Sounds to me that when they ask "Why haven't you been to meetings?", you better say "We're discouraged."
Doc
Can a Person Resign From Being One of Jehovah’s Witnesses? (JW.org FAQ)
by Da.Furious 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
DesirousOfChange
-
xjwsrock
Using that line of reasoning you could say Jehovah's Witnesses can do anything they want.
Can a Jehovah's Witness run naked through the kingdom hall?
Yes. A Jehovah's Witness may make the choice to wear whatever he/she wants. We do not force anyone to wear anything they are uncomfortable with.
Can a Jehovah's Witness have sex with 5 different people in one weekend?
Yes. A Jehovah's Witness may make the choice to have sexual intercourse with whomever he/she wants. We do not attempt to control whether our members lead a moral Christian lifestyle.
Can a Jehovah's Witness worship Satan privately in the library of the kingdom hall during the Watchtower study?
Yes. A Jehovah's Witness may make the choice to worship whoever they would like during the course of a meeting. We do not force people to worship our God Jehovah.
-----
News Flash - Anybody can choose to do anything. If that's all you are saying then you aren't actually saying anything at all. The question then is - What is the Watchtower trying to appear to say?
and Why?
-
stuckinarut2
And they strategically leave out the part about the CONSEQUENCES of such action, and the manner in which they will treat anyone who disagrees with current "truth" and chooses not to "associate".
-
Vidiot
xjwsrock - "Using that line of reasoning you could say Jehovah's Witnesses can do anything they want..."
I am embarrassed to say that back when I was an active JW, I occasionally used that kind of verbal sneakery when questioned about what JWs were "not allowed" to do.
-
BluesBrother
Using that line of reasoning you could say Jehovah's Witnesses can do anything they want.
That is exactly what my dub family say, if I raise the topic of restrictive rules that take away your civil rights.
"Of course you are free to do whatever you want. Nobody is going to physically restrain you. There will ,of course be consequences because we may not wish to associate with such a man, but the choice is yours "
-
-
problemaddict 2
Verbal sneakery.......great term. It is absolutely fitting.
My wife and I left, have not joined another religion, didn't get a pound of flesh out of them as we went, and are the same funloving happy go lucky p[eople we always were (but better). Somehow, I still lost my oldest and dearest friends uncerimoniously. they even went through the trouble to call me and tell me they were doing this (or write a letter).
So are their actions not endorsed by the branch?
I guess that is where they would pull the "well every Christian has to make their own choice in regards to who they consider good association".
Or maybe its because i left for principled reasons, not because i was "weak".
Either way the double talk is nuts. But......its their website so whats to be done.
-
Sail Away
I resigned and threatened legal action if they announced my name from the platform. So far I am not officially being shunned. Old JW friends will say hello and chat in public when we meet. That's all I really wanted. I didn't want to deal with public shunning in my small town.
Of course, not one of my lifelong "friends" will actually initiate contact, because I've been out for nearly five years. I imagine things will change for the worse with the message of loyalty being hammered into their brains at the Regional Conventions this year.
I can't wait to retire and get out of dodge. I'm noticing more and more carts in my area. Saw another today with two sisters dressed like cult drones. It makes my blood boil. I hate being reminded of all of those lost years and of the pain inflicted on our family. At least I have a safe place to go grocery shopping-- Fresh Market doesn't allow distribution of literature of any kind on the premises. If they show up at the town Farmers' Market I might just lose it!
-
rebel8
That's quite a steaming load.
-
sparrowdown
What they fail to mention is the unofficial shunning that goes on.
I have not DA'd nor have been DF'd (oh my, sounds like some kind of kinky fantasy confession when you say it like that) but anyway I digress.
My point is I am shunned by everyone that sees me now and yet my only WT "crime" (that they know of) is not being at the meetings. No one has enquired after my health or well being. No one has enquired as to why I am not at the meetings and if I need some help in some way to get back there it's just shun first and ask no questions, yet according to their official statement oh noooo that does not happen.
Yeah right, they know damn well what really happens unofficially. That's what happens when seven men have all the power but no care or responsibility.