My Elder Friend Got Announced As Being Deleted.....

by minimus 52 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  FlyingHighNow

  He's in good company.

  Luke 15:1-7 ***

  Blondie, this is so true. I noticed long before I became inactive as a JW that the majority of elders acted like Pharisees and they encouraged that kind of spirit in their sheep.

  Minimus, you know that the society may have just done your elder friend the biggest favor of his life. At the same time there will be a ripple effect that will cause other JWs to wake up and leave eventually. It's watching things like this that helped a lot of us to get out of the org.
• 

  undercover

  Wow. That's a tough congregation you got there, min.

  Some congregations are more opressive than others. I know that here in my town that one hall on side of town is considered "liberal". The elders only get involved in things when they have to. If no one confesses or tells on one another, they don't get involved. That means that the friends have been able to get away with a lot as long as no one saw them or knew. All kinds of things happen that the elders never know about but get rumored around to certain ones.

  On the other hand, a hall just 10 miles from the previous one mentioned is known for it's tough elders and their being sticklers for following every single "suggestion" as if written by the finger of God himself. There are no secrets in that hall. They know everything that happens and they keep their fingers on the pulse of everything that goes down in the lives of the friends there. That's the congregation that counsels brothers on 2 door cars, questions why the friends go to the movies and concerts and give regular reminders about grooming and dress in private counsel to the pioneers and MSs.

  I think the oppressive congregations tend to push more people out than the liberal ones. Maybe that will happen at your old congregation.
• 

  minimus

  The oppresive wolves are here! I just had lunch (while playing KENO) and my ex-elder friend dropped in. He told me that our long history (I've known him since being a little boy), is something he would never forget and appreciate. I bought him a beer and he left chuckling.
• 

  ValiantBoy

  I recall that at one point, in the early 90s, they wanted to quit using the term deleted. They wanted to soften it up some. When I was removed as a ministerial servant in 1997, it was simply announced that "P.S. is no longer serving as a ministerial servant in the Texarkana Congregation."

  Of course everyone knew what that meant. But, strangely enough, I was not treated any differently. I was privately reproved at the same time, but no one ever backed off from association with me.
• 

  XBEHERE

  Appointed by holy spirit my arse right Minimus??? The whole Elder system is a sham.
• 

  jeanniebeanz

  These people gave 40 or 50 yrs. of their life and for what?? NOTHING!

  This is so sad, Minimus. Sorry to hear it. Do you think that he will begin researching the society now?

  Jean
• 

  freedom96

  As tough as it is for everyone involved, it is things like this situation that will make people stop and think. If you don't follow the organization exactly how they want you to, they will take everything away from you, including positions in the hall, family, and friends.

  This is not a loving religion.
• 

  jgnat

  I notice from Englishman's snippet above that it is assumed that extra responsibility is a "priveledge". Always? Mourn when lost, beg to get ti back?

  Wow.

  This organization knows how to get more work for free than anybody else on the planet, I bet.
• 

  Euphemism

  Odrade... I hate to tell you this, but based on what I heard before I left, the rule being applied here--that anyone who attends the wedding of a witness to a non-witness will lose their 'privileges'--came directly from the Society.

  If min's mom and the ex-elder write the WTS complaining about this, they'll just get a very nice reply back telling them to accept the discipline and reach out for restored privileges in due itme.

  Sadly, I'd bet money on that.
• 

  Honesty

  I know how it must hurt because Been There Done That However, when are y'all going to realise that the WTBTS is not God's organisation? Well, at least not the creator God of the bible.