re: lastest fuss on getting rid of inactives

by bay64me 17 Replies latest jw friends

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  bay64me

  A lot has been discussed here of late about the disfellowshiping of inactive ones.

  In my old hall I know a sister that started smoking again and when found out she insisted that her reproof must be private and not public otherwise she would never return to the hall. She pulled it off.

  I know a brother that became inactive and started smoking. The elders appeared to leave him alone, but one day they pounced and he is now disfellowshipped.

  I know a ministerial servant that caused a great deal of upset in the congregation because of his lies and decietfulness, (causing divisions). Local needs talks' were given concerning this and the advice was, to wait on jehovah. He kept his position.

  I know another ministerial servant that came right in the middle of a married couple when they were having difficulties. (He was beating her up) This ministerial servant even lied to the police to protect the brother.........nothing was done, even though it became public knowledge.

  Actually, I'm going to stop there. As I sit here and type all the old memories come flooding back and I realise that the list could well be endless. And I'm sure that all of you have similar experiences from your old halls.

  My point is.......

  There has and I'm sure always will be injustices and errors made on behalf of the elders. They are just as inexperienced and/or corrupt as the next man. What they deem right for one person is not necessarily the same for the next. Some people slip through the net and others are caught.

  Question

  Is this latest witchunt and it's foretold outcome, really from the top? I mean are there orders or rules to follow? Or will it be left to the same old ineffectual so-called-shepherds. Or at the end of the day is it all just speculation?
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  Gopher

  From what's been previously posted by "insiders", it appears that the elders received "new light" last summer on inactive ones. They were now considered "members of the flock" that needed shepherding, and soon!

  And the other thing (I'm going on memory here) is that this visitation on all inactives to (ahem!! gag!!) "encourage" them to come back to meetings, is part of a directive to the elders and is to be accomplished by the time of the "pass-the-wine" ceremony this spring.

  Of course individuals are to be asked whether they WANT to come back to the hall, whether they consider themselves j-dubs, etc. This has been the actual case of many inactive ones who have reported back to this board.

  Being DF'd myself I'm not personally affected, but my heart goes out to those who will feel cornered by their elders.

  There is a cleanup going on, because they don't want "inactive" ones passing back critical / unfavorable information to their members. So if there are NO MORE "inactive" ones -- everyone either falling into the category of reactivated or Disassociated, then they get rid of the "inactive" problem (or so they think).

  There will likely be unintended consequences of this witchhunt. Stay tuned.
• 

  SheilaM

  How can elders receive "new light" when they have their head up their ass?

  <of the just wondering class>
• 

  freedom96

  It seems quite severe that they want to get rid of all inactive ones, but I understand why they are doing it.

  The clock is clicking away if they truly intend on getting to everyone by the memorial. I don't think they can do it.
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  minimus

  They probably will never get rid of all inactives, but they will probably succeed in getting some to return for various reasons and others to disassociate themselves because they've been targeted. Depending upon the Society's success rate, they can implement this "shepherding program" for years to come.
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  JH

  Why did the loving shepards leave the lost sheep starving for spiritual food without visiting them for years? Didn't they care for these sheep who could have been devoured by vicious wolves?
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  Siddhashunyata

  The significance of this latest slippery behavior is that the WTBTS is worried because INACTIVE ONES ARE BECOMING A REAL THREAT TO THE CONGREGATIONS and BECAUSE INACTIVE ONES ARE BETTER INFORMED THAN EVER BEFORE AND ARE BECOMING MORE ORGANIZED. THEY ARE LEARNING TECHNIQUES FROM EACH OTHER THAT ENABLE THEM TO EFFECTIVELY CONTRADICT AND DERIDE THE WTBTS. Thus, this latest push is an attempt to silence the dissent that is being nourished by the internet and "leaking" into the congregations. This "leaking in", on such a large scale, is a very real threat to their control and authority. The magnitude of the threat is new.
• 

  Gopher

  The clock is clicking.

  The whole thing is a time bomb, if you ask me!

  How can the elders receive "new light" when they have their head up their ass?

  I don't know. Maybe it's because they're transparent?

  Why did the loving shepherds leave the lost sheep starving for spiritual food without visiting them for years? Didn't they care for these sheep who could have been devoured by vicious wolves?

  Because they were too busy feeding themselves!! Or -- because the Society didn't "tell them to go shepherd", they stayed busying preparing meeting parts and leading the service groups in their coffee breaks and meaningless return visits.

  The inactive ones are becoming a real threat.

  Then why don't they ARM their publishers with effective answers to turn back the so-called lies that are being told? After all, aren't Christians supposed to be able to "give everyone who demands of you the reason for the hope within you"? But of course the WT Society will not be able to carry on an intellectual battle against its opposers, so now they're waging an emotional battle -- circling their wagons, and casting aspersions on the outsiders, telling their members not to listen. PATHETIC.

  Edited by - Gopher on 4 January 2003 13:8:33
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  bay64me

  JH,

  I totally agree with you. I can remember the fear that I felt when I first discovered sites like this one on the net. One of them, if I remember correctly, gave you a choice as to whether or not you wanted to enter. I did not, I was terrified of what I may have found there.

  I wonder, that if I had had the support that I expected from the elders, or even members of the so-called-loving-brotherhood, then perhaps I would still be in now!

  They are losing people to the real truth, out here, because they aren't looking after their sheep.
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  Marcos

  Gopher,

  This:

  because the Society didn't "tell them to go shepherd", they stayed busying preparing meeting parts and leading the service groups in their coffee breaks and meaningless return visits.

  Reminds me of something that happened in Japan when I lived there. A Japanese submarine rammed a Japanese fishing boat in (I believe) Tokyo Bay. As the boat sank and the fishermen were crying out for help, the sailors on the sub just leaned on the rail and watched them go under and drown. Later, when asked why they didnt help they said, "no one ordered us to."

  The WT mindset is not too different. One does not want to go ahead of the organization, one does not want to be a modern day Uzzah ( 2Samuel 6:7 ) and attempt to steady the ark, as it were. Even if it might be to help someone.

  Marcos

  Edited by - marcos on 4 January 2003 14:11:49