by jgnat 79 Replies latest members private
Switching congregations hasn't helped all that much. The odd time he's needed a ride to an event, he's been turned down because he's "too far away". He's been asked point-blank why he is not attending the congregation "in territory". The stench has followed him anyways.
Really, the two halls are only a couple miles apart, and we're right on the border between them.
He is not allowed out in field service
Last time I checked one does not need the congregation's permission to go door-to-door. In fact, if one gets injured or sued or otherwise entangled in some sort of legal battle, the local congregation and the WTS will step back and say they have nothing to do with one's field service activities. Officially, Field Service is an activity conducted by an individual, not the congregation or WTS.
Granted, he may not be able to meet with the group at the Kingdom Hall because he could be changed with tress passing, but there is NOTHING preventing him from going door-to-door on his own.
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km2/89pp.3-4OurIdentificationasJehovah?sWitnesses***Our
IdentificationasJehovah?sWitnessesAs ministers of the good news, we are known publicly as Jehovah?s Witnesses. Our voluntary participation in the field service is motivated by love of God and neighbor. It is not carried on at the insistence of any man or organization but is according to our God-given commission to preach the "good news" and make disciples. (Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20) Therefore, publishers do well to avoid representing themselves as agents or representatives of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., or any other corporation used by "the faithful and discreet slave" to advance Kingdom interests .?Matt. 24:45-47.
In case of an accident or an emergency or if problems are encountered while working trailer parks, apartments, or certain other territory, publishers may need some form of personal identification beyond giving their name along with a brief Scriptural explanation of the nature of our religious work. If questioned, or when asked for credentials, baptized publishers may use the identification card (S-65) signed by the presiding overseer, which shows one is preaching the good news of the Kingdom in association with the local congregation named on the card.
A supply of identification cards (S-65), which may be issued to baptized publishers when there is a need, will be included with the annual shipment of congregation forms. If any publishers use a personal name card in connection with their field service activities, they should not print thereon that they are representatives of the Watchtower Society.
Sorry for that outburst , they just really annoy me . The way they control peoples lives and make them feel guilty for no reason.
Ade
Imagine, jgnat, the elders have effectively blocked almost every avenue that your hubbie has to express his faith except talking to you and singing at the KH.
If he did spend time talking to you about the Bible, would they accept a time slip from him? If not, then is he listed as a inactive publisher? I wonder how they explain that to the CO?
What is someone in your neighborhood or a friend or a relative asked him a question about his faith? Is he forbidden to reply?
Blondie
I think his attraction to field service has a lot to do with a yearning to be accepted as "one of the boys". He's the youngest son of a half-dozen boys and three girls. Growing up, he was left to wander about the farmhouse and field in his nappy while his brothers tilled the fields. I am sure he did his best to tag along, but his brothers were busy with their own affairs, as big brothers will do.
So field service on his own wouldn't satisfy.
Is your husband actually a baptized member or is he an unbaptized publisher ? An unbaptized publisher can have the privilege of Field Service taken away as part of restrictions . ( per the Organized to do J's will book ) It doesn't specify what the restrictions are for baptized members recieving reproof, other than there will be some.
Well it seems relations could not get any worse with the local elders anyway.
I say he should write to the branch and/or the CO and tell them that the local elders are stopping him from going in field service against the Society's rules.
Either the elders will retaliate by trying to disfellowship him for something or other because they are mad he went over their heads, or they will have to back down and admit that there is no allowance for such "restrictions" on field service in the elder guidelines.
I guess this course of action depends very much on how confident your husband can be that the elders have nothing concrete to disfellowship him for when things turn nasty. If he is confident about that, then he can go ahead and write to the branch and/or CO and ride out the storm until it blows over and he is vindicated.
Even if that works though, he would have to watch his back from now on as the elders may try to get back at him at a later date, even if they have nothing "on him" at the moment.
Slim
Oh, he annoys me and my neighbours with declarations of his faith all the time. My hubby cannot equivocate, that is, he can't speak out of both sides of his mouth. Whereas a regular witness would soften the nasty edges of their faith, depending on the audience, my husband just blurts it out. "Yes, that's right, you too will die at Armageddon if you do not become a Jehovah's Witness."
Baptized.
Let's just say my husband has a great talent for putting his foot in it, OK? It's one of his most endearing qualities. That, and his ability to apologize abjectly.
You should have SEEN Blondie put him in his place. A couple times. It was a show worth taping.
Hi Jgnat,
My hubby is under restriction right now, not allowed to comment at meetings. He is not allowed out in field service.
This is an unpleasant and undesirable situation for your husband to be in. He has my sympathy for the discomfort and distress that he is likely experiencing.
I must make the observation, though, that had he been a serial pedophile he would not have been subject to any such restrictions. Isn't that noteworthy?
As for field service, though, if he really feels compelled to go from door-to-door to share his faith, how can any man stop him? On the other hand, if he wants to go from door-to-door distributing the output of a publishing company, then they certainly can restrict his access to their published materials.
So, does he want to share his faith or does he just want to pump up his hours? If all he wants is an aerobic workout, he can get a treadmill.
"Success comes in CANs, failure comes in CAN'Ts"
apologetic footnote: I wrote and posted this before I had read all the replies. Sorry 'boutthe duplication of sentiment.
