I want to repeat an idea I have been mulling over for some time. I responded on another thread with this same idea. On that thread someone wanted to send a newly DF friend some comforting message, but was afraid of revealing herself and leaving herself open to possible DFing. Here was my response:
You know what we should have here? A way for those who have faded to contact people when their status is unknown. Or a way to contact old family with important information anonymously without tipping them off that you have joined the legion of Apostate hordes that JW's fear almost as much as demons. We could call it something like an Apostate Forwarding Service or an Apostagram.
Here is how it could work. In a public forum, maybe with it's own folder, or in the Personal Experiences & Reunions folder, just start a thread by titling it Apostagram Needed: My Friend in Timbuktu and then explain the situation without mentioning any names or addresses. This makes you the sender. When someone else agrees forward the Apostagram for you, send them a private message or email with the name, address, and phone number of the person you want to contact. They become the messenger, a very important role because they act as a liaison between the sender and the contact.
The messenger then writes a letter, in their own hand, or writes an email, or calls on the phone, to the contact explaining that someone they know who has left the JWs wants to reestablish contact at any time they are ready. If they are out for good and want to talk then report back to the sender and let them work out the particulars of the reunion. If the contact is undecided, afraid, or is still thinking about reinstatement, then the messenger could just leave them a contact email, address, phone number, or the web address of this site for when they are ready to make contact in the future. The messenger, of course, would try to discern any details about the contact's status and circumstances, and then include that kind of information in a report back to sender. The messenger could also answer any questions the contact might have as a newbie to the exJW experience.
This would have to be kept on the down-low, and confidentiality, boldness, and good judgment would be very important since there is such a high level of trust involved here. But something like this could help literally hundreds. I have been thinking about this a lot for several months and am convinced it could be made to work with few changes, if any.
The Watchtower uses DF and shunning as a means to scatter us and keep us afraid from talking to one another. It is our modern day Tower of Babel. With the Internet we have made great strides to reunite ourselves, but more is needed, I feel. This might be the way to contact and reunite people between people who are afraid to that the other one might report them to the Watchtower.
Tammy
P.S. My stupid spell checker keeps wanting me to change Apostagram to Pentagram! LOL!
Okay, so what do you all think about this? Is this something that might be feasible?
Tammy