@jamiebowers
I'm curious about the "apostate" beliefs for which you were disfellowshipped. Would the Watch Tower consider them as such today, 42 years later, or did you believe something back then that has become "new light" in the meantime?
Great question! Thank you for giving me a chance to organize my thoughts on this.
When I was in my mid-teens, I privately asked our congregation servant a question about the inter-testamental period, those 400 years between Malachi and Matthew, two books so neatly arranged to bridge the OT and NT in the Protestant Bible. He told me that my question was “off beat,” and that I should confine myself to studying the society's publications. Being a naturally-curious kid, this piqued my curiosity and I began reading about the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jewish apocryphal writings, and anything else I could get my hands on concerning late Jewish religious developments and Christian beginnings. I learned that there had been other Jewish apocalyptic movements and quite a few failed messiahs. I learned that certain OT books were actually written many years later than we were taught. For example, Daniel was not written in the mid-6 th century during the Babylonian captivity, it was written in the early 2 nd century during the time of the Maccabees. I read books on Paul's theology, and discovered that Paul, not Jesus, was the true founder of Christianity. I gradually stopped attending meetings and going out in field service, but I did not make a clean break.
I discussed my discoveries with a close witness friend. It started when he asked me, seemingly out of innocent curiosity, about the books I had been reading (we were both avid readers). I found out later that he had been asked to spy on me, and of course he was the one who betrayed me.
I received many invitations to meet with the judicial committee. My mother begged me not to go because she understood what the consequences would be. So I ignored the invitations all through college (I lived at home during college) . When I was ready to leave for graduate school, I accepted an invitation and was DF'd. When I returned home from the judicial committee meeting, it was clear that my relationship with my family was now permanently severed. I got on the bus the next day and went off to the university, and that was the end of the contact with my family. Fortunately I was young, unmarried, and had no witness relatives, so the cost to me was not as great as it is for most witnesses who are ejected from the fold. I do miss some of the friends I grew up with, and would love to make contact with them if they are no longer in the cult.
Would the witnesses consider my actions grounds for disfellowshipping today? My thoughts alone would probably be grounds. If they had a way of reading people's minds, I'm sure they would use it.
Although I have no religion and feel no need of one, I have maintained a life-long academic interest in religion and religious studies. After I retired, I started taking college courses in the religious studies department. I'm looking forward to taking a course on Jewish Apocalypticism this fall! I attend a weekly book group at a local liberal Protestant church (they love having a secular humanist who knows more about Christianity and the Bible then they do!) and I sing with their choir during Advent and Lent.
