The Governing Body knows that there are some of Jehovah's Witnesses, including elders and ministerial servants, who are hypocrites. They add their support to blogs of apostates. They read everything they can about apostates, to strengthen their resolve to have no faith in Bible, which they WANT to believe is the word of man and not of God.
The Governing Body used the Bible's counsel regarding apostates on the outside to speak to closet apostates on the inside. The closet apostate named John in The Independent article got incensed by being called "mentally diseased" and a danger to others' spirituality that he contacted the journalist who wrote the article.
The Governing Body knows very well that by saying NOT to listen to apostates, those who have no faith in Jehovah and who no longer pray to him for holy spirit will in fact listen to and read MORE of what apostates produce. They will "advance to more and more ungodliness", until the seraphs, who are in charge of the spiritual cleanness of the organization, expose what they are doing and they are called before a judicial committee. Or, if they are irritated enough because they know they are "mentally diseased" for pretending to be believers when they are not because they fear being disfelloshipped, they will disassociate themselves.
Either way, they will leave, and Jehovah will give his spirit freely and strengthen their faith, because the hypocrites have left. This is what Jehovah wants, what the Governing Body wants, and what I want. A decrease in our numbers would be great, so that those remaining are only those who truly have a relationship with Jehovah.
Then those who leave will be able to taste the freedom they so desire and enjoy it to the full. Some of them will finally taste Satan's world fully, get disillusioned about being independent of Jehovah, ask for his help and return, like the prodigal son. Others will stay away from Jehovah until their death, and possibly will have no resurrection because they knowingly chose to reject Jehovah's sovereignty, if Jehovah sees that there is no chance for them to reform themselves in the New World.
This is the reason why I said I see Jehovah's direction.
The collateral effect of a possible court case in the UK may be a secondary benefit. Jehovah's Witnesses never shy away from "legally establishing the good news", as Paul did. It is maybe time for the UK courts to consider our practice of disfellowshipping, as US courts have done. Whatever the outcome, Jehovah will make sure a great witness is given to his name and judges will find out the truth about us, rather than lies and distortions.
Daniel Metz
JoinedPosts by Daniel Metz
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The GB Knew What They Were Doing
by compound complex ini believe that the governing body knew very well what would be the consequences of publishing the above article on apostates.
they carefully word every article, not only for the faithful, but for the unfaithful, and for those who have never believed our faith.
the above article and the comments here show me their great wisdom, because they have achieved exactly what they wanted.
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Daniel Metz
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How To Leave Jehovah's Witnesses Easily and Painlessly
by Daniel Metz ini have just thought of a way to leave jehovah's witnesses using information from the new shepherd the flock of god book.
it's quite simply: rebaptism.
here are the steps:.
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Daniel Metz
I have read "Crisis of Concsience". I have not read Steve Hassan's book. When I was investigating my faith, I read a book defending evolution, a booklet defending the Trinity, another brochure attacking Witness beliefs. I wrote a letter to the branch office with questions about arguments I had never seen before from the booklet on the Trinity. I read many passages from Brother Russell's and Brother Rutherford's books, including The Finished Mystery. Reading them strengthened my faith because I see the same basic message that they preach, we preach today. The differences are minor and the style of language is different, but the same faith in the Bible's inspiration was evident then as it is today.
I have never read anything in the publications discouraging reading of any of the Society's publications. On the contrary, there are often quotes from very old Watchtowers in recent Watchtowers, and sometimes references to older books.One improvement I suggest is that the office of elder and ministerial servant have a time limit, say, 5 years. That way, every elder would have to be reevaluated to see if he is qualified, because I have seen many elders who are not. If a brother wants to serve more, then he would have to be reevaluated by the other elders and the circuit overseer. This would improve the quality of elders that we have.
I also suggest to officially put the elder's manual on the Society's website, so that all the brothers and sisters have access to it. This will be an incentive for elders to follow it carefully. Right now, the book (the new version and the older one) are online anyway on other sites. When I was an elder, reading the Pay Attention book (the old version) was one of the most faith-strengthening readings I ever did. It is just too bad that some elders don't let that instruction mold them and modify their conduct.
