: She was DF'd for dating a non JW. Her dating a non JW supposedly gave the mere appearance of evil.
: This type of thing apparently happens a lot. I have heard of things that suggest that there is a secret set JW elder rules somewhere. For example, my friend, who is still JW, was DF'd. The elders turned down is reinstatement request letter because he did not underline his Wachtower in peparation [sic] for the Watchtower Study. My friend was not following supposed "theocratic order."
This is the type of accusation that allow the WBTS to keep active members under control. They point to rumors like this to argue that opposers of the WBTS are dreaming up stories to make them look bad. The thing about being df for dating wouldn't stand up in a judicial appeal to the Society.
A "secret set JW elder rules somewhere" is fantasy and is completely unfounded. Look at the "Flock" book (the big boys hate it when you refer to the Elders manual that way), is there really anything in there that hasn't been printed somewhere in the magazines? The closest thing to "non printed" rules is the verbal instructions that the CO's pass on from the "hard nosed" boys at Bethel. Not being reinstated for failing to underline the WT for meetings is the way absolutistic religions and its zealots control the masses.
: And Room 215, you're right. I met a DF'd old friend yesterday who has been totally put through the shit mill by some arrogant elders. He's even been attending meetings for the past year, and elders in the cong. where he's attending asked him to write a letter for reinstatment. When it went back to the committee in his old cong., they still are giving him crap about it - for no real reason except the self-righteous pricks want to keep on making an example of him.
I fought this same attitude as an elder. Everyone in the local congregations wonder why I stepped aside. The Watchtower walls are hard indeed . . . my head still hurts.
Berean
