Posts by Quendi

Welcome, Don Cameron! I have read your book and am in complete agreement with its thesis. Jehovah's Witnesses are indeed "captives to a concept" and this has enabled the Governing Body to manipulate them in ways that are truly disgusting. I have now left the WTS behind and am enjoying my life again for the first time in many years. Thanks to you and men like Ray Franz, I am rediscovering my God-given free will and power of reason.

We should not be surprised by this vicious attack from the Governing Body in the July 15, 2011 issue of The Watchtower. They are "circling the wagons" as their stranglehold on the rank and file begins to loosen. Their tactics are very similar to what we have seen taking place in North Africa and Southwest Asia as the dictatorial regimes there have decided to use deadly force against their own people who only want their human rights honored and respected. The Governing Body has decided that an all out assault against "apostates" is the best way to deal with would-be dissidents among Jehovah's Witnesses as well as those who have abandoned the organization. "Hear no, See no, Speak no Apostasy" is their philosophy now, with "apostasy" and "apostates" being any teaching or persons not marching in lock step with them.

The sad thing about this situation is that the Governing Body are the "ravenous wolves" they rail against. They are the ones who come to others in the "sheep's covering" of being "God's organization". They are the ones Jesus warned so forcefully against in his Sermon on the Mount. But so complete is the mind control they exercise over the rank and file that few among them will see this. Instead Witnesses will embrace this warning as coming from Jehovah himself. They won't tear away the veneer of Christianity it has to see the rotten and worthless unchristian hatred it really is, more's the pity. I thank God that I have made good my own escape, and I want to assist those of my friends and family I have left behind to get out. But that will only happen for them if and when they open their eyes to the real "truth".

Quendi

42

Questions for former elders.

by evilone in

jw
friends

i have a few questions regarding moving and changing congs.

i would love to hear from former elders.. .

my wife and i will be moving soon, and as i described in an earlier post we will be using the move as an opportunity to fade.

Quendi

The situation faders face makes me glad that I was disfellowshipped instead. That wasn't easy, either, but at least everyone knew I was gone and there were no awkward moments with friends and kinfolk to deal with. Now that I understand the situation evilone is dealing with, all I can say is "Good Luck!"

Quendi

42

Questions for former elders.

by evilone in

jw
friends

i have a few questions regarding moving and changing congs.

i would love to hear from former elders.. .

my wife and i will be moving soon, and as i described in an earlier post we will be using the move as an opportunity to fade.

Quendi

I have found this thread somewhat amusing. I agree with both Highlander and Wasanelder Once. What is the big deal? You can make your move completely unannounced in your old congregation since you are moving to an entirely different city. When you arrive at your new home, simply don't go to meetings. This isn't rocket science, after all. Giving some people the P.O. box address is a good idea if you wish to maintain contact. Otherwise, just move away and forget all about the WTS.

Quendi

29

I would describe the Watchtower's Disfellowshipping as truly merciless

by sabastious in

thoughout my life i have seen many take the walk of shame that is disfellowshipping.

i have never been df'ed, but i have had many experiences reading the faces of newly df'ed ones.. their faces are always the same.

defeated by a foe that they never had a chance with in the beggining; a raping so-to-speak.

Quendi

bookmark

26

Im now out...

by MrFreeze in

despite the fact that i officially left the jws last october i still had a big issue to deal with.

i was still living at home.

many of you are aware of the kind of pressure that parents can put on you.

Quendi

Congratulations, MrFreeze, on your new life! I wish you every success and happiness. What you have gained far outweighs your losses.

Quendi

27

The blessings of being disfellowshipped

by JRK in

jw
friends

don't get me wrong, it does suck.

but after being on ex-jw boards for years, and being df'ed for almost 10; i do see some hidden blessings.. first, you do not have to struggle with fading successfully.

you are just out; the cord has been cut.

Quendi

Being df'd was the best way for me to exit this religion. When I realize the problems faders have, I feel for them. Yet once upon a time that was the route I wanted to take. I wanted to keep my JW friends and family and thought fading was the best way I could do this and remain happy. Well, it didn't work out that way. For some years after being df'd I pursued reinstatement, but when I realized that the judicial committee wanted me "to crawl over broken glass first", I abandoned all efforts to get reinstated.

I miss my JW friends, of course. But I have many friends who are not JWs, so I didn't suffer from the kind of loneliness others have. And it is nice to be able to accept invitations to birthday celebrations as well as Christmas and Easter dinners. I am happy to sit at home on autumn Saturdays and watch college football without going out in field service or pro football on Sundays without going to boring meetings. I can plan trips now without having to worry about potential conflicts with JW assemblies and/or conventions.

One blessing I had came last Sunday night. For the first time since 1975 I did not attend the Memorial. I felt no anxiety as sunset approached last Sunday and was glad I wasn't at the Kingdom Hall. As a df'd person, the Memorial was always the worst meeting of the year for me. The shunning I experienced in the Hall on that night was the most severe. I was never made to feel welcomed, wanted, or loved. I began to realize that attending the Memorial was nothing more than spiritual abuse, and there was no reason to put myself through that anymore. Boycotting the Memorial severed the last link I had with the WTS, and really underlined the freedom I can now enjoy.

Quendi

46

Watchtowers Judicial System

by Marvin Shilmer in

jw
friends

watchtowers judicial system .

today i uploaded a new article to my blog addressing a central aspect of judicial process and how its lack in watchtowers system undermines justice and confidence, not to mention undermining the honesty of watchtowers presentation of its system.

the article is titled watchtowers judicial system and is available at: http://marvinshilmer.blogspot.com/2011/04/watchtowers-judicial-system.html.

