Disfellowshiped ARE REQUIRED to sit in the library!

by brotherdan 63 Replies latest jw friends

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  brotherdan

  My mother-in-law is making leaps and bounds in her progress to get out of the Watchtower. For those of you that don't know, she is df'd but has been working on "coming back". Recently I've been able to exchange emails about the dangers of the organization and share Jesus with her. She finished Crisis today and emailed me about how she's grieving. She's realized that for 39 years she has been a captive of an illusion that has just disappeared.

  In one of her emails to me today she said that yesterday at the Sunday meeting she sat in the back row of the front hall. She also stayed for the song and prayer. After the meeting 2 elders came up to her and told her that this was NOT allowed. She needed to sit in the back room and either leave before the song and prayer, or walk out immediately after they were over.

  As sad as that is for her, it was another nail in the coffin. She wrote me, "That counsel was about as unchristian as the counsel about not holding hands during the prayer. It's ridiculous."

  I guess this wouldn't seem that amazing unless you knew my MIL.

  At the end of her email she said, "You realize we could be disfellowshiped for these emails...oh wait...I'm already disfellowshiped!"

  She also commented on (get this) how she's been reading the Bible without "Watchtower Lenses" and she is seeing how they have slanted everything away from Jesus! She's making some great progress!!!
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  cantleave

  She sure is. I think your mother is awake, and there will be no turning back.
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  sir82

  Definitely just tied to that body of elders. It's certainly not an organization policy.

  If she wanted to make a fuss she could write to the CO and/or branch, but it sounds like it's not worth it.
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  undercover

  In one of her emails to me today she said that yesterday at the Sunday meeting she sat in the back row of the front hall. She also stayed for the song and prayer. After the meeting 2 elders came up to her and told her that this was NOT allowed. She needed to sit in the back room and either leave before the song and prayer, or walk out immediately after they were over.

  Must be a congregation rule by stick-up-the-ass elders. Of all the congregations I've been associated with, DFd people sat whereever they could find a seat and left after the final prayer.

  But it's all good. It just shows the legalistic approach of dealing with 'sinners'. No mercy, no kindness. Just shunning. If it opens her eyes then it's a good thing.
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  OnTheWayOut

  These elders are going beyond the rules. If someone wants to be reinstated, they gotta kiss their asses and cooperate. But otherwise, I would tell them to "call the society" about that. A DF'ed person can sit wherever they want and they can sing and nobody is supposed to suggest they leave before the prayer. While it makes sense to leave right after the prayer, it ain't a rule either. If a DF'ed person is riding with a family member or something (or just isn't ready to leave), they can sit there quietly and let people shun them after the meeting.

  If I were DF'ed and in the area (or wanted to pretend I was never a dub), I would be tempted to go to that Kingdom Hall and talk to your MIL after the meeting. What could they do?
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  punkofnice

  At least if there's any left, she could read the older publications to see the lies told about the big 'A' and a whole host of things.

  Deprogram them at all costs!!!!

  The more that exodus from the Borg the better it is to spread the word of the GB's deceit and that they really are the 'filthful syliva cl-arse', big business scam artists!
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  slimboyfat

  In our hall DFed people always sat at the back.

  But it's been a while since we had any DFed people attending and sick and infirm people have now colonised the back, so I don't know where a DFed person would sit now.
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  brotherdan

  Yeah, I'm sure it's an elder thing. But it is the common occurance to have the df'd sitting in the back. Those lowly, sinful, pathetic, swamp creatures of the devil.

  She's just noticing the whole lack of love thing. Plus she's said that she is extremely bothered by how they changed Matthew 28:19,20 so that people are dedicating themselves to "god's spirit directed organization" instead of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  So yeah, I agree with cantleave. I think she may be past the point of no return!
• 

  brotherdan

  At least if there's any left, she could read the older publications to see the lies told about the big 'A' and a whole host of things.

  Yeah, actually her habit has been to sit in the back and read an NIV bible during the meeting. It's hilarious because it belongs to the hall and has a big huge cross on it. Her eyesight is REALLY bad, so she hold it up in the air to see it. So all you see when you look in the back room is someone reading a big book with a cross. Good for her! I think she knows what she's doing... :-)
• 

  brotherdan

  If I were DF'ed and in the area (or wanted to pretend I was never a dub), I would be tempted to go to that Kingdom Hall and talk to your MIL after the meeting. What could they do?

  I'm not df'd and I did that a few weeks ago. I got the stink eye from a few people and she ended up telling me, "Maybe you shouldn't talk to me. You're going to get me in more trouble." I was like, "Why would YOU get in trouble when I came up to talk to you?" She said that they view it as a lack of respect for the df'ing arrangement.

  Well...I guess I don't have ANY respect for it.