by Cynisister 41 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Well, I just had a former CO "friend" tell me that since I no longer believed all of what JW's taught, that was going to cease communicating under the "bad association" header.
I do not believe it is official.....but honestly what is? Everything with this religion is semantical games.
If I had a nickel for every time this topic has been raised on this forum, I'd buy Microsoft from Bill Gates.
No, this is not an official policy of the JWs.
That said, as others have pointed out here, the WT makes frequent reference to the "spiritually weak" and also provides frequent warnings about "even within the congregations, there are those who may not be wholesome association" or some such tommyrot.
And of course, there are many uber-self-righteous JWs who are only too happy to put 2 & 2 together & reason that "they must be talking about inactives". And who then proceed to virtually shun them.
JWs are pretty much wack-a-doodle.
One article or talk will beat the inactivex like an evil slave and yet another article or speaker will encourage the JWs to show them love,
The real 'brass ring' in this merry-go-round is that
shunning is god sanctioned! According to jw's anyway.
Those bu$$ers love it!
Now they can display their meaness ...and smirk
about it ...........'cause god says!
clarity
It comes across as shunning because they no longer have anything in common with you and don't know how to act. It's easier for them to just Keep their distance.
Not officially. In fact, a recent WT Study article was about encouraging and re-activating those no longer active. So there will likely be a slight bump up in the number of phone calls on drop-bys on those who are inactive.
Of course, we know those who are no longer attending regularly are not the best of associates, thus that allows each JW to determine if they want to continue to treat you the same or "shun" you just in case you could be bad association. It makes them feel more righteous.
Doc
In my old hall, though irregular we never it shunned. I'm fact if we were still there I don't know if I would have found our the truth (the real truth) because they were all truly kind (it was a very small hall and they included us in everything, even if we had missed the meeting that day, helped with the kids, etc)
In this hall though we are very irregular we get shunned, big time. When we tried answering we wouldn't get picked (not even our kids) even if our hands were the only ones up they would wait the extra seconda for someone better, like an elders wife. I should thank them though because it is one of the major factors in my awakening. Not one elder, pioneer, publisher, ANYONE Called or anything when major, major medical issues came up in our family. Really loving people. :(
I seem to recall a very recent statement in a publication that JW's should have no or reduced contact with inactive ones or members of the congo who show a 'critical attitude' or something. This may be what she's alluding to.
I was a working Mom, had a husband that worked sometimes - seemed he had a way of getting laid-off alot. Anyway, I missed alot of meetings cause I was so f* exhausted .so one day one of the elder's wives phones me up JUST TO SAY she would not ask us over for supper because OUR FAMILY was NOT WORTHY. Now what the heck did my little children do that would not make them worthy to sit at their dinner table?
Mercy before "rules"
Our family of 4 was ill for over 2 weeks and none of us got to the meetings. Not one sister, brother, elder, MS, phoned, came by, offered help.....then we go on a one week vacation and when we get back get a "strip" taken off us because we didn't let our bookstudy conductor know we went out of town. Didn't we know he was accountable for the flock??