I see no need to change the policy regarding disfellowshipped and disassociated persons. When one gets baptized, one tells the elders, and says yes to a question in front of an audience that one has dedicated one's life to Jehovah God. I realize that many have gotten baptized, but never dedicated their lives to Jehovah, and it shows. But deciding later to leave Jehovah's Witnesses is a disloyalty to Jehovah. I cannot be friends or treat as before someone who rejects Jehovah, who no longer believes in the Bible's inspiration and now refuses to serve him fully as those Scriptures teach. The command in 2 John 9 is very clear, not to greet such people or to receive them into our homes and I follow that. It makes sense to me.
I just sent my proposals a few months ago. I don't expect immediate results.
I am on Facebook. I regularly contribute to Dedicated Jehovah's Witnesses. On that site, I have met many who left the truth in their teens or early adulthood, tried to be happy living without Jehovah, and finally decided that they needed him and either are returning or have returned for a number of years, now stronger in faith in Jehovah and his organization. They needed to leave Jehovah's Witnesses, their parents and Witness friends, make lots of non-Witness friends and try out what they do in their lives, to realize what the needed was with Jehovah and him only.
Most likely their initial faith was destroyed by the abuse of power of an elder or ministerial servant or pioneer, the main cause of lack of faith in Jehovah. Many of them had a relationship with an organization but not with the person of Jehovah. Now they have returned and for the first time they are "drawing close to God".What I find interesting on this website is how so many presume that the Governing Body members are really unbelievers trying to perpetuate a system that benefits them. That would be true if they were living a double life, as Raymond Franz did for so long, and as many who post here did for such a long time. But I don't think that this analysis is accurate. I think that they are like me. They are BELIEVERS. They have faith, not just a set of intellectual arguments to uphold their point of view. They believe that Jehovah "is and is the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him." They, like me, pray to Jehovah, and see him act in their behalf, as I have seen him act in mine.
I believe that those who post here who are still going to meetings should leave as soon as possible, because I believe that their presence leads to Jehovah removing his spirit from that congregation, until they leave. That is why I posted my suggestion on how to leave painlessly.
Leaving will help some of them experience freedom from Jehovah, what Satan promised Eve, and every pleasure that Satan's world can offer them, the headiness of the freedom to decide for themselves "what is good and bad", to do "what is right in their own eyes." Maybe that is the only way that they can be happy, and I hope that they enjoy their life that way, because they obviously wouldn't be happy in a New World directed by Jesus which would not tolerate living a double life and open rebellion against Bible standards. In the New World, only those who love Jehovah and his sovereignty will be happy, and will be sustained by Jesus to be able to live a thousand years. All others will die out or be killed earlier, so that the torture of their existence in a world where Jehovah's laws will be followed carefully and finally perfectly by those who love Jehovah, and where the laissez-faire attitude of this world will be gone. Brother Russell called it "The Iron Rule", based on the verse that says that Jesus will shepherd the nations with an iron rod. Jesus and the 144000 will not allow what Jehovah is allowing in Satan's world today.I do appreciate that at least some on this site is so respectful of minority views.
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62
How To Leave Jehovah's Witnesses Easily and Painlessly
by Daniel Metz ini have just thought of a way to leave jehovah's witnesses using information from the new shepherd the flock of god book.
it's quite simply: rebaptism.
here are the steps:.
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Daniel Metz
I decided today to see what posts came after my last one. They are all very interesting. Some are worried I will be offended, but there is no need to worry. I respect people who tell me what they really think.
I have been very busy. I broke a bone in my foot June 19, had an operation and then developed a foot infection. The budget of my provincial office of education has been cut so so has my job. I am looking for a new one now. When I have the time, I think I will post something again.
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62
How To Leave Jehovah's Witnesses Easily and Painlessly
by Daniel Metz ini have just thought of a way to leave jehovah's witnesses using information from the new shepherd the flock of god book.
it's quite simply: rebaptism.
here are the steps:.
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Daniel Metz
I am happy with my religion.
I have several ideas for improvements to it and wrote a letter to the Canadian Branch (my former branch) so that these can be considered, and some or all of them referred to the Governing Body. I have visited Bethel here in Korea and spoken to two members of the Service Desk to make some suggestions on improving the quality of the teaching at the assemblies and conventions, to bring it up to the standard of the Korean assemblies and conventions, which I have also attended. They asked me to put it all in writing but I haven't had time to do it yet.
