To all my congregation Elders :

RULES & REGULATIONS

Thank you for coming to my house so often because you were so concerned about me missing so many meetings.

( Actually, the only time you visited was when the Circuit and District Overseers were in town. You really showed them how concerned you were about your sheep. I now know that it is more of a duty than a concern.)

Thank you for taking me off the sound and microphone duties.

( I did miss some meetings due to work but that wasn't nice since I was a baptised member. My, it's amazing how you punish members if you don't follow company policy.)

Thank you for not giving me a Blood Card Directive and the "Proclaimers " book.

( I know I was starting to miss some meetings and stopped field service but that was pretty petty of you to do that since I was a baptised member. It really hurt my feelings when I was told that the "Proclaimers" book was only for those that were regular in field service. The book was just a sugar coated history of the WTBTS anyway.)

Thank you for avoiding me as much as possible at meetings and assemblies.

( It didn't feel good when you shook hands with everyone but looked the other way or looked busy when I was walking around.)

Thank you for telling me that since I was "inactive' in field service that I would not make it when Armageddon came.

( I tried looking up the scripture where it says that but I couldn't find it. )

Thank you for not inviting me to any of the congregation events and parties you planned every year.

( I guess you were worried that I would be a bad influence on the congregation members. )

Darth Fader The Sequel

I hear you loud and clear. I have seen this sort of treatment and I have even experienced it myself.

joe134cd

I find myself parroting this every couple of weeks. It amazes me how an organisation will spend countless hours and billions of dollars trying to get a new member and yet will do little if nothing to retain him. Be thankful my friend they couldn't be bothered.

joe134cd

I had a thread on this. Type into the search icon above " how many in your cong visited you after you started fading", and the tread I started should come up.

Godsendconspirator

Every single witness I see on the street.

Them: "Hey, we've missed you."
me: "You can text me."

Now I don't even say that. I'm tired of saying that. It's now more like this:

Them: "Hey we've missed you."
me: "yea"

label licker

Pathetic, isn't it? Every time one would come up to me and say we really miss you along with a fake smile, I would reply back oh yeah, what do you miss about me? It left them speechless every time.

Through out the years they didn't mind eating our food, using our car for service every single time we were out(as a matter of fact as soon as we were heading out in the parking lot to our cars, we would let the others in our car group take the lead in seeing who would walk to who's car and they always ended up at our vehicle as though it was expected of us to drive them which we did)and not pay for gas, didn't say no to us supplying the congregation with all the meat for their hall reno, or their parties, didn't mind keeping all our shower and wedding gifts even though we were marked apostates, we were still giving gifts after we had stopped going to the meetings. The kicker to all of that was we had only gone to one wedding and one party in the twelve years we were in the cult.

There's more but after all the kindne$$ we gave, not one phonecall to see how we were doing. Not one visit or shepherding call untill they wanted us out on account of what we knew what the elders were covering up. It was two years before anyone came sniffing around stalking us. Sad they didn't miss us unless there were gifts or donations involved. Sad how the elders wanted to make hubby an elder after he had put a fair donation in the contribution box. I don't miss the fake smiles or fake conversations.

Life is what you make it and for us it's so much better with no pressure and no seven goons taking our freewill away from us telling us serving them is how we should live. All of us are survivors of the worse crimes imaginable. Live life to its fullest and never allow anyone to abuse you or take advantage of you ever again.

Princess Ashe

well said Joe and label. A looooong time ago I was dissfellowshiped and one of my good friends mom told my sister to tell me we still love her. That made me sick &mad.

LongHairGal

RULES&REGULATIONS:

Your post is very descriptive and hits the nail on the head with regard to how a person is treated when they don't follow all the stupid rules in the religion. You are telling it from a brother's standpoint.

If it were me I'd say:

"Thank you elders for viewing me negatively because I am a single woman who worked full-time. Thank you for ignoring me (except when you had some criticism about my clothing.). Thank you for making me feel like I was a sexual threat even though I was never reproved for immorality and never chased anybody. Thank you for making sure I hardly got invited anywhere. All these things and others made it so much easier for me to walk away from the religion when I found out all the LIES...No loss and good riddance."

LABEL LICKER:

Sorry for your experience with these ungrateful users.

I am SO glad I'm out of there.

joe134cd

Just seeing things from both sides. Say that the elders visited and visited. I bet we would all be complaining about all the un-welcomed visits and having to tell them to "P off." So what gives. How do they win. They are dammed if they do and dammed if they don't.

Blackfalcon98

I totally understand how you feel. Im not even a fader, im getting this same treatment. Im just a brother who the hounders ostracized for not towing the company line. One moment you are the rising star..the next minute you learn TTATT...stop obeying man-made laws, and you are shunned by 40% of the congregation.

Matthew 7:16 "You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?"

John 13:35 "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

HMMMMMMM

To all my congregation Elders :

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