines over time, desperation might make their rule harsher as they attempt to cling to the reins, and they might.
It seems to me that if the organization was truly in decline, they'd lighten up on the reins in order to lure once contributing member$, back into the fold.
If anything, I see a future where they realize that their harshness isn't being tolerated by the general rank and file who, because of the Internet, are beginning to see them for what they are.
I have been on this board for 16 years ( time flies) and every so often rumours and fears fly around that the inactive are going to be pursued, not to encourage but to disfellowship. It has never happened yet and I don't think it ever will.
I dont think they will pursue "inactive" ones with their pseudo legal DF tactics.
Inactive ones have become un- indoctrinated and would be more likely to sue or threaten legal involvement if they were inconvenienced by little men in suits at their door.
The only way I think they would mess with a non involved fader would be if they sense the fader is attempting to lure away an active member. Im sure that would fit their broad based potpourri definition of "apostasy" somehow.
It was noted by a visting CO to my old congo that shepherding calls were too often made on only the prettier sisters.
Yeah, I think Sail Away nailed the reasons for elders not coming after inactive people. The GB knows that the shunning indoctrination is so heavily put into JW's minds that rank & file JW's WILL shun inactive ones for the most part. I've been officially called " inactive " or haven't attended meetings since 2003- 14 years - and my wife and I have not had any JW call at our house since 2012. It's been over 5 years now. Of course rumor got out that I'd present WT child abuse news printouts to JW's calling at my door - so they didn't like that.
Any JW's that know me have basically tried to shun me, even active JW's in my extended family don't reach out to me- even though I still try to show caring to them. Yep, I'm an " evil " , " wicked " , " bad " apostate who shows more love to JW relatives than they are shown from their own JW church members. Go figure
