HELP! How do you answer the Elders without incriminating yourself?

I?m due soon for a shepherding call from my congregation Elders for a variety of reasons: being irregular in service, s poradically attending meetings, and o h yes, writing in a letter to the Society asking for clarifications on the blood ban. I?m sure that one question that they will be asking me is: D o you believe that Jehovah is using the Organization as his only approved channel of communication? Or some other variation of that question. What is the best way to answer that in an honest way (without saying NO and getting df?d) and still be able to not get df?d? Any and all comments would be appreciated. Also are there other loyalty questions they might ask I should be prepared for?

The answer is simple.......

LIE!!!

Seriously though, If it were me, I would put it off as long as possible, unless you are ready to tell them how you really feel about the Org. It would give you a little more time to figure out what you want to say.

      With the phrase:

    " It's confidential"   

    They are SUPPOSED to know what that means.  But, in practice, we found they do not honor it.

  All the best to you

   4JWY

Ohiocowboy, to LIE and say I beleive the WTS is God's channel would go contrary to my consicence.

See this thread for suggestions:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/71591/1.ashx

Nina

My response to my P.O. dad and then to a couple of elders on a "shepherding visit" was this.  "In good consience, I cannot answer that question with a definitive yes or no."

They asked me to elaborate, and I said that I was currently studying and praying about this question.  I also said that this is a question tha will affect me for eternity so I really need to make a sober decision about this topic.

It got me off the hook for about 6 months, but eventually I had to choose.  I chose to leave.

That's the best that I can offer.  My prayers are with you.

Thanks Nina for that thread. Some good info was given

Filing this under, "Understatement of the year."

well if it means alot to you and your family you can lie

or you can just say i dont want to answer that question at this moment in time

good luck

Do you believe that Jehovah is using the Organization as his only approved channel of communication?

Personally I would dance.

"I am confused on the status of gods organization since the watchtower has restructured in 2000. Since the Watchtower is not Jehovah's Witnesses anymore and the Governing Body has retired from the board of directors I can no longer see which organization is on his channel.

Also after much study I can't find what corporation is his channel in the literature. Considering that the GB is all anointed at the head quarters and is the visible symbol (mascot) for the entire FDS who all have the SAME authority given to them by Christ as ambassadors. Since the FDS is ALL anointed CHRISTIANS IN ALL HISTORY the spirit bears witness in (including non jws) and they do not have a line of ecclesiastical succession then I can't define his organization out side of those that are ambassadors to Christ. I just know it exist and Jehovah's witnesses are a part of it."

THis is a logical paradox because it is what the watchtower prints but not what JWs teach.

I can give you the watchtowers but if you have the cd just play in it with different words for the anointed.

Stich,

its not lying! Its called "Theocratic Warfare"!

Please don't get the two confused!

I recommend you employ some "Theocratic weapons of mass destruction" and simply theocratic-warfare through your teeth!

Pope

Okay, don't lie, use THEOCRATIC WARFARE!!!!! The answer to that question is between you and Jeeehovah, not between you and the elders. They lie to you use Theocratic Warfare all the time, now it's your turn. Be your own elder.

Great! So I will use "theocratic warefare" and lie through my teeth to avoid getting df'd!

If you want to stay in good standing, LIE.  It's really the only way.

We usually answered their questions with a question.  Example:  Why are you asking me that?  What are you trying to find out?  Sometimes you can stonewall them enough and get them on the defensive, so they don't get back to it.  It's just a stall technique.

I played really naive. (I have a good way of doing that)

I just kept answering their questions with my own questions, batted my eyes alot, looked confused, and ended up confusing them more than they thought I was.  (anyone else confused yet?)

the elders did ask me that one simple question at the end of our discussion we traded scriptures for a moment the he asked again..i chickened out and lied...they would have df'd me.. i have uncles that are elders and they stated thats what they would have recommended if a member said no..i was an m.s. at the time and they felt they were grooming me to be an elder so they usualy answered questions without beating around the bush.....now i post meetings, km info, and assembly info to diffrent sites so me being df'd is not likely yet, maybe soon, but not yet...

DEAR GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

It has been soooooooo long since I was at a meeting, I can't believe that myself or anyone of us believed that crap for so long.

How the he.. can our salvation hinge on the fact of believing that the GB has taken the place of Jesus? But then again......I believed it for over 30 years.

You mean that if I actually answered my door or phone when the one (the only one) elder from the cong. I went to tries to get in touch with me and asked me that question...and I would say " NO....the org is not the true channel from Jehovah"..........that I could be DF'd?

After fading away for so long now.......I don't know what I would say. I'm at the point that I don't care since I do not have any friends it .......or family other than a brother in law who I am in contact with occasionally...and he is on the edge....but still kisses ass.

D o you believe that Jehovah is using the Organization as his only approved channel of communication?

To be marked but not DF'd you'd have to answer the question "Yes,but..." then elaborate on the issues that clearly show the errors of the GB/WTS and remind them that being God's channel is no guaranty of correctness. Remind them of the errors of Moses and the Kings of God's ancient people. They will try to control the discussion and the language used. Be on the lookout for 'leading' and 'yes' answer questions and don't give them the answers their guiding you to (unless you agree with them). They will try to keep you on the defensive. Put them on defence by answering a question with a question. Don't let them get off topic or deflect it back to you to make you or your postion the issue. The Elders are trained to follow a script and use playbook strategies. They don't do well when they have to think on their own (they're not allowed to) Keep your cool but stand your ground.

Also are there other loyalty questions they might ask I should be prepared for?

Yes, but they are many and varied. Remember, Elders are trained apollogists. The GB/WTS is always right the dissenter is always wrong. They will not be having an intellectualy honest discussion with you, they will be parroting what they are told to say and acting the way they were told to act. Keep alert, keep calm, don't let them rattle you. Don't let them talk about 'feelings,' keep it intellectual based on FACTS. Delay the meeting until your prepared for it, don't let them pressure you to have the meeting sooner than you want to. Remember you have authority over yourself to tell them when you will sit down and talk...You pick the date.

Flash: Your advice is terrific... for folks who are good actors. For everybody else, the best approach is to tell 'em what they want to hear.

Y'all have to keep in mind that this fade business is a GAME you're playing and you have to have your game face on at all times.

You could answer back with a question like, "Why wouldn't I believe this?" or "Sometimes I can get overwhelmed  with what exactly is considered acceptable and what isn't. I'm sure you've had questions too, just like Christ's disciples did, right?"......One thing I KNOW is DON'T tell them anything that you don't want to. They are NO better than you. You do NOT have to account to them for anything. REMEMBER THAT!!!!