by Olig 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
If you are leaving, it works the same, either DF or DA. They read the same letter, "so-and-so is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses."
But if you want to return, having been DF'd is easier since DF is based on sin (which can be forgiven over time) but DA tends to lean towards the person making a choice to exit whether or not sin is involved.
You can eventually get back in if you want from either, but DF is easier.
Rub a Dub
The married couple were disfellowshipped; the unbaptised couple were disassociated.
Yeah, back in the 80's (you're really dating yourself!) they used to use the term "disassociated" to signal that someone associating with the congregation but not yet baptized had done a no-no and was judged "not repentant enough".
Current policy is (for someone not yet baptized) to announce that "[So and so] is no longer a publisher of the good news".
Such a person is supposed to be avoided for social situations but is not out-and-out shunned like a DF/DA person is.
I will say that if jws know that you disassociated yourself rather than being df'd, they will judge you as a more serious contamination, diseased. Those who are df'd are seen as someone who made a misstep and have a better chance of being redeemed. It used to be said by some jws that da'd could not be reinstated. Some said the same about anointed that were df'd. But then the WTS/GB realized that the man df'd and reinstated in Corinthians was a reinstated anointed by their bible's definition if you expanded their interpretation. And I have seen some jws reinstated that had da'd themselves.
Olig ....... welcome by the way.
Let us know if your looking for a way out for your self or family member etc.
There are a number of ways you can get around the DF or DA rules.
First of all secure all of your media outlets, so no one can read anything about you that could raise concerns. And this includes family members. Secure everything and post nothing related to your personal conduct, nor relationships, nor any doubts you feel inclined to express. This and other password protected forums is the place to vent.. Remember that old theocratic warfare the JW's like to claim? Misdirect. Even in our discussions it's OK to keep private info private or say you live in one country but actually live in another. The same with any personal details...misdirect.
Say nothing about your doubts in front of any Elder and never in front of two Elders or any two JW's.
If you want to fade just stop attending meetings..
If questioned about your lack of attendance and lack of participation etc. Say that you are praying to Jehovah to work out some personal issue's and don't feel ready to talk about it. Invoking Jehovah shuts down a mere Elder.
Or you can get open and honest and say that the JW pedophile issue has really stumbled you. You are anxious that the Society cleans up this problem.
It is easy to get that history on line about the JW pedophile problem from non apostate sites, the facts are available and there are a number of suggestions on how to minimize this problem.
Most Elders and JW members really don't want to get into this issue.
Open the door and walk out into the fresh air. Depending on family issues you are free as a bird.
If you do the fade thing and get asked by the elders when you are coming back to the meetings, just say "Soon, very soon ... the time is just around the corner."
Rub a Dub
RubaDub, which corner?
Thanks everyone for your help with this! I had a rough idea that dissociation was a way of telling the Cong that you weren't going to socialize with JWs so you could avoid DFing! Thanks for the clarification!
I feel like I'm in need of a safe house lol!
OG
The definition of dissociation has changed since the 80's. It concerns only baptized jws now who choose to disassociate themselves as members of the WTS not unbaptized publishers.
What I think you mean is marking; the body of elders (BOE) have one elder give a 'marking' talk during the 2nd midweek meeting talking out the bad behavior in general, allowing individual jws who know who was doing this to make the decision to not associate with them socially.
It is quite a feat to keep these terms understood especially when the meaning has been changed in the pas andf some senior jws haven't kept track.
Let's make it easier for all to understand.
DF = Vaseline with hot pepper sauce.
DA = Vaseline with gravel.
From a practical standpoint, the hot pepper sauce will burn but the gravel will hurt a lot more.
Rub a Dub
RubaDub, which corner? ~ Blondie
