lol - I don't think the elders would be wanting to come visit - hopefully they will leave you alone Nooooooo, silly willy....what if they saw the Christmas tree FIRST and then threatened df'ing... Could I threaten to sue after they see something worth df'ing? |
homeschool, D8TA's example is interesting regarding your question. His mother reported his apostate point of view to the elders and then his statement that he would sue individual elders caused the elders to back off.
My mother on the other hand, is a die-hard-rank-and-file. I presented my point of view, and she chooses not to listen. Hey, I’m content that I tried, but she’s 62 and old enough to make her own choices. But being the “good little Jehovah’s helper”, she went to the elders of the local congregation and reported my “APOSTATE” point of views. Did they want to meet with me? You bet….and this is what happened: This was already set up with the typical 3 member elder meeting in the back room scenario. But, I went in there with one purpose. I wasn’t going there to argue with the 3 geezers about doctrine and theology. I wasn’t going there to say whether or not I believe that the WTBTS was “Jehovah’s Earthly Organization”. Those are “their” rules, not mine. First off, they started with their probing questions. Can’t remember what they were, didn’t give a crap. This is what I SAID and just simply left: “If there is an announcement pertaining to myself as being DISFELLOWSHPPED, DISASSOCIATED, PUBLICLY REPROVED, OR LABLED AN APOSTATE: I will pursue any legal rights and means in the civil court system against ALL OF YOU including the Presiding Overseer and the person making the announcement. Let me make it clear, I am NOT suing the Watch Tower Bible Tract Society. I am going to take ALL OF YOU PERSONALLY thru the court system. Believe me gentlemen, you know my financial situation, I have the resources to drag this out a long time. I seriously doubt you have the financial means to even contest my argument.” |
Imo this sort of action (threatening to sue individual elders) in a calm but serious manner works more often than it doesn't. But then you still have to deal with witness family and respect their wishes if they directly tell you they do not want to hear any apostate views.
If elders and family can "forget about/ignore" apostate views then I don't see why christmas decorations should be a problem. I know witnesses who celebrate birthdays and uses christmas decorations and their witness family are aware of this but they still associate with them. The key is that they have received oblique instructions from the elders to leave them alone after the body of elders have been made aware that they will be held responsible. If witnesses don't receive such instructions from the body of elders they tend to shun rather than not shun.
I guess the key is to work with the elders and get them to work for you (it is also important to tend towards respecting their wishes not to be anti-wintessed to unless it is something you feel strongly about, an ethical matter for example)
But please weigh up your own situation carefully as results can be unpredictable because bodies of elders can react differently in different congos. However one thing in your favour is that all elder bodies are required to check with the legal department who will tell them the same thing - backoff if you can