Comments?Elders Visit Again

by livingagain 5 Replies latest jw friends

  • livingagain
    livingagain

    About 2/3 weeks ago the elders came to visit. Got rid of them pretty much didn't expect to see them again because I told them I was moving in a couple of months.I didn't plan on talking too much to them as I was studying for a test. Anyway it ended up being a long visit. Now here is where you on here come in. I talked to them about the blood issue and how JW's view it as a law of God not to take blood in any form.So I said why now can they have blood fractions? He said that it still is God's law not to take blood but that it is whole blood, and fractions are not whole blood and that when they are separated from whole blood they are another substance altogether. I said even if so fractions are derived from whole blood and still would be a by product of whole blood and that would seem to be circumventing the law to get around it. Then he said that blood is a conscience mattter and I said since when? He said it has always been the case. He pointed to the elder with him and said you see he will decide on what is good for he and his family on blood and I make the decision for what is good for me and my family because it is up to us what we decide on the matter according to our own conscience. I said if it is a conscience matter why do you need a liason committee then? each person will be operating according to their own conscience. I said have not people been D/F for receiving blood? He says you can't be D/F for acting on your conscience.

    Is this man a lunatic or is it me? Where did he get the information that blood is a conscience matter? Where did he get that when blood is separated into fractions that it is now a different substance. Is there something I missed?

    Needless to say he said the Dateline show was all a bunch of lies, that he personally knew of some of the information and it was all missrepresented. He said they mentioned on Dateline that JW's refused contact for the show but they failed to mention the letter that was sent to Dateline. I said seems like they were hiding why didn't they go on the show and read the letter or at least read the letter on videotapeand send the tape. He said their is not a problem in JW's with abuse and he knows how they are told to handle the case and it is never hush hush. He said do you believe it is written somewhere that we are told to keep it quiet? I said not written but unspoken.

    They may want to come back because I told them I did care to discuss whether I still considered or wanted to be a JW. I said I have issues and am doing research to get the facts to resolve these issues ,and it would be irresponsible to make life decisions on anything but the facts. So we'll see if they return.

  • Ginosko
    Ginosko

    Hi,

    Seems that to many "new light" had read this elder and actually is totally confuse. It will be interesting that you ask the other elder about their personal opinion. Maybe the other elder didn't open his mouth to avoid a contradiction with the first one.

    Ginosko

  • jst2laws
    jst2laws

    Hello livingagain,

    You did good reasoning with the boys. Your elder friend made me a little angry with his position that the Dateline show was full of lies. But that is the typical attitude of JW's including elders.

    I want to warn you, however, that the boys already have red flags up regarding your status with the org. If you are truly moving you may get away with this. If they do come to visit again be prepared for a few more specific, probing questions about how you feel about the organization. Just don't answer and end the visit if it goes that direction. This is assuming you have friends or relatives in the org you want to keep in contact with.

    If this is not the case, look forward to the next visit and have fun.

    Jst2laws

  • Mary
    Mary

    If I were you, I would NOT meet with them any more. Now that they know you are moving, I can almost guarantee that their goal is to DF you before you move, just so that there aren't any loose threads left. Not only that, but goodness, they can't leave you in a position where you might possibly (gasp!) try to influence other JWs that you might know!! So the best way to deal with that is to get rid of you.

    I would either screen all your calls, and check who is at the door (without them seeing you) before you open it. If you do get caught, I would feign either a sickness (the Norwalk virus seems to be making it's rounds this winter), or a massive "headache" - but DON'T meet with them any more. Their responses are ridiculous, generic and not surprising, but from everything we know, the elders can and will disfellowship you if they think you know too much.

    Don't give them the satisfaction.

  • DevonMcBride
    DevonMcBride
    He said their is not a problem in JW's with abuse and he knows how they are told to handle the case and it is never hush hush.

    If I recall correctly, one of the Canadian newspaper articles that went around last week said something about the Watchtower admitting they have a file of child abusers although they wouldn't say how many names were on it. That debunks this elder's comments that 1) they don't have a problem with child molesters and 2) It's never hush hush.

    I think it was in a Toronto newspaper but I'm not sure. Does anyone else remember seeing this?

  • Phil
    Phil

    For your information, you can get a copy of the article on JW child abuse on www.canada.com

    Use the word search "Jehovah"

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