can you recall instances where your jw family or friends tried to blackmail you in one way or other to stay in the witchtower after you decided to leave it?
At a JW funeral at which a number of DF'd/DA'd individuals were present the speaker made the statement that "those of you who are not right with Jehovah will have to return to God's Organization -- or you'll NEVER see [name deleted] AGAIN!!!"
What the ruddy rot?!?! The WTS is now holding our dead loved ones HOSTAGE?!?!
all, keeping himself restrained under evil.
''-2 timothy 2:24.
elders yell at each other, at the ms, at their wife and children, at the rank and file, and at the co at times.
Dear blondie,
Thanks for the very kind response. What hurt are: 1) the wound is VERY fresh (they were to have announced it yesterday evening -- I hadn't bothered to appeal it), 2) the witnesses brought forward included TWO very old "friends" --both of whom agree, in principle, with the statements for which they denounced me, 3) their repeated insistence that I am an "evil slave" doesn't make it so, and 4) it is a wee bit disheartening to experience the fact that reason and knowledge of the Scriptures appear to be NO match for authority.
They did let me speak my piece (to everyone's credit, things remained calm); they did NOT refute my arguments, they simply did not address them. At the end of the day, all that mattered to anyone was my unwillingness to worship the WTS.
At least I did hold the moral high-ground, and did NOT denounce the traitorous former friends: it may very well be that they feel worse about this entire affair than do I. And who knows what seeds were planted? Thanks much for letting me vent. Good weekend, everybody!!!
Love, ben (of the things-look-a -whole-lot-brighter-today class )
all, keeping himself restrained under evil.
''-2 timothy 2:24.
elders yell at each other, at the ms, at their wife and children, at the rank and file, and at the co at times.
Great stuff, blondie!!
How I wish I had still been receiving the WT's ("pearls of wisdom")! If only I could have read paragraph 11 to my inquisitors! (And thereupon kept my mouth shut: I suffer chronic foot-IN-mouth disease!) Perhaps the Lads would not have found me "guilty of apostasy", despite those who came forward to denounce me.
Well, at least they didn't try me in absentia. At least I found out who my enemies are....
ben (of the still-feeling-somewhat-sorry-for-myself class)
the jw org wants us to be almost perfect.
the slightest fault that we do, we are treated as if we are entirely bad, then we get df'd.. it's an "all or nothing" way of thinking that can be spiritually dangerous.. example: if a jw is caught smoking, and becomes df'd because of this, that person may feel free to do even worse sins, because they can't be more df'd than they are right now.
so disfellowshipping a person for something as small as smoking or playing lotto, can be counter productive for the sinner.. it's like puting a person in jail for a petty crime.
So far, my spirituality has not been harmed by my recent disfellowshiping.
But I do find it somewhat depressing that so many people with whom I worked so long could be such traitorous swine....
ben (of the I-feel-somewhat-sorry-for-me-today class)
Over the many years I've been in quite a number of congregations.
The majority of elders with whom I've worked have been indifferent and ineffectual ; a rather significant minority pompous, ruddy swine ; there have been a handful that were sincere, caring individuals : too bad none of the last catagory were in my JC lynching party .
I'm feeling a wee bit bitter tonight, perhaps I ought best take to bed. Good-night, all.
those of you not df'd do you feel like me that i have bulls eye painted on my forhead just waiting for when the borg gets you?
I felt that way up to the moment of my recent DF'ing.
The bullseye then leaves and attaches itself to your friends and relatives; those people 'must be spiritually weak' to have had a friend or relative like you!!!!
were they all dates from hell?
any "immorality"?
did you ever "date" knowing the person was never "marriage material"?
Dated my childhood sweetheart: no immorality and she dumped me (twice! ouch! ) but we remained friends. She married a fast-track Pioneer who slept his way around their cong and spawned several half-siblings ; the Holy Spirit did not approve and he never became a "spirit-appointed" adulterer.
Older and (perhaps) wiser, I came to the USA and met a somewhat younger JW-convert: we dated (still no immorality), fell in love, married, and lived happily-ever-after.
this guy is currently undergoing bible study and before his critical thinking capabilities were utterly destroyed, he seemed to do a bit of research on wtbts on the internet, where he contacted me regarding rand cam shares owned by the wt.
i was happy to answer his questions and gave him some bonus material on the united nation's deal.
some days latter, he wrote back asking me if i considered the jw doctrine to be a cult, so i indulged him and sent him well written documents i found on freeminds.org as well a link to quotes, where he seemed to have spent some time looking at the armageddon picture gallery.
I cut my teeth on the "Paradise Lost" book: it was fascinating!!! When one is very young, terror holds the attention. It may be compared to the interest people show in auto accidents and "action" films...
i never did, although i did tell my former bible student/tennis partner that the bible does not condemn celebrating birthdays or recommend celebrating anniverseries.
he told his jw brother who told his elders who told my po.
when the po asked me about the conversation, i told him he asked me some questions and i truthfully answered., i said, "nothing i said was wrong or incorrect".
Absolutely. But I tried to be discreet and only speak with one person at a time (two-Witness rule for JC lynching probably doesn't apply re: "apostates" [oh, well]) and only with close friends or relatives, who might see their way around a command to "commence shunning!!!!" (still risky, but so far, so good...).
some have indicated that this might be coming.
based mostly on the new book - some think maybe the org is positioning itself to remove all possible 'doubters' and 'inside apostates' this way.. i mean - having spent four decades watching the actions of this organization as a witness, i can see something like that happening perhaps.. service meeting announcement;.
having had six months to renew his association actively with jehovah's witnesses, and having not been to a meeting or out in service for that same time span, we must announce that ____________ has left the organization and shown by his actions that he is no longer one of jehovah's witnesses.. the brothers and sisters need to be reiminded that he should be treated 'as a man of the nations' - full shunning is in effect!.
The WTS is caught between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
The congregations are filled with the weak and inactive. It may be that the GB fears that the level of apathy is reaching critical mass. JW culture is changing and it is becoming socially acceptable to ignore the shrill and strident calls for conformity and obedience. The Org may be willing to do a bit of pruning to preserve the hard-core elements from the erosive effects of the inactive and the faders. Following the debacle of 1975, the WTS lost many adherents, but these were soon replaced by new and significant growth. They may risk such a move (DA-ing faders) with a view to long-term potential for increase.
On the other hand, many less-than-zealous Witnesses remain only to preserve relationships with family and friends, or because they have no support network outside the Organisation. The GB must know this. If the WTS "offs" too many, they will inadvertently create such a support network. Watch the dam burst and the reservoir empty...
If you were in their shoes, how would you deal with the problem? (Don't suggest honesty, it's not their policy)
