by jwfacts 83 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I think it is worth a shot for some who've lost family by leaving the org.
Thankfully my family has anulled my baptism for me. They reason to themselves that they can keep me in their lives because I must not have fully understood what I was doing when I got baptized. They are definitely right about that.
I feel bad for them sometimes because I know they must feel a little guilty about it and wonder if Jehovahs sees things their way.
There is nothing the WTBTS has not seen. They have modus operandi for every possible scenario.
When I was in MTS our instructor, who was a DO and had spent a couple of years in Service Dept. for training, said that Service has binder after binder (now computerized) on what to do. They can cross reference any possible situation to see what they have done in the past. They have a special committee in Service Department if for some reason some Desk man gets a letter that confounds him. It is forwarded to him. It will go through the Branch Committee (even in the US there is now a Branch separate from HQ, even though it is in HQ's buildings). If them idiots cant figure it out, it will go to the GB. Almost nothing goes that far these days...as I said...Service (and now Legal) have seen pretty much anything.
Bottom line...if you send an annulment letter...you will be as good as DA.... remember, the announcement is now only: "so and so is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses." And that announcement change from DA vs DF was made specifically for instances such as this.
I agree with previous posters, if you write a letter, do it only to go out in a blaze of glory and to give yourself that peace.... .and make sure to copy it to everyone in the congo...someone WILL read it.... I always did..as a R&F publisher and an elder. If it is for any other reason, you are just subscribing to their games.
Snakes ()
My way is even better. I just told them "I was never baptized." Was it a bold face lie? Hell yeah, but who cares! They scrambled around for months but couldn't get two people to swear that they actually SAW me get baptised so they dropped it. One of the people who wouldn't swear was the elder who DID the baptism (he couldn't' recall?) another actually had it on video (must have taped over it!) Who do you know that would SWEAR they saw it? Even my mom couldn't as she knew about it but wasn't physically there! hahahahaha
Think about this if you were born in and dipped at age 10 how many people that know you at 30 or 40 could SWEAR that they saw it? If the elders start with you just deny it ever happened say I never was if they press with specifics say "I have no recollection of that..."
Worst case they make the same damn announcement anyway but it's fun to teak their tails! I'm with unclebruce on this don't try to pussy foot around either leave and don't bother with them or make an ass out of yourself for fun but get over the idea that you're going to 'show them.' Just have fun with it! My last month or two as a JW was hilarious! I woke up sore every day from laughing and thinking of what I could do next!
mkr32208 that is too cool!
Necroposting - what a great term.
With a couple more years of hindsight, I would say that the safest method if you want to keep access to family is the fade. As soon as anything is in writing that congregation will label you as an apostate, regardless of the technical details. With a fade you will still be considered weak, but not apostate, so not a likely to be totally shunned.
I have a plan.I'm still going to write the letter, but will make it very clear that I am not disassociating myself. I understand those who say "why give them the satifaction?" its not about them. its about me and MY current GOOD relationship with my family. I haven't lost them, though they are strong in the faith. My mother, for sure, views my baptism as invalid but I haven't mentioned this notion to my 2 sis's and dad. I don't know if there's any jw spies on here, so i'll let you know the results afterward.
Arent you still allowed to be called a JW even though you are not baptized? If my point is simply to have my baptism considered invalid, then they cant say I'm not part of them anymore. RIGHT? I haven't been active in ten years so who knows what rules they have regarding THAT...
Yes you can have your baptism annulled / cancelled without disfellowshipping or disassociation.
I had my baptism annulled in England UK in 1996 and was announced at the Kingdom Hall as such.
The reason that allowed for my baptism to be be annulled was the fact that I smoke cigarettes. I started smoking at the age of 11. I was baptised at age 16. I left home and stopped going to meetings at age 18. Whilst visiting my family some years later at age 22, even though I was considered inactive and bad association by some, I was asked to lend a hand with the quick build of the new Kingdom Hall. I took 2 weeks off work, and I worked there everyday for 2 weeks. and completed the new Kingdom Hall. It was during this time a member of the congregation that was not helping build their new Kingdom Hall, saw me smoking a cigarette during a lunch break down the street away from the Kingdom Hall site and from away from those working there. They quickly brought my smoking to the attention of the elders, and wanted action taken.
