My brother is definitely a "bad example", he's going to college (gasp) and he has a beard (sort of, actually it's better to say that he shaves REAL infrequently, maybe once every two weeks!) and he never goes to meetings, but he's NOT disfellowshipped. He tells me he was with some college friends at a restaurant/coffee bar type place and a group of youths (I'm still stuck with JW terminology after all these years!) was at a nearby table. They refused to make eye contact and walked by him without ackowledging him. He seems to have gotten quite a kick out of it, so I don't feel too bad for him ( Although there is a part of me that feels sad about it). They were just young people, so it's unlikely there's any secret WT directive that's gotten past us apostates, but I can't help but wonder if it doesn't reflect a shift JW thinking. Any similar stories out there?
My Brother Was Shunnued Thought He's Not DF!
by voltaire 5 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
amac
Who knows, it may have just been them avoiding what they thought would have been an uncomfortable situation.
I remember a number of years back I was with some JWs at a club and we saw another JW that we knew but hadn't seen in a few years, except now he had long hair. Everyone else with me said things like "Is that so-and-so? Is he still a witness? What's his deal?" But they were too embarassed to go up to him. As soon as they pointed him out to me I went up and said Hi. He acted like nothing had ever changed so I asked him if he was still a JW. He said no and briefly explained to me how he stepped down as a MS and did a study of the bible and decided he didn't believe it. Then we went on talking about other run of the mill things you talk about when you are in a club with loud music.
-
voltaire
Amac,
Sounds like you were pretty cool, even back then.
-
Quotes
Is it possible that he was simply unrecognized due to the beard?
True story: 10 yrs ago I was away from home for several weeks for company training. During that trip I stopped going to meetings, and even stopped shaving and grew a beard. Upon my return home, my wife walked right past me at the airport, not recognizing me at all.
Just a thought. Sometimes the simpler, more mundane explanation is the solution.
Edited by - Quotes on 29 August 2002 17:39:34
-
amac
Why thanks Voltaire!
I've always been kind of a liberal JW.
Besides, when this happened, it was right after I had stepped down as a MS and was starting my own study of the Bible to address some age old questions I had. So I could relate to this guy very well.
-
Sam Beli
Hello Voltaire,
Did this incident involving your brother occur in your old home town, or where he is going to college? I hope that college helps to enlighten him, though it sounds as though he is already heading in that direction.
Warm regards,
Sam