I wasn't born in; I came in when I was in my early 20's. The first few years I actually didn't mind the ministry in fact I regular pioneered (and worked fulltime). I think being exposed to a variety of people and situations helped mold my personality. But then I as I got older and got my own place I relaized I would not like to have strangers come knocking at my door and engaging me in conversations. Now we have the internet, the US postal service, and other means of communicating to people without invading their personal space. So then I got to hate the ministry. Not the part about taling to people, but the fact that it was against my conscience to go onto othe people's property uninvited. To go and simply leave tracts/flyers is one thing, but to make them stop what they;re doing and participate in a discussion is really infringing on their privacy and their personal space.
snakeface
JoinedPosts by snakeface
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71
Were You Ever Comfortable Going From House To House?
by minimus inbecause i was raised a witness, i don't think i was "uncomfortable" knocking on strangers' doors.
(weirdo).. but as i got older, i simply didn't want to bother anyone so i was at there door for no more than 30 seconds.
at the end i hated being there..
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25
I wrote a D.A. letter
by snakeface ini used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.
always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.
almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.
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snakeface
Onthewayout, I agree with you. But if let them go on thinking the devil has me they will be more likely to stay away from me, out of fear of becoming under Satan's control. Usually when witnesses can't figure someone out they say either the person is mentally ill or he has "problems with the demons".
These past 5 years I have not seen any of them or run into any of them in the grocery store or anything since I live in a very rural area. A few months ago when I walked the half-mile out to the paved road to go to my mailbox, an elder and his wife just happened to be driving by and they beeped their horn and waved. I waved back. Other than that, I haven't even seen any of them. Therefore, if they now want to think I am demonized it really won't bother me at all. -
25
I wrote a D.A. letter
by snakeface ini used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.
always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.
almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.
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snakeface
UPDATE
I'm at work, but I answered my cell because I'm expecting a call from a friend regarding the toga party we're going to (by plane) this weekend.
The elders would have gotten my letter Wednesday. They are at the convention today. The caller was a brother (not a MS, just a publisher) calling to see if I was alright. He said there are rumors going around about me. I said, "That's nothing new." Then I told him I'm at work and have to go. He said OK, but he heard that "the evildoer" got me. I said "Yep." and hung up. I should have said, "Yep. Satan got me by the damnBALLS!" ha ha ha
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25
I wrote a D.A. letter
by snakeface ini used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.
always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.
almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.
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snakeface
Outsmart, that sounds so loving of that MS to let you know where the problem lies. Surely it's not them. And it took him 3 months to notice you weren't there? No wonder these people cannot see thru the GB's lies!
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25
I wrote a D.A. letter
by snakeface ini used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.
always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.
almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.
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snakeface
Thanks Blondie. Actually, if 1 or 2 elders were to stop by I actually would not call the police and I would not throw them off the property.I would not be hostile; I would just tell them I have nothing to discuss. I prefer that they and the publishers just don't bother coming by and leaving tracts etc.
However, in my letter I've asked them not to come by so that they don't start planning to get aggressive, bringing by CO's, elders, and others to try to get me to come back. In a sense I'm telling them, "What we've been doing all these years is fine with me. You've ignored me and I've ignored you. No need to start calling on me now. Let sleeping dogs lie."
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25
I wrote a D.A. letter
by snakeface ini used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.
always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.
almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.
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snakeface
Oh, yeah I was never counseled for anything or disciplined or reproved. I had "privileges" and was giving talks on the platform. Now I remember, I was asked to take the group out in service Saturday. Saturday I did not show up...maybe the group did not either. I just never went back. No one called me at the end of that month to get my field service time. In fact I still have a territory card somewhere in the house. It's as if they just forgot I existed.
Anyway, now they have been told not to come on my property. And now that they know I DA'd myself years ago they probably won't want to give me invitiations to the assemblies/memorial etc anyway.
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25
I wrote a D.A. letter
by snakeface ini used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.
always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.
almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.
