Put in time or be disassociated!

by VM44 23 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  undercover

  "the Watchtower has a great capacity to teach dual opposing doctrines at the same time ... to live by two standards ... and what is said in print is not what is necessarily done in practice."

  In print, as shown in earlier posts, inactive ones are just considered spiritually weak and need love, mercy, kindess and help from the strong. But go to a meeting or an assembly and the tone is different. Inactive ones or any that are falling off spiritually are doomed. Outside of trying to help inactive ones, the strong should be very wary of them.

  This is what is hard to explain to someone who's never been a JW. They don't and won't ever understand. You can go to the index and look up what is in print, but if for years in the talks and assembly parts they say something different, that's what stays with you and programs your thinking. That's why so many here rememeber "rules" or "policys" that aren't really there, at least in print. But from the platform or from the CO or the assembly it has been spoken and a good many of people will take that as official policy. I think the WTS knows that too. That's why they harp on meeting attendance so much. If you don't read all the mags, fine, but if you're at all the meetings, that's where the real programming is.
• 

  Sassy

  Of course, if a brother had begun to stray into sin, mature Christians would have tried to help him. (Galatians 6:1; 1 John 5:16) If he had doubts, they would have attempted to ?snatch him out of the fire.? (Jude 23) Even if he had become inactive, not going to meetings or in the public ministry, spiritually strong ones would have striven to restore him.

  oh yeah.. that sure happens! But then if it had, maybe I wouldn't be where I am today..
• 

  Nathan Natas

  ...The second situation involves a person who renounces his standing in the congregation by joining a secular organization whose purpose is contrary to counsel such as that found at Isaiah 2:4, ...

  What if a brother decided to sign up for the blue helmeted UN Peacekeeping Force? That would be OK, wouldn't it, since those troops wage peace, not war?

  Just don't swim in a YMCA pool...
• 

  metatron

  Please read my full thread - and especially Hislop's comments on this subject.

  It is not automatic BUT the Society has ordered elders to visit and "encourage" all the inactive.

  What happens if they refuse such "encouragement"? Obviously, most folks who drift away do so because they

  don't really believe it - or don't want to be involved. If they admit they don't believe or don't want to be "active", then what?

  This sets them up to be da'd.

  There are many who have reported on the above process in the past year or so. It is not accidental. The Society

  is worried about the growing number of ex-Witnesses they can't control - and their potential effects on remaining

  Witnesses they have contact with.

  metatron
• 

  undercover

  You've got some points, Metatron. A very real possibility lies in what you have stated.

  But if the exodus out of the WTS is as big as ex-JWs want to believe, then the 6 to 8 elders per congregation won't be able to keep up with them all. Elders have families, jobs and congregational responsibilities. The last thing they want to do is go bug people about not coming to meetings. Oh, they'll do it some, because they're told to, but after a couple of trys per inactive one they'll give up and go on with their own life. Also, if drifting ones give a good enough excuse, like health or something, for being irregular, it makes it harder to label them unappreciative, disloyal or whatever.

  That's not to say that isn't what the WTS wants. They may very well want the elders to root out em out and DA em, but as we know, even the elders balk at some point to following every dictate that comes down the line, especially one that will add a burden to their schedule.
• 

  metatron

  There are some elders who are very zealous about df/da'ing people - but yes, over time I think they will tire out

  and just be 'zombified' like the rest, dragging themselves thru meetings and the "ministry". I know many elders like this already.

  What will they do if Witnesses commonly think the organization is in decline? that they have lost the next generation of

  Witnesses? At some point, unless a big disaster occurs (that can get them speculating again), they'll be cornered.

  Peace and prosperity can drain them away.

  metatron
• 

  Poztate

  The Society is worried about the growing number of ex-Witnesses they can't control - and their potential effects on remaining

  Witnesses they have contact with.

  I think it is only a matter of time before the velvet glove changes to the iron fist. There is increasing "New Light" to be had with only a few mouse clicks on the internet.

  Far too many X -JW's already know the truth about the truth.The only way left to isolate the "flock" is to isolate them from reality.The best way to do this is to DA any fence sitters or long time inactive ones. Most "Apostate Ideas" do not come from strangers but from family and friends who have left the truth and now are quite willing to share the new truths they have learned.

  Do you think they can't or would not do this??? Just remember this is a religion that makes up its rules as it goes along.New light on this issue would not suprise me at all.Bye Bye fence sitters.
• 

  willyloman

  Here's an experience that illustrates what's being discussed on this thread:

  Not having been to a meeting in a couple of months, the book study conductor called to see how I was doing. I had been expecting his call and took it. I told him my health problems hadn't improved and it was still very difficult for me to get to meetings, and in addition we had taken a vacation to get some r & r and then had a house full of company for a week. All those things impacted our meeting attendance, but we were determined to do better going forward (I did not specify a date).

  His response?

  "That's good, I'll tell (the PO) we don't have anything to worry about, then."

  I'm sure he didn't mean to reveal that much by his comment, but it is telling, isn' it?
• 

  philuk

  hi i was in that situation about 6 years ago i was in aloving congregation they looked after me when my house was totally destroyed by vandals, then moved and nobody wanted to know me even though i had an excellent reputation i felt alone and isolated in the congregation. I got depressed and fell away though did nothing to be disfellowshipped.There are times when we need peoples support for whatever reason remember we have given up being i n the world t obe a witness.I think you will find love i nsome places and not in others it was the same in bible times.Im now thinking of returning after i have cleared up a few things about the organisation.

  [email protected]
• 

  philuk

  your son clearly needs encouragement the lord jesus wil sustain him .Does he ask for the holy spirit to help.its there for everyone you dont have to be anointed to recieve the holy spirit.It all depends on the congregation, are the ywalking in love or tied up in docrines and law sounds familiar doesnt it(pharesees).We all need to grow mature and refine our love including elders etc.Stick to jesus he is the exampleto follow in all things.Your son may have feelingsof giult , unworthyness or bad thoughts , doubts.Point out to him Jehovah did not choose the rightous t oserve him.Even king David commited sins, our minds work like this , satan is trying every trick t oget him inactive i know he did wih me.What is more important that he feels loved by you and the congregation, invite some witnesse around to have soem fun do something go out have a trip , let them show thier love by encouraging and supporting then leave i t up to him. all these things can get to you