I am encouraged how our faith has advanced over the years as the Governing Body listens to suggestions from the publishers, in letters received by the Writing Correspondence Desk. I know personally an elder in Montreal, who regularly writes the Governing Body and who made the suggestion to change the term "presiding overseer" to "coordinator of the body of elders" (he wrote in French, so the term he came up with was "coordinateur", which shows me that they took his suggestion into account, as well as possibly others who had the same idea and wrote in), to overcome the false impression that this brother was a sort of "chief elder", as the "congregation servant" of times past was. It took about three years, but the Governing Body liked the idea and the change was implemented. I see the hand of Jesus Christ in that improvement.
Since I have read basically all the various points of view of those who have left Jehovah's Witnesses, I don't need to debate them with anyone. Jesus said that some of his servants would say "the master is delaying" (and then, likely, "the master isn't coming with his promised reward in my lifetime, or maybe ever; he probably lied to all of us, so why bother serving him anymore? I'll live my life the way I please, choosing for myself what is good and bad, and leave the 'Borg' to the fools who still believe in the master's empty promises"), while others would say "you are an exacting man, asking us to work for you while you are away, while you get all the benefits of our work". He also said that the seed of the word would fall on four kinds of soil, but only one would produce and bear fruit. The others would not.
I have "put my hand to the plow and am not looking back" because I want to be "well suited for the Kingdom of God".
I examined the history of Jehovah's Witnesses before I got baptized. My grandmother Metz in France got baptized in 1922, and, as far as I can tell, was faithful to Jehovah all her life and is now in heaven next to her Lord and mine, and before her God and mine. My grandparents Ehm also became Witnesses in Austria and Germany (before their marriage in 1925) in the 1920s. For that reason, my dad had in our home library several of Brother Russell's and many of Brother Rutherford's books, where I learned all about the previous chronology (1799, 1874,1878,1881). I lived through the 1975 crisis, and both of my parents told me beforehand that it was not definite that Armageddon would be coming that year, even though one of our elders, Brother Widawski, was certain of it and taught so from the platform.
It took a period of three years of doubt regarding the truth of the religion that I was brought up in to conclude that Jehovah personally helped me to see how logical, and intellectually and emotionally satisfying it was, and, at least for me, still is.
I know that the "fish" in the "dragnet" have to be separated. So does the Governing Body. By telling everyone, in the July 15 2011 Public Edition Watchtower, not to read apostate writings, they know that the faithful will not do it and that those who are doing it in secret will do it even more, find reasons to justify their loss of faith in Jehovah, Jesus and the organization, and finally leave.
At least that's what I think is their strategy.
Rather than want to keep people against their will or pressure them to return against their will by sticking firm with the Bible's clear teaching on disfellowshipping (Jesus, Paul and John all three described it), the Governing Body wants only completely honest publishers, those who have faith in the "good news", as they do. The present members of the Governing Body are all new now. Not a single one of them was a member in 1975, now that Brother Barr has completed his earthly course. Maybe some of them were very disappointed when the end didn't come in 1975, but they didn't lose faith that Jehovah is leading his people through Christ and evidently concluded, as I did, that the three main periods of sifting in our history (1914-1918, 1925 and 1975) were Jehovah's will, to separate the "fine" fish from the "unsuitable".
I find it interesting that despite all the writings of Raymond Franz and others, which have led so many to leave my faith, the European Court was not convinced by any one of the arguments presented by Russia to justify banning Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow. Whether blood transfusions, disfellowshipping, breaking up families because holidays are no longer celebrated, abuse of children by not letting them have enough play time, none of these arguments were sufficient to sway the judges that Jehovah's Witnesses are not a legitimate religion.
The judges recognized that different religious views can cause division in families, but that that is the price of governmental respect for everyone's belief, and that a religion has a right to apply its interpretation of religious texts, interpretation that was accepted by members at their baptism, but that they may not agree with anymore when they lose faith in their religion. The two latest victories over France and Armenia (the last one, where the Grand Chamber overturned the decision of a smaller Chamber just two years earlier) are also encouraging for me, though the defeat of France was not a surprise, and even the Frech officials tried to settle out of court because they foresaw that they would be humiliated when the judges came to a decision. It certanly happened. Also humiliated was the Armenian Apostolic Church that has been lobbying their government to remove our registration with lies about our conduct.
