Have the rules changed for inactive people?

by cognac 15 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Scully

  I had a JW relative investigate by speaking to one of the Elders™ who came to the house. He said that he and other congregation members had observed Mr Scully smoking, and so asked the question "Do you consider yourself to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses?" - when Mr Scully said "no", that was taken as a verbal Disassociation™. I still wanted to know about the claim regarding writing a letter - and apparently the rules changed around that time and they started making DA announcements for verbal as well as written DA statements. They also started DAing people "by their actions" - so say a JW joined the army - they would be automatically DAd "by their actions" because their actions were in direct violation of WTS standards of conduct. Apparently the DA was on both counts - actions and verbal statement. Whoever started the rumour about the letter was under the impression that DA statements were only valid in writing.

  I think there will be lots more people DAd "by their actions" - it saves the Elders™ from having to investigate allegations of wrongdoing, you only need two Elders™ to allege that a person made a statement to the effect that they do not consider themselves to be a JW, and it prevents any messy legal proceedings (slander/libel) if a person is labelled as Disfellowshipped™. This is one reason why the announcement does not identify a person as DFd or DAd any more - only that they are "no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses" because there's no overt defamation of character taking place. The whole concept of "DA by one's actions" makes any action that violates WTS rules a completely voluntary decision to disassociate on the part of the individual.
• 

  jam

  My son have been out for years, never DF. His mother is

  A regular Pioneer, he have two uncles who are elders,

  three cousins who are elders. He have told his mom he

  do not beleive in the JW and do not want any thing to do

  with that religion. Two weeks ago he ran into A elder he has

  known since he was A child, he ask him when is he coming

  back, my son told him never. They know he is responsible for

  his ex wife in leaving(she has never been DF) her sister and

  husband and childrens.None have been DF.
• 

  nugget

  As the elders are not working based on holy spirit then all actions are arbitary and dependent on several factors.

  If you are an ex elder you are more likely to be hounded than rank and file who go inactive.

  If you socialise with witnesses then there is pressure to take action as you can be seen as a bad influence.

  If your conduct becomes common knowledge in the congregation then they will feel they have to keep the congregation clean.

  However if you are related to the COBOE or influential elder then you can get away with pretty much whatever you like. It is very dependent on how much the elders like you and whether you have upset or offended any of the elders in your congregation. It just takes one elder with spite to pursue matters and force others to take action.

  Also if they sense weakness or some wrongdoing then they loose all reason and compassion and will become relentless even resorting to stalking to get the evidence they want. The rank and file witnesses are vulnerable to this as there is unlikely to be an elder protecting their reputation.
• 

  St George of England

  I think it depends on the individual congregation.

  A sister in my congregation stopped attending meetings and sometime later moved in with her boyfriend. Nothing happened for about four years after which she was disfellowshipped. One of the elders said to me they should have disfellowshipped her before but never got round to it.

  A brother and his wife stopped attending about the same time and they split up. The sister moved away, no idea where she went, the brother moved his girlfriend in with him. Nothing has ever happened to him. An elder told me he refuses to meet with the elders so there is nothing they can do even though everyone knows what the situation is. Apparently Jehovah will sort it out in his due time.

  George
• 

  Honesty

  freedomisntfree:

  I think its all about how much of a "threat" they deem you to be to others. If you lay low dont associate with witnesses and are discreet/dont talk about your experinces or criticize them in any way they'll leave you alone

  I told every JW I knew about the WTBTS and the United Nations affiliation.

  That must be why they kept messing with me, spying on me at all hours of the night, asking neighbors about my activities, etc.

  They almost drove me nuts while they had me under surveillance.
• 

  Spade

  Considering some of the things that merit disfellowshipping, what is it that you see?
  
  it-1 p. 788 Expelling
  
  Some of the offenses that could merit disfellowshipping from the Christian congregation are fornication, adultery, homosexuality, greed, extortion, thievery, lying, drunkenness, reviling, spiritism, murder, idolatry, apostasy, and the causing of divisions in the congregation. (1Co 5:9-13; 6:9, 10; Tit 3:10, 11; Re 21:8) Mercifully, one promoting a sect is warned a first and a second time before such disfellowshipping action is taken against him. In the Christian congregation, the principle enunciated in the Law applies, namely, that two or three witnesses must establish evidence against the accused one. (1Ti 5:19) Those who have been convicted of a practice of sin are reproved Scripturally before the “onlookers,” for example, those who testified concerning the sinful conduct, so that they too may all have a healthy fear of such sin.—1Ti 5:20; see REPROOF.
  
  The elders aren't a police force. If a person becomes inactive, they don't represent a threat to the congregation. So even if they are committing some sort of disfellowshipping offense the elders don't necessarily take any action on behalf of that person.