Terry, that is such a great idea, let us know how it turns out, would you?
What if you simply IGNORED being disfellowshipped and continued as before?
by Terry 72 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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OnTheWayOut
You are free to do as you want. They would have a difficult time barring you from the Kingdom Hall, but they would seek "Mother's" advice on how to do so. They would probably physically bar you from the field service meeting by locking the door and allowing only "publishers" past. I imagine "Mother" has dealt with this issue before.
We used to have this guy wear wrinkled ultra-thin (from wear) suits and was totally unbathed and stunk who would sit in the front row on Sundays. He would not disrupt the meeting (as that would be cause for calling the police), but he would go out of his way to say hello to people on his way out. (He typically arrived late or just at the beginning of the talk.) The other elders told me truthfully that he is a lawyer and does this all on purpose because he is disfellowshipped and is looking for a reason to sue the congregation.
People just jumped out of his way, steered clear of him. We didn't seat him, not because we wouldn't, when he arrived late but because we would let him go to wherever he wanted to sit. He was going to do that anyway. People would abandon their seats if they were already there, but typically, he went to the front center where nobody sat anyway. "Mother" had instructed the elders to just let him be if he never disrupted a meeting.
In the United States, you cannot ban someone from door-to-door preaching, but you don't have to work with him. They could simply exclude him from arrangements, even making car groups and leaving him behind if he was present at the arrangement. -
Chariklo
Wow, Terry!
That's so daft and so simple that it's UTTERLY BRILLIANT!!!
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ambersun
Terry, I don't think it is silly at all, I think it is brilliant! It would be great if as many df'd members of JWN as possible tried this, and reported back on how they get on. I'm sure there was a df'd guy a year or two back either on JWN or youtube, (I can't remember where I saw it), who went to his memorial deliberately chatting to all the bros and sisters shaking hands and refusing to be ignored. It totally threw them, but he had quite a positive response from some, quite surprisingly, if I remember rightly.
There is no law against talking to people and they can only df someone once! I can just see some of the die hard dubs running for the exits in fear of contamination, but at the end of the day what could the elders do about it? They can't throw you out or call the police just because you are being friendly and chatty with everyone!!
It would take some courage and maybe some would not be able to face it, but I am sure there are many who could do as you suggest, and treat their df as a silly joke on the part of the elders! Maybe a campagn could be started, with the backing of everyone on JWN
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Roberta804
Unless you are causing a disruption in their program they can not do a damn thing to you. A KH is a public place. Imagine calling the police on someone who is trying to be friendly????
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Quendi
When I was disfellowshipped, I was told that I could not be barred from attending any meeting, particularly the Public Talk and Watchtower Study since they are open to any and all. Neither could I be directed to a particular seat since they also were open to anyone who chose to attend a meeting. Despite this, I got into a serious argument with my judicial committee about sitting where I pleased and not where the attendants would direct me. When I asked them to show me where this requirement was in the Bible, they shut up.
Terry’s idea has some merit only if the disfellowshipped person does not wish to be reinstated. But if you want to be, then you’ll do what the elders say or your requests will be denied because you have shown a “bad attitude.” That means not approaching or greeting any Witness. Nowadays, some elders say you can’t even talk to other disfellowshipped persons as well because you’re still disobeying the rule about exchanging greetings with anyone who is disfellowshipped.
Furthermore, if you have no intention of seeking reinstatement, then why attend any meetings or gatherings of Witnesses at all? Shunning can work both ways. I don’t go out of my way to greet any Witnesses I meet outside the kingdom hall. If they don’t want my company or are too cowardly or self-righteous to acknowledge my presence in public, then they are the losers and don’t deserve my friendship. There are other people who like me just the way I am, and they are the ones I want as my friends, not people who will let someone else choose their friends for them.
Quendi
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raymond frantz
Brilliant idea ,I thought of it too ,just completely ignore their protocol .Let's all get disfellowshiped and laugh in their face every week at the meeting
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wannabefree
If you don't play by the rules .... INVITATION RESCINDED .... police escort if you don't comply, restraining order filed with local police department ... it happened in my Kingdom Hall
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Hermano
I dont know about going as far as Terry suggests, but if I am out with my wife and kids and JW's greet them, I say hi right back. They either have shun all of us or they have to greet all of us. It does mess with their heads when you don't play the shamed-little-school-child game. It's like at some level they realize something is wrong with them.
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cedars
It would certainly make for an entertaining YouTube video if the person was carrying a hidden cam!
I doubt you would want to put yourself through that on a regular basis though. Sooner or later, the repeated rejection of friendly overtures is bound to take its toll.
Cedars