Does anyone know?
Are you automatically disfellowshipped if you join the Military?
by pratt1 24 Replies latest jw experiences
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skyking
Yes you are automatically Disassociated
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hillbilly
You could be. if you are inactive and faded away they may not mess with you.
You really dont get DFed for joining but the oath (in the US) is what gets you in trouble.
I did know a kid who was active and un batized who joined the USN. His MOM took a whole lot of heat until the kid came out. After he got out he became a full fledged JW. He felt a need to serve in honor of his late father who died on (non-combat) active service.
~Hill
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momzcrazy
By signing the form to join it is viewed as signing a DA letter. A friend just got DF'd for marrying a man who joined and was considered DA'd.
momz
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Nathan Natas
The way the Watchtower weasels (lawyers) have instructed them to say it is: "By his actions, so-and-so (that's you) has shown that he is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses."
That way they can claim that joining the military is a "matter of conscience." THEIR conscience, not yours. It also helps them avoid a return visit to the Atlanta Penitentiary where they can stay in the cell that J. F. Rutherford stayed in. "We'll keep the lights on for you."
Notice that they do not specify WHAT action of yours made it clear to them that you were not of their fold. They know what it was, and (presumably) you know what it was, and everyone else will just have to guess. And guess they will!
The WATCHTOWER can say that they never said they were anti-military by doing it this way. If they came right out and said what they thought, the gov't might look askance at them.
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onacruse
skyking is right.
The WTS has never df'd anybody for joining the military, as that would be an act of treason. Likewise, no one has ever been officially df'd for voting (to my knowledge).
Before the early 80's, someone who joined the military would be announced as having disassociated themselves. After that, da'ing became equivalent to df'ing, in terms of the congregational consequences, but without the official castigations that would otherwise get the WTS in deep shit with federal authorities.
Edit to add: Our posts crossed...like NN said.
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blondie
Joining a church
Joining the military
Having a blood transfusion
Are all considered that you have voluntarily dissasociated yourself; by your actions saying you no longer want to be a jw.
It protects the WTS from influencing its members to make choices that are considered individual ones per the law of the land. But we know that the end result is the same, shunning by all jws.
Blondie
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sir82
The way the Watchtower weasels (lawyers) have instructed them to say it is: "By his actions, so-and-so (that's you) has shown that he is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses."
For the past 2 years, the announcement has been exactly this: "So and so is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses". Period. Same announcement whether it is a disfellowshipping or a disassociation. It must be read exactly that way - no "by his actions".
On the S-77 form sent to the Society, however, there is still a distinction made between teh 2. But the congregation in general now has no idea whether, when the announcement is made, if it was a DF or a DA.
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changeling
Out you go, quick, quick, quick!
changeling
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TD
Joining the military was THE reason why the term, "Disassociated" and the status it describes was invented.
In the U.S. no organization can openly forbid their members from joining the military. That would arguably be a violation of U.S. Code Title 18, Section 2387 (i.e. Treason)
"Disassociation" was a way for the JW's to skirt the law and achieve the same result