I do expect, though, that the time will come when judgements may not be so favourable, but it won't be the result of the writings of the apostate "generation" of 1980 (Raymond Franz, Dunlap, Randall Watters, Alan Feuerbacher, and the Canadian, James Penton). All their words have failed to make an impression on objective judges of the European Court, who may be of other religions or complete agnostics or atheists.
James Penton is for me the most interesting of the above group because I met the man before he became openly apostate. My father and I were invited to supper at Frank Mott-Trille's house. James Penton ridiculed me for having chosen Engineering as my major at university (he said that "everybody these days wants to be a tinkerer", and not study a "real" subject such as hiis, history), and he dared to tell our host, Frank, that my father's account of the people of Alsace-Lorraine's feelings during the First World War was "not exactly like that", when Frank asked for Penton's opinion on the question. When I think about it, I am still amazed at his hubris. That he could think that he, a Canadian historian, reading books about what happened in France in the First World War, could know better than my Dad about the feelings of Alsatians and Lorrains during the World War, when his parents lived through those events, as did everyone in my Dad's village, not to mention all that my Dad has read on the history of his region in the magazines he has been subscribed to for decades! James Penton had to prove that he knew better than my Dad, but certainly didn't impress me. He didn't even say what his opinion was, just that he knew better from his studies of the question.
During the supper, he and his wife spent all their time criticizing his fellow elders for being "narrow-minded". He even ridiculed Brother Russell for his decision to not have sexual relations with his wife, Anna, which for sure was out-of-the-ordinary, but still was mutually agreed upon and was that couple's personal choice. Both struck me as very narrow-minded themselves.
My Dad and I were not comfortable the whole evening. It was no surprise when we learned that he had formed his own "Bible study group" in Lethbridge and had taken others with him. I have seen his books advertized on Amazon, but have absolutely no interest in reading them, because, while he has analyzed my faith's publications to try to embarrass us, I have analyzed the words of the man, and I am not fooled by him, because I saw his conceit at close range. His facts may be accurate, but his analysis cannot possibly be objective. I actually feel sorry for him!
Being one of Jehovah's Witnesses and sticking with it (arguably the most difficult religion on earth) is not for everyone. To do so takes faith that the there is a Creator who cares about us, that, of all the holy books of the world (I have read the whole Quran and the Bhagavad Gita, and have watched a dramatization of the Mahabharata, all 96 45-minute episodes of the B.H and Ravi Chopra version) , the Bible is his Word, that there is a Devil and he has companions called demons who don't want anyone to serve Jehovah, and that the Bible's message of the Messianic Kingdom is what mankind needs. It is possible that I will not live long enough to see the New World come; or the great tribulation may start tomorrow. That for me is not the most important. The most important thing for me is that Jehovah is the best ruler. He helped me when I was at rock-bottom last year, and earlier this year, when several times, with the equivalent of $2 in my pocket in a foreign land, I prayed to him for wisdom. He always answered my prayer.
I am not absolutely sure if he approves of what I am doing by posting here. I am sure that he doesn't want me to spend hours debating our beliefs with those who have already made up their minds to leave him and not believe he is the best ruler for individuals, for the earth and for the universe. But I try to live by the principle of James 4:17, even if my brothers and sisters don't always understand or agree with me. The Governing Body has also taught that organizational directives must be applied reasonably. They have also taught that Jesus once made an exception to Jehovah's direct command to him that he was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, when a higher principle, the principle of compassion, required it. So I think that the Governing Body might understand why I have written here what I have. I will be open to Jehovah's loving counsel if I have made a mistake in doing so.
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How To Leave Jehovah's Witnesses Easily and Painlessly
by Daniel Metz ini have just thought of a way to leave jehovah's witnesses using information from the new shepherd the flock of god book.
it's quite simply: rebaptism.
here are the steps:.
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Daniel Metz
I have been very busy recently so I don't check this blog every day.
I was an elder in the past (2000-2002) but am no longer such. In 2002, I got very depressed because I had supported a decision of a fellow elder that caused much disturbance in the congregation and concluded that I had not only made a wrong decision, but failed Jehovah personally. I began reading all the apostate sites I could find. In 2010, I had another bout of depression when I didn't understand why it seemed that Jehovah had not blessed my move to the Ukraine to serve him where the need is greater. I read the latest in apostate sites, including this one.
