A Rare Response to being Disfellowshipped

Vanderhoven7

To most, being disfellowshiped is a terrible loss of friends family and God's perceived approval.

But not to Mark Jones. In his words....

The best way I can describe it, is like when you leave highschool for the last time. The bell rings, you’re done with school, a whole future ahead of you to decide and shape as you wish. You run out of the school doors and throw your textbooks into air and you feel so free. It’s amazing. To this day no other feeling has matched it.

Think about it, for 31 years I’d been:

Told what to think
Told who my friends could be
Told to distrust the internet
Told to be wary of “information” (seriously!)
Told that the world is going to end any moment now
Told to avoid pretty girls who arn’t Jehovah's Witnesses
Told if I have a wank I’ll turn into a homosexual
Told that I’m not to go to University
Told that I’m not to have a career
Told to turn up to two hour meetings twice a week
Told to knock on doors for 10 hours a month (minimum)
Constantly being watched by family and so-call friends in case I disagree with anything printed in the Watchtower magazine

As you can imagine, finally being free of such an environment was pure elation. I’ve never done drugs but I imagine the high one would feel when one snorts a line of coke. I felt finally free, finally in control of my life and 100% optimistic about the future.

Actually being free to have my own opinions, the freedom to vote, the freedom to study both sides of an issue before forming an opinion (as opposed to asking the elders what im supposed to think) - the joy!

I encourage every Jehovah’s Witness to be disfellowshipped. Seriously, birthdays are awesome. People actually bring you presents, you get a cake and have a big party. Christmas is tremendous fun and happiness flows for the whole week leading upto it finally culminating on 25th Dec when the entire day is pure joy and song. Actually having sex with someone you’re attracted to without asking the elders or signing a piece of paper first is wonderful.

Seriously, it’s like being in prison and then one day the prison warden kicking you out of prison for upsetting him. Then you walk out into the big “bad” world and people are really nice and want to be your friend. Why would you want to go back to prison???

blondie

I can remember hearing from the platform that those in Israel guilty of offenses were Those Israelites were put to death, thus their family could not talk to them. That the disfellowshipped should be considered as dead. Did anyone else hear that? "A heartrending experience for Aaron’s family is recorded at Leviticus 10:1-11. They must have been devastated when fire from heaven consumed Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu at the tabernacle. What a test of faith it was for Aaron and his family not to mourn their dead relatives! Are you personally proving yourself holy with regard to not associating with family members or others who have been disfellowshipped?—Read 1 Corinthians 5:11. (2014 11/15 WT p 14)

Vanderhoven7

Thanks Blondie

An example of the Watchtower twisting scripture to justify it's actions.

RULES & REGULATIONS

This is one of the reasons why I quit going to meetings. Jesus could of given a message on how to treat those who stopped following him. But he didn't. He let them go their own way.

Jehovah's Witnesses ( who really don't follow the true Jesus) stop all associations if you no longer wish to be a Jehovah's Witness. The Society take over the role of Jesus.

ScenicViewer

Blondie: ...Israelites were put to death, thus their family could not talk to them. That the disfellowshipped should be considered as dead. Did anyone else hear that?

Absolutely, I remember that. JWs are taught that 'if you are disfellowshipped you are dead in God's eyes and you are dead to us too,' thus they are not allowed to speak to a df'd person, not even their own family.

Bribie

Enjoying birthdays and celebrating some ancient Roman festival is chosen above living forever in peace and perfect health in a world where we can enjoy the real life.

Thats some stupid choice, but by all means go for it!

LongHairGal

VANDERHOVEN7:

That’s a lot of reasons for somebody to not want to be in the JW religion (said mostly from a male’s perspective).

I could add a few to that list from my perspective, such as: no longer being scrutinized over my clothing and being respected as a responsible adult female.

BRIBIE:

I doubt very much that many JWs who end up leaving the religion do so because they want to “enjoy birthdays and celebrate some ancient Roman festival”. 🙄 More likely it was to get away from all the trouble, drama, criticism, emotional abuse, pushy elders and whatever.

Birthdays and celebrations were the last things on my mind when I ‘Faded’ (fled) from the religion!

Konagirl

I love what you wrote, @RULES & REGULATIONS. Not only do the words of Christ contain eternal life, but they contain love. Watchtower doctrine is cold, calculating, and based on the organization's needs, which makes it easy for them to enforce disfellowshipping. Since they follow their decrees and twist the scripture, they practice lawlessness.

Rom 13:8 - "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law."

Gal. 5:14 - "For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matt 24:10-12 - At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, ("lawlessness") the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Beth Sarim

ScenicViewer;

""Absolutely, I remember that. JWs are taught that 'if you are disfellowshipped you are dead in God's eyes and you are dead to us too,' thus they are not allowed to speak to a df'd person, not even their own family. ""

Then I don't get why they lie in court about 'family relations' continuing. That it was only 'spiritual things' they can't talk about.

A lawyer in the court of law in Canada was lying to the court about family relationships carrying on like nothing ever happened.

A Rare Response to being Disfellowshipped

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