DA by making own announcement at KH

by Alligator Wisdom 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  Alligator Wisdom

  Has that ever been done before? Would any here consider it?

  A brother would state that he is "no longer a Jehovah's Witness" after his part on the Service Meeting. A sister would state the same after her talk on the TMS. Or anyone for that matter can express such after making a comment at the Watchtower study. Then walk out. The air will be thick and silent, but the point made loud and clear. Would an official announcement be necessary after that?

  Has anyone here experienced such?

  Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother NOT Exerting Vigorously by WTS standards)
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  misspeaches

  LittleToe did it! Here is the link --> http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/20680/1.ashx
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  monkeyshine

  That would be pretty damn cool. You could push the mic stand down when you're done ("and I'm out") and strut down the aisle--right out of the door.

  I'd like to see that.
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  OnTheWayOut

  I've never even heard it joked about in a story, but I wait to hear the responses. If they really want to mess things up, the brother with a long part on the meeting, or the announcements, should start with his announcement, then just walk away. The brothers will think that they would have to finish the meeting part.

  Yes, if someone Disassociated himself publicly, there would still have to be an announcement from the platform, but I wonder if it was a brother doing the announcements, would it be taken care of.

  Fascinating, captain.
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  dozy

  I saw someone do this back in the nineties - a disaffected ex-witness enrolled on the school purely so he could rant on for five minutes and disassociate himself. The congregation was shaken and the brother's family were very upset. An official announcement by the elders was made a few weeks later (it would always be announced to the congregation in these circumstances).

  I suspect these kind of announcements are designed to flatter the ego of the disassociated one rather than anything else - they tend to leave a nasty taste in the audience. In that respect , I guess that they are self defeating , if the purpose is to use the platform as an opportunity to give a "witness". Mind you - it does go down well in ex-witness / apostate circles - they can dine out on the story for years!
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  fullofdoubtnow

  I suspect these kind of announcements are designed to flatter the ego of the disassociated one rather than anything else - they tend to leave a nasty taste in the audience. In that respect , I guess that they are self defeating , if the purpose is to use the platform as an opportunity to give a "witness". Mind you - it does go down well in ex-witness / apostate circles - they can dine out on the story for years!

  You suspect that do you? Do you have any evidence to back up this suspicion?

  The only person I've ever heard do this was Little Toe, and I've heard the talk he did it with. It didn't sound to me like he was on an ego trip, and neither is anyone else who disassociates verbally or by letter. We, and I can say we as I am da'd, tend to disassociate because we've seen how corrupt the wts is, and no longer want to be associated with it.

  If someone da'ing disturbs the congregation, well that's tough. Perhaps you think it's better for an individual to stay put, listening to things they don't believe, preaching things they know are lies, just as long as the congregation don't get disturbed? Don't you think that would be hypocritical?

  As for apostates being able to dine out on LT's story for years - I personally admire LT for what he did, and I wish I'd have had the courage to do the same, but I don't bring that, or my own da'ing by letter, up in everyday conversation, and I very much doubt that he does either. To me, and I rather suspect to most people who have da'd, the important thing is not the method we choose, but the fact that we no longer have any connection with the lying, hypocritical cult we have left.
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  juni

  Linda said:

  To me, and I rather suspect to most people who have da'd, the important thing is not the method we choose, but the fact that we no longer have any connection with the lying, hypocritical cult we have left.

  Well put. I DO NOT gloat over what I had to do for myself and I feel each person has to do what is best for them. It's like getting a thorn out of your foot so you can continue to walk w/o pain.

  Juni
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  parakeet

  I saw an elder do this back in the mid 1970s. That is, he attempted to. He made the mistake of announcing his disassociation first, then started to go into his reasons. Two elders came up on the stage after him and hustled him out of there. All of us were stunned (but at least we were all paying attention, for a change!).
  
  
  We found out later that the issue that finally made him decide to leave was the no-beard ban. I'm sure there were other reasons as well, but that was the final straw. I think if he'd gone into his reasons before making the DA announcement, as LT did, he might have been able to say more before being forced out of the KH.
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  LittleToe

  I'll repost what I posted on BronzeFist's thread:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/120432/1.ashx

  DAing means different things to different people.

  To me it was an opportunity to tell folks I loved them but that I had no more time for the WTS-thang.

  Another issue was that I knew I wouldn't be left alone, as I was a high-profile Elder. I wanted them to give me a wide berth as I got on with my life, without receiving a phonecall every time I was seen entering a church, a religious bookshop, or a house of ill repute...

  ...ok, I made that last bit up to see if you were still reading

  ---

  I'll add that I really don't recommend it, especially if you have family. If you're only after closure, there are less extreme ways of gaining that. While I had imagined most of the repercussions, one aspect that I had underestimated was just how deeply I would be affected by it.

  IPSEC was all set to do something similar, but informed his wife just before the meeting, resulting in him getting grassed out and not being allowed to follow through. I had been under no such illusions, as I knew that my wife's loyalties to the organisations/congregations were greater than to me. As our marriage subsequently deteriorated I was reminded of that fact again and again and again.

  ---

  Dozy:

  While I appreciate that you're only voicing your "suspicions", might I remind you that you've not yet walked a mile in these shoes? Unless you're incredibly empathetic (for which I see no evidence in your posts, to date) I would suggest that you really haven't got a clue or even a basis from which to form an informed opinion.

  You do add some value to the thread in your "congregation" perspective, however. Thanks for that.
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  lovelylil

  Dozy,

  I disagree with you. Most people I have known to make a public statement of their DA'ing due so out of concern for others in the congregation. They feel maybe they can help them see what the real truth is and they do not want them to be overwelmed by all the negative stories the elders will come up with. Others do it for several other reasons this way but usually "ego" has nothing to do with it.

  The reason you said "ego" may have something to do with it could be because the society has trained us to think that way. Oh yeah that brother didn't want to follow Jehovah's rules, he had a big ego and thought he could make his own rules. (how many times have we heard similiar things from the WT?) - or, could some not be following Jehovah's arrangement due to pride?

  The elders will never say that someone left due to the WT's false teachings. It is either fornication or pride or mental illness.

  When I da'd it was said in our circuit that I had severe mental problems and had a nervous breakdown. The elders had to come up with something as my record of 12 years was totally spotless! I pioneered and was in good standing up until the day I left never to return. Being a sister, I did not have the opportunity LT did to announce it on the platform but I did send a 9 page letter outlining all my reasons for leaving to all my friends in the congregation. And I mailed this letter ahead of my DA letter to make sure these people had an oppurtunity to read it and not be "warned" by the elders.

  I never regretted it as many did research the things I pointed out - several have left the org. including one of my best friends in the organization. I know I did it for love of my friends and pride had nothing to do with it at all. Those who left after me are doing so much better in their lives. It was well worth it. Lilly