Then I got out of my depression and my faith in Jehovah's Witnesses and its Governing Body is stronger than ever before. In 2010, I realized that there are a number of persons who have been Witnesses for a long time who do not obey Jehovah in their private lives, as I have always striven to do. I realized also, from the fact that the Shepherd the Flock of God was online before my father, an elder in Canada, brought it home (where I saw it when he put it on the table). A quick Google search confirmed that to me. Reading also who put it online also convinced me that there are a number of elders around the world who are living double lives in the area of their beliefs. They don't believe that Jesus is directing the decisions of the Governing Body and the history of Jehovah's Witnesses in general.
I realize that those who have positions of responsibility but who don't believe are afraid of being disfellowshipped or of disassociating themselves. I feel sorry for them. It must be very hard for them to live such a double life. I know that Jehovah doesn't want them to stay if they don't believe, neither does Jesus, and, I think, neither does the Governing Body. From that point of view, the statements of recent Watchtowers is very clear to me. The Governing Body is adressing all who read our magazines, including what I call "closet apostates" and are inciting them to leave as soon as possible, so the congregations will be healthier.
I have also had blank stares or strange answers when I ask some Witnesses: "Did you dedicate yourself to Jehovah before getting baptized?" The ones who do not say a clear "Yes" do not surprise me, because they are always rather excentric. They became Witnesses by cheating on the entrance requirements, and it is no wonder that they don't speak like the rest of us, who did dedicate our lives to Jehovah before baptism.
That's why I thought that this method, which avoids disfellowshipping and disassociation, would be helpful. It will help those who don't like our religion leave as soon as possible, without fear and without pain. I know that besides those who have left Jehovah's Witnesses, this forum has posts by persons who are still in the organization but don't believe but are afraid to leave (the so-called "conscious class").
I wrote this because I believe that Jehovah would like them to leave as soon as possible and that he would agree for me to write what I did. It will accelerate the process that he has initiated in separating the "fine" fish from the "unsuitable" ones, both of whom are in the "dragnet" of the worldwide congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses (Matthew 13:47, 48).
After much prayer and meditation, I made my conscientious decision to post here, and did.
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62
How To Leave Jehovah's Witnesses Easily and Painlessly
by Daniel Metz ini have just thought of a way to leave jehovah's witnesses using information from the new shepherd the flock of god book.
it's quite simply: rebaptism.
here are the steps:.
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Daniel Metz
There is another reference to rebaptism that prompted my posting of my muti-step method of leaving (notice the part in bold):
*** w62 6/1 p. 332 Why Be Baptized? *** REBAPTISM NECESSARY? 11 Due to certain circumstances at the time when they got baptized or due to subsequent developments, some have doubts about the validity of their past dedication and baptism,
and they wonder if they should be rebaptized. They may have been baptized at an early age or while they were very immature in the truth, or after baptism they became inactive in
the ministry for a time. At the baptism ceremony a talk on baptism is given to make clear what is involved in the matter of dedication and baptism. If one later has some doubts about
the validity of his dedication, he should ask himself whether he understood that water baptism symbolized a dedication to do Jehovah’s will and whether he had actually made
a dedication to do Jehovah’s will prior to baptism, even though his knowledge of the truth was limited at that time and he may have been gaining accurate knowledge by a Bible
study for only a short time. Were the questions at the end of the ceremony answered in the affirmative and with a basic understanding of the significance thereof? 12 Naturally all should have grown in appreciation of their dedication since symbolizing it by water immersion. Certainly we did not appreciate it fully when we made it, or as fully
as we do now. But this does not necessarily mean that we should be rebaptized, even though our immaturity might have later caused a temporary lapse in fulfilling our ministerial
responsibilities. But if one submitted to baptism mainly because of emotional factors and without proper understanding, or in order to please one’s parents or others, and if this
baptism did not symbolize a prior dedication to do Jehovah’s will, it would be proper to be baptized again. Dedication must come before baptism and not afterward.
Here is the extract from the Shepherd the Flock book, p. 75, chapter 5. It shows me that rebaptism is still considered justifiable in the above mentioned case of a baptism made without any valid dedication:
Was a Wrongdoer's Baptism Valid? 46. When dealing with wrongdoers, the elders should not raise questions about the validity of the individual's baptism.
