Literature not for Disf'ed people says Elder.........

by Balsam 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Balsam

  I had an interesting encounter today, actually my son and I both. Well my good intentioned ex-husband and father of my son thought he would have the local congregation Elders call on us and try to get us back to meetings. Well I had been getting literature from this local Elder's wife without her knowing I was ever a JW. We just played the role of worldly interested people so we could keep up on current information. Now understandablely my ex-husband had good intentions but it rather back fired. Up until now getting literature was sinche and it caused no problems for anyone. My son is disf'ed too.

  Well here come this local witness husband whom I found out was an Elder, along with a another Elder I'd met one time. Well they said they like to call on folks who are disf'ed to see if they can be reactivated. I asked them how they knew I was an ex-jw, but they didn't tell me. I figured it out later because my son had told his Dad I got magazines from a local witness sometimes.

  Well disfellowshipped people must get literature from the KH and they must attend meetings to get them. They will not let me get them anymore, and it was vital for me to attend meetings if I wanted to read the magazines. I asked them how reasonable that is since literature is freely given to worldly people every day. To reactivate a person wouldn't they need to have the literature to keep up with the teachings? They claimed that is the rule of the Society, and then we got into a lengthly but polite discussion about the organization, blood policy, child baptism and various other topics. They stayed about an hour and I just told them that if we decide to come we would. I not say no never would we come but at present we were uninterested. I left it on polite and respective terms because they were kind and respectful with us. Basically they said we were always welcome to the hall and hoped we would have a change of heart. I said when I see the changes in some of the policies I would certainly consider it. (Yah like that is going to happen. LOL LOL) Little did they know that I had used all the information I'd gathered to help others to leave. Oh well now I'll have to find another avenue if I want current literature to examine.

  My son Dirk jumped in and questioned them too which was awesome. Clearly they are so rule driven. The Elder did tell me something I didn't know and that is that Elders can't just look up confidential information from a judical committee decision. I don't believe them but they claimed the files are sealed to everyone outside the men on the JC meeting.

  Balsam
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  truthsetsonefree

  They cannot deny you literature. They are wrong by their own policies. On the JC notes, what they told you is the procedure. Of course that is providing that they follow it.
• 

  Mysterious

  I knew they had this rule about apostates (presumably because such ones would use the material against them) but I didn't think it applied to all DF'd people. At least I know some people here who do not follow that rule if it is one.

  I know the records are supposed to be sealed but Ive heard a few stories on JWD about manilla folders in "locked" filing cabinets where elders with keys to the cabinet could get access even if they were not on the JC committee.
• 

  Warlock

  B,

  Nice to see you post.

  Just get your next door neighbor to take the mags and give them to you.

  Warlock
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  Balsam

  Hi Everyone,

  When they were leaving I said again so I can't get current magazines delivered, they confirmed only by attending meeings can I get literature. I said I will not be forced into attending meeting to ready he literature, I will find other ways of getting current magazines. After all I said I can stop witnesses I see out doing preaching work and ask for them. They also suggested I can go to the WTS offical web-site to read current articles, but they would not be complete ones. I asked what is the sense of partial articles? They had no answer. I just laughed and told them to have a good day as they left. The reasoning is just bizarre. I can imagine the wife of the one Elder who had been delivering will be totally freaked out. Rather pathetic reasoning on their part, yet they want ex-witnesses to return and go through the process but without any so called encouragement by them. LOL We also questioned the sad lack of benefits to the witnesses disf'ing people, and basically nothing is done to even encourage people to return outside of their occasional visits.

  Balsam
• 

  Honesty

  They also suggested I can go to the WTS offical web-site to read current articles, but they would not be complete ones.

  No need to confuse 'worldly' people with words of encouragement about other religions, eh.
• 

  sspo

  The Elder did tell me something I didn't know and that is that Elders can't just look up confidential information from a judical committee decision. I don't believe them but they claimed the files are sealed to everyone outside the men on the JC meeting.

  He is right, no one has access to the file but those 3 brothers on JC, the case is closed and most elders don't want to know the details unless there is a good reason for one of the elders to know the facts then of course he can find out what went on.
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  Quandry

  It really sounds to me as if the purpose for the visit from these two elders was to set you straight on their policy of having a df'd person come to the hall to get magazines and not because they wanted you to return. This makes me very angry. What they want is for you to grovel, to come crawling back to the hall and sit in the back so that every one can see the initial D for disfellowshipped burned into your chest. They want you to admit that the only way to be spiritually fed is to come to them. That they are the only way to God and they will decide whether you are worthy to live or not.

  Why, yes why, would literature be left in Laundromats and in other public places for "worldly" people to read, but not given to df'd people? That is absurd.
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  blondie

  Actually, the policy re magazines to DF'd people only at the KH started with the end of the subscriptions. Then the magazines were delivered by non-JW postal employees. With the end of the subscriptions, then it meant that JWs would be having contact with DF'd JWs if they delivered the magazines. Non-JWs can order magazines and books through the WTS taking the risk of having JWs call on them personally. As far as I know, there is no way for anyone to get magazines w/o IRL contact with a JW either at your home or at the KH. I suppose you could ask a JW to mail the magazines to you, offering to pay for it or ask a non-JW to pose as an "interested" person, get the magazines and books, and then give them to the DF'd JW.

  I don't think the idea is to prevent DF people from getting publications but rather to prevent JWs from having contact with DF'd people.

  Blondie
• 

  truthsetsonefree

  One other thing, they have started putting option of getting the literature without someone visiting you on the coupons printed in the magazines. Easier to just get them on the street....or a local trash can.