Did something changed regarding faders recently?

by Gorb 35 Replies latest jw friends

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  hybridous

  Technically, to be an "apostate" you would have had to be a JW to begin with then "turn away" from it, but the "real" (functional) definition given above does not have anything to do with whether someone used to be a JW or not.

  Thanks for that. I stand warned that I'd better continue to exercise EXTREME DISCRESION when talking with the JW relatives.

  As it is now, I avoid the subject of religion, but mom likes to talk about all the people I used to know back when I was a kid going to the KH. I suspect she's hoping that I'll feel that I have a real connection with those folks and somehow have a change about what I've come to 'believe'.

  If they are wound so tight that any resistance or challenge to any belief renders one unfit for association, then who are they going to be left to talk to? Each other? Where is this going?

  I think I answered my own question.
• 

  ScenicViewer

  I don't have a reference at hand, but I seem to remember a remark in the Watchtower (or other JW literature), within the past 2 or 3 years, to the effect that if you haven't seen someone at the Kingdom Hall in a long time it's probably because they are living in 'serious sin.' (If someone has that reference, a note of it would be appreciated)
  

  And how do JWs react to other JWs who are living in serious sin? They typically shun them, in this case even if there is no real indication of serious sin - Watchtower just planting the idea in the minds of JWs is enough.

  Shunning has progressed over the years from JWs being completely against it (it was said to be unkind, unloving, unchristian, unscriptural, and a pagan practice), to only shunning DF'd people, to also shunning those who formally disassociate, to now shunning those who have quietly faded away.
  

  In the case of many faders of course, they are not living in sin at all but have faded for solid reasons of conscience, but the Watchtower organization makes no allowances for conscience.

  I believe this is a sign of desperation on Watchtower's part. It's about isolating JWs from anyone who might have an opposing point of view to a JW teaching.
  
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  Beth Sarim

  Yes. It's just an isolating technique. Polarizing to help slow the attrition process.
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  asp59

  The only change before convid was there were gonna be more ' loving' to ex jw. So they come back to org. They were bombing with Watchtower article abouth issue. Probable as so many JWs were dropping out. That was before convid. This days with zoom meetings, how you gonna know with person in congregations is fader if you don't meet in kh? Jws have short memory when it comes to who is brother or not cause of df arragment. It's been TWO years without meetings. How Many JWs You think remembers with persons came to kingdom hall? 😁 Two freaking years online. How they ever gonna return from this.
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  resolute Bandicoot

  The bottom line is that real truth is never afraid of scrutiny, buck stops there.

  RB
  
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  Beth Sarim

  Two years online now. Well 2 years in March. Not far off.

  Most if not all churches are back in person,

  Not in Dubland. I forsee rows of attendees disguised as empty seats, When in person returns
• 

  hybridous

  Jws have short memory when it comes to who is brother or not cause of df arragment. It's been TWO years without meetings. How Many JWs You think remembers with persons came to kingdom hall? 😁 Two freaking years online. How they ever gonna return from this.

  I am seeing this similarly. The lack of lateral/sideways enforcement of the JW life (applied thru regular KH associations) has really got to cost the cult. The burden of enforcing 'No-Association' slides unevenly toward the Elders. Energies flag. Old friendships persist without the ecclesiastical efforts to stomp out heresies.

  I'm trying to put my finger on how best to say this. Maybe this isn't perfect:

  Not meeting in a KH, that is - being a (mostly) online religion - perhaps serves to remove a measure of poison from a given DFing. Maybe because not being at a KH on the regular increases ambiguity of a given JWs status. It might let a person play with the process, to some extent; lets them dodge Elders and nosy 'friends'.
  
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  asp59

  Hybridous

  JW life is base on appearance. Look i came to meeting, hear how spiritual my Watchtower study anwsers are. I'm gonna be pioneer this month, i must be really great. I have an appointment, God favors me. And so on 😁 With online moved people gonna drop all that and be more...human 😁. I do think the old org is gone. Gonna be a more mainland group we're much cult control dosent exist. More so if they remove elders arragment
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  DesirousOfChange

  Who said anything about removing elders arrangement?

  Elders are the unpaid company men of WT. There is no one else to care for their paperwork, property maintenance & repair, and to bully anyone who looks like they are getting out of line.
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  Vidiot

  I often wondered if going solely online would make fading easier or harder.