Elder Newbies (and oldies) on JWD...

Shooting Star

Now YOU know! Have you been lurking for months, perhaps years? Think of what you have learned in that period. Elders, how do you hold it it in. Whom can you help with what you know? How can you help one another to "bow out" gracefully...WITH your loved ones? How can you help the rest of us trying to fade without DA? We love you for being here... We all want to be free of the mind control.

Amazing

Shooting,

I left the organization just before the Internet gained popularity for ex-JWs. However, after I read both of Ray Franz' books, I developed a plan to help my family out - first. It worked, and they came out, along with a few friends. That is about the best anyone can hope to accomplish. Once it becomes clear that a JW (Elder or MS or not) is not with the Watchtower program, it does not take long before the rest of the JWs are shunning them, and then the Elders finally remove the inactive Elder, and then find ways to Disassociate or Disfellowship him.

Once I formed my plan, it took about seven months to accomplish. I did not have to hold it in for long, because I was able to stick to the plan, and work the plan, and see the results. Were I to do this over again, I would use the same plan, only speed it up a little.

Jim Whitney

Doubting Bro

Amazing,

Would you mind sharing your plan? I'm working on one myself but am honestly at a loss as to how to begin. For me, it wasn't one thing that opened my eyes. It was a culmination of years of little doubts, coupled with the UN thing and really clinched by the WTS reaction to publishers legit questions about it.

It almost seems like an impossible task to me at this point.

jgnat

Here's Amazing's plan:

http://www.freeminds.org/psych/exithelp.htm

You might also want to check Drew Sagan's and Ithinkisee's threads. They both successfully brought out their partners. Oh, yes, Big Tex too.

acadian

It almost seems like an impossible task to me at this point.

4 choices...

DF
DA ~~~~~~ I DAed myself by just leaving and not comming back.
Move
Die

Anyone have any other's? Acadian PS... Welcome to the Board Shooting Star

Nathan Natas

More and more the distinction between DF and DA is becoming unclear. Both result in the same announcement: "So-And-So is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses," and that announcement initiates the practice of shunning.

Recently we have been hearing of some individuals who have been "disfellowshipped" by Dub family members or former friends without even the formality of WTB&TS organizational sanction of the "disfellowshipping."

In regard to that "free-form" disfellowshipping, it would be very interesting to see what the Bethel Service Department would have to say on the subject.

solo

well I disassociated myself, I wanted to make it clear that I was leaving them, they were not throwing me out, it was MY choice.
Here is my letter to the Elders:

Date: sometime in 1987

Dear Sirs,

Please note that I no longer wish to be known as one of Jehovah's Witnessses. Would you therefore please amend your records.

Yours faithfully

Note that I have addressed them as Dear Sirs and did not refer to them as Brother or Elders. I wanted to make it quite clear that they were certainly not my brothers and I did not view them as my Elders either.

Short and sweet, well maybe not sweet but to the point.