If the individual raises the issue, the elders may refer him to the February 15, 2010, Watchtower, page 22.
Further information on rebaptism can be found in the February 1964, Watchtower, pages 123-126, and the March 1, 1960, Watchtower, pages 159-160.
Rebaptism is a personal matter.
For completeness, here is the next paragraph, which refers to those who have committed a disfellowshipping offense. Notice at the end that rebaptism may still be accepted,
even after judicial action.
47. At times a wrongdoer will claim that his baptism is not valid and that he is not accountable to a judicial committee because he secretly engaged in
wrongdoing shortly before he was baptized. If the elders had been aware of his serious wrongdoing committed just before baptism, likely they would not have
approved him for baptism. However, this does not mean that he did not make a valid dedication. Some individuals make a dedication long before
the baptism; others have made a dedication shortly before. The elders are not in a position to read the heart or to know for a certainty how Jehovah viewed
the person at the time he was baptized. If the elders learn that a baptized individual secretly engaged in serious wrongdoing while he was an unbaptized
publisher but the wrongdoing ceased before baptism, they should give counsel and encouragement. A judicial committee should not be formed for prebaptism
wrongdoing. (1 Cor. 6:9-11) However, if the person resumed serious wrongdoing after baptism, the elders would generally deal with him on the basis of what he
has professed to be, a dedicated and baptized Christian, and would meet with him judicially. Thereafter, if he feels he should get rebaptized,
that would be a personal decision. However, a person should not get rebaptized simply because he gains an improved understanding or appreciation of the truth
or some Scriptural doctrine.--Prov.4:18.
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62
How To Leave Jehovah's Witnesses Easily and Painlessly
by Daniel Metz ini have just thought of a way to leave jehovah's witnesses using information from the new shepherd the flock of god book.
it's quite simply: rebaptism.
here are the steps:.
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Daniel Metz
I have just thought of a way to leave Jehovah's Witnesses using information from the new Shepherd the Flock of God book. It's quite simply: rebaptism. Here are the steps:
1) Tell two elders that you want to meet with them.
2) When you meet them, tell them that your conscience has been bothering you for a long time. The reason is that when you listen to new ones who are preparing for baptism, you realize that you got baptized for the wrong motives (to please your parents, to be part of a group of people who impressed you, because a friend got baptized, etc.) and you have realized for a while that YOU NEVER MADE A PERSONAL DEDICATION TO JEHOVAH, even though you told the elders who did the questions with you that you had, and even though you said "Yes" at the baptism questions at the assembly. Your knew that it was a lie, but you were too embarrassed not to get into the pool and to tell the elders about your lie, so you went through with your baptism anyway. Now though, even though many years have past (and you may even have accepted privileges such as pioneer, ministerial servant or elder), you realize that your baptism was not really valid because it was not a symbol of a personal dedication to Jehovah.
3) Tell them that conscientiously, you want to step down from the privileges that you agreed to fraudulently, and that you would like someone to study the Bible with you, using either Keep Yourself in God's Love book.
4) What can the elders say? That you DID make a valid personal dedication in prayer but forgot it? Of course not. Only you know if you made that prayer.
5) Have your study, but start expressing doubts that Jehovah will ever forgive you for your having lied to him.
6) Stop service, go less and less to meetings, gradually skip your study, in other words, gradually drift away, WITHOUT having admitted to any other sin than having lied about having made a dedication years earlier, and without having to write a letter of disassociation.
6) Your Witness relatives and the elders will look on you as just "weak".
7) If they ask you if you still believe the truth, you can say: "Yes, I do, it's just that I realize that I was dishonest with Jehovah and didn't have the right to get baptized because I deceived the elders and deceived myself for so long that Jehovah would accept me anyway, because I served him so faithfully. But now I realize that my status is like any non-baptized Bible student. I will start my study later, but now I need to do some other things first."
8) As long as they don't find out about any sin on your part, they can't disfellowship you. If your wife or husband is still a Witness, tell them: "Honey, just give me time and I will start my study again" (Maybe some of you can think of a better story to tell).
Hope this idea helps those who want to leave painlessly but don't know how.