The very next day after we had completed the new Kingdom Hall I was asked if I would be willing to meet with three elders that week as someone had made an accusation against me, and the elders needed me to answer that accusation. They also thanked me for all the days of hard work and labour I had spent helping to build their new Kingdom Hall.
At first I refused to attend as the accuser was a fit and able bodied brother of the congregation but had refused to get their hands dirty building their own Kingdom Hall, but wanted to complain about those building it. It was this self righteous attitude that appeared so prevalent within the organization growing up that made me not want to be a JW.
After a long talk with my parents I told them both I was tired of constantly having to lead a double life and lie about everything I had done as a child and teenager out of fear of beatings. Me and my brothers got beaten regularly for often minor things like laughing at a meeting. My parents were strict hardcore JWs. "Do not spare the rod and spoil child." But they had mellowed slightly with age. I finally agreed to go to the judicial hearing but I would not apologize or ask for forgiveness from them as they were just imperfect men like me. I enjoyed smoking i ain't gonna lie. I had no reason to be scared of the elders anymore and would speak openly and honestly about anything the wanted to know. I told them that I did not fear them or the outcome of the meeting.
I thought there would only be one outcome Disfellowshipped. But NO.
The elders said I was committing what Jehovah's Witnesses consider a serious sin before and after my baptism, and had not disclosed this to the elders taking me through the 40 questions you had to answer at that time to qualify. Therefore I would not have qualified for baptism had I answered truthfully at the time of my dedication. The elders at my judicial hearing felt that I had not been truthful with them or jehovah at the time of my dedication thus making a mockery of my baptism and dedication. I also pointed out that any child raised by JW parents can answer all 40 questions without blinking because it's been burnt into their from birth, whether the child believes it to be true or not, they have no choice in the matter and the pressure from the organisation to conform to get baptised for young ones just devalues and undermines the importance of it as jesus was baptized at age 30, not 13 years old.
So it was announced later that week at the Kingdom Hall that my baptism was annulled.
This raised a lot of eyebrows and questions at the Kingdom Hall, most if not all had never heard of this before, and did not know why this was done as many had family members disfellowshipped that might have been in the same position as myself. Once disfellowshipped you can appeal, twice I believe but is rarely if ever undone.
The elders asked some questions at my judicial hearing which may be of note, I honestly dont know if this helps.
Do I call myself or consider myself to be one of jehovah's witness? Answer No.
Did I confess any serious sin or wrongdoing that would prevent me from getting baptised? Answer No I did not confess anything I was smoking and living a double life at the time.
Do you consider yourself a christian or any other faith? Answer No.
Do you believe in Jehovah God? Answer No.
Do you have any desire to be part of the christian congregation? Answer No.
Do you or would you actively discourage someone interested in becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses? Answer No.
The elders thanked me for attending and being honest and frank with them. I guess they are more used to people lying and crying and begging not to be disfellowshipped for all the wrong reasons.
My older brother is disfellowshipped when the same should have applied to him as with me. He was baptized aged 16 only 1 year before me. We did everything together including smoking, drinking, swearing even stealing. The usual teenage things we just started a bit earlier. Those days are gone, sadly we all gotta grow up and get old we are both happy honest family guys now.
The real sad thing is my parents have missed out on knowing their son because they shun him but not me, for something he did over twenty years ago. This has caused many heated arguments between me and my parents because i would not copy them in shunning him.
The watchtower years ago said to its readers, that persons should not choose their religion over family members even if they are of another faith. What happened? Did they forget they wrote that. If memory serves me correctly Jesus never shunned anyone not even Judas whom he knew was to betray him. He ate with him until the he died.
How can you say you love your brother and then treat him like his dead by shunning him.
I may not believe in God but I do know love, I see it in my own children everyday and shunning is not love.
Thant you for your story RICHT, it was quite entertaining to read.
If you read the elders hand book you can see that the only way to get your baptism annulled is if you where participating in sinful behavior before during and after your baptism that, if the eldest knew would have stopped you from getting baptized. They are advised to contact the branch to make sure thou, maybe there will be a way to disfellowship anyways...
It is worth a try if you want a "clean" exit.