Quendi

I don't doubt the elders thought me "proud", Mad Sweeney. I questioned and challenged them at every turn during our often tumultuous meetings. I also attacked WTS doctrine and teaching, telling the elders that neither they nor the WTS could prove their assertions. That probably made them all the more determined to keep me out until I "humbled" myself. But because I wouldn't and also refused to grovel at their feet begging for pardon and forgiveness, they concluded that more time was needed to get me to come around to the proper Witness way of thinking. You are also right to say the longer some stay out the more they value their new-found freedom. I certainly have.

Quendi

46

Watchtowers Judicial System

by Marvin Shilmer in

jw
friends

watchtowers judicial system .

today i uploaded a new article to my blog addressing a central aspect of judicial process and how its lack in watchtowers system undermines justice and confidence, not to mention undermining the honesty of watchtowers presentation of its system.

the article is titled watchtowers judicial system and is available at: http://marvinshilmer.blogspot.com/2011/04/watchtowers-judicial-system.html.

Quendi

The reinstatement process can take as long as the judicial committee wants; and if the person seeking reinstatement is not liked, years can go by before this is granted. InterestedOne asks the question if this can be done indefinitely. The answer is certainly yes. This was true in my case. Everytime I submitted a letter requesting reinstatement, the elders came up with petty excuses why they could not grant this. One time it was that I would not sit in the place the attendants wanted me to sit. Another time it was that I came to the meetings without the publications that were being considered or studied. On another occasion the stipulation was that I obviously was not studying and preparing for the meetings. I was also told that "not enough time" had elapsed for my case to be seriously reconsidered.

Eventually, I realized the truth of what one elder told me. "They don't want to reinstate you, and they will do anything to keep you out." I initially wanted to be reinstated because I truly believed the WTS was God's organization. After finally understanding that it wasn't, I sought to return simply to renew my ties with the people in the organization I still loved. I at last realized that none of my efforts was worth all this pain and trouble. When I was put off yet again last year--after nearly five years of trying--I broke off all contact with the local congregations and their elders. I had had enough, and realized that I was wasting my time and efforts. Besides, I have a life to live, and putting it on hold waiting on men who clearly did not want me back in their organization was foolish.

What was curious about my experience was that my original offense no longer mattered. The hurdles that were placed before me and the hoops I was made to jump through were created by the whims of the elders. I had always been an independent thinker and it became clear that the elders wanted to turn me into a drone like themselves. There was no way I was going to submit to that, no way I would surrender my God-given free will and power of reason. I am most grateful now to be free, and I will never even consider going back. The loss of my friends has been a painful one and I took time to mourn and grieve. Today I am moving forward and rediscovering my joie de vivre.

Quendi

46

Watchtowers Judicial System

by Marvin Shilmer in

jw
friends

watchtowers judicial system .

today i uploaded a new article to my blog addressing a central aspect of judicial process and how its lack in watchtowers system undermines justice and confidence, not to mention undermining the honesty of watchtowers presentation of its system.

the article is titled watchtowers judicial system and is available at: http://marvinshilmer.blogspot.com/2011/04/watchtowers-judicial-system.html.

Quendi

I think, with respect, that all this talk about legal proceedings, rights of the accused, and courtroom formalities misses the point. Nugget hit the nail right on the head. The judicial committee arrangement is there to determine if the sinner or wrongdoer is repentant of the actions they are accused or suspected of doing. Yes, a person can use the proceedings to clear his or her name if a false accusation has been made, and sometimes false charges are exposed and the accused is vindicated. But the real purpose behind this is "to keep the congregation clean" and to disfellowship "unrepentant wrongdoers", period.

All the talk about how to present a case, who can serve on a judicial committee, etc, is only window dressing to give the appearance of being honest, fair, and open. In effect, the WTS believes and teaches that a judicial committee is formed merely to affirm the decision that Jehovah and Jesus have already made with respect to the "sinner". That is how it was explained to the congregation I associated with and what I was told when I met with my judicial committee. Nobody accused me of wrongdoing in my case. I confessed and met with the committee to see what would be done. I was disfellowshipped because it was determined that I was a 'practicer of sin' and had to be kicked out for the good of the congregation despite the fact that I posed no danger spiritually or otherwise to anybody else. It is important to emphasize that any decision made by a judicial committee--disfellowshipping, public or private reproof, or dismissal of charges--is seen as confirmation of a divine edict. Holy spirit supposedly guides the elders to their decision.

That gives considerable latitude to the elders who sit on any judicial or appeals committee. It means that secular legal jurisprudence or law has no bearing on how a judicial case is to be handled. Oh, there may be some deference given them, but if anybody wants to use them as a basis for procedure, he will not have that opportunity. Since the Bible is also silent on such matters other than to say if someone is accused of wrongdoing that must be attested to by two or three witnesses, the WTS is free to make up its own procedures and move accordingly.

I haven't read the article yet but will do so. However, I thought I should make this point first. We are not talking about a judicial system that is subject to any review or sanction by a secular or higher authority. That is of the utmost importance to keep in mind. Any reform and/or change will come only because the Governing Body has decided to make it. Since those men are not answerable to anyone else, and because in many lands they enjoy a constitutional right to handle "internal affairs" as they see fit, I wouldn't look for the WTS judicial system to change.

Quendi