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snakeface
All these years I saw no reason to communcate with them. I am not accountable to them. My main reason for writing was to advise them to stay off my property. Now they have been notified in writing; therefore my next step can be to call the police if they show up.
Had I not written the letter, let's suppose I call the police on them. The elders could tell the police they are ministers calling on an inactive member. The police probably feel a property owner should first tell unwanted visitors to leave before calling the police.
But now if I call the police, the police can tell them, "Look, this person has notified you in writing that he is no longer a member, that he does not want to receive "visits", and he has advised you to stay off his property..." The elders would have nothing to say in reply.
I am sure that all these years they viewed me as inactive. Maybe a new CO came along and told them to make calls on the inactive ones...maybe it would help fill the contribution box if some of these lost sheep were led back to the fold. Now I wonder what they will report back to the CO.
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25
I wrote a D.A. letter
by snakeface ini used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.
always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.
almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.
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snakeface
I used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak. Always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc. Almost 5 years ago, I simply did not show up anymore. It's as if one morning I woke up and just decided never to return. I never looked back, never had any anger or regret or probably any emotion at all. All these years, no one called, no one came by...nothing. That was good because I didn't have to deal with anyone. I went on with my life, joined a church, joined the Civil Air Patrol, quickly found new friends and joined in holiday/birthday celebrations, and so on. Normal life. Io have not had any contact with any witnesses. None of my family are in the organization. Therefore the shunning policy is not an issue for me.
Only recently the witnesses started leaving things in my door. I think it started with the Memorial invitation. A month later, a magazine....later, a tract. A pioneer sister wrote a letter which was very friendly, and basically said, "We miss you..." and filled me in on some of the goings-on in the congregation. She was not "preachy" at all. It was as if I had moved and was now active in a different congregation, and she was just keeping in touch. Then about 6 weeks ago I received a similiar, friendly letter from an elder and his wife, with a tract enclosed. In closing he wrote, "We love you." After that, several times I came home to find literature in my door. The other day it was a convention invitation. (Apparently this area's convention is in mid-August.) I realized this sudden interest in me was going to continue or even increase, so I decided to nip it in the bud by writing a letter.
The letter was courteous and to the point, without any reasons/explanations/complaints expressed. I simply remarked that I received the convention invitation they left as well as the letters. Then I mentioned that this has caused it to suddenly occur to me that the congregation apparently is not aware that I left the organization several years ago and do not plan to return. I added, "I ask that the congregation refrain from visiting and from leaving literature."
That's it. I imagine 1 or 2 elders will respond, mostly to clarify what they think I said. "Do you understand that if you are saying you no longer consider yourself to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses an announcement must be made to the congregation....?" Or something like that. I will not agree to meeting with them. However I will suggest to them that if they wish I will write and sign a specifically-worded statement in order to bring closure to this issue, and mail it to them. For example, "I, [name], no longer wish to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses..." if they need it spelled out that specifically.
I doubt they would try to "reason" with me since my decision was made and carried out almost 5 years ago. If they considered me all these years to be "inactive" well then shame on them for not having made shepherding calls on me.(not that it would have accomplished anything, but that would have been the protocol for them to follow).
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If you got apostate vids on Youtube take em off now!!! Legal Dept to Sue!
by smithmandy1 ini've posted this on the wrong section so i'm posting it on here cos its sort of to topic as i know many of you have vids on youtube.
legal department are beginning legal action against google and its uploaders regards to apostate vids that slander the watchtower and/or contain copyrighted material!!!
my hubby knows people who know so heres my warning lol.
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snakeface
The Society needs to get rid of the song "Listen Obey Abd Be Blessed" before they get sued by the composer of the song "Look What They've Done To My Song".
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If you got apostate vids on Youtube take em off now!!! Legal Dept to Sue!
by smithmandy1 ini've posted this on the wrong section so i'm posting it on here cos its sort of to topic as i know many of you have vids on youtube.
legal department are beginning legal action against google and its uploaders regards to apostate vids that slander the watchtower and/or contain copyrighted material!!!
my hubby knows people who know so heres my warning lol.
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