The DFing of Sister M

by Bonnie_Clyde 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Bonnie_Clyde

  This is a true story although it happened many years ago. In the early 1960's, the wife of our PO (then called congregation servant) studied with a very sweet old lady in her eighties. This lady loved her Bible and truly loved God. I remember sitting in on the study a couple of times myself. Finally, she decided to get baptized, but she had a problem. She had to wear a patch over her eye, and she was not supposed to ever let her eye get wet. But with full faith in Jehovah she decided to take the step of baptism. Everyone in the congregation (and circuit) supported her and we were so impressed with her love for Jehovah. She was now Sister M.

  Later she had to go to a nursing home, maybe it was an assisted care facility, and I went to visit her. She made the comment that she was looking forward to going to heaven. I told the congregation servant (PO) about her statement, saying, "Doesn't she know our hope is earthly?" To my shock a few weeks later, the PO announced that she was disfellowshipped. Being the loyal dub that I was, I obeyed the rule not to speak to a disfellowshipped person and never saw her again. She died not much later. That was about 1965.

  Her disfellowshipping bothered me though the years, especially when I became aware of how sometimes older people revert back to their old thinking, and maybe it wasn't her fault that she thought she was going to heaven. More recently, (since I started fading), I came across her name in one of my father's old address books and he immediately mentioned, "Oh she was disfellowshipped." (My father is an elder but not appointed until about 1972). I asked him, why do you suppose they disfellowshipped her? He said, "Well she preferred the King James Bible over the New World Translation." I said, "What's wrong with that?" He became defensive and said something like, If we go to the Kingdom Hall we have to use OUR Bible.

  To me, this is the most cruel disfellowshipping I have ever known. The lady did not deserve that kind of treatment. I don't know if my reporting her to the PO was the reason for it or not but it could have been.
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  nicolaou

  I hope you don't feel guilty about it, you shouldn't. This is just another example of the way these unfeeling robots control the lives of innocent people like this old lady. Good for you that you kept her memory alive.
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  greendawn

  It's hard to believe that they would disfellowship someone for this reason, they were using Greber a spiritistic medium to help them make their NWT translation and that's really wrong.
  
  You can expect all kinds of absurd non sense from them. Did they get jealous at her spiritual progress? Going to heaven.
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  Double Edge

  Interesting, although somewhat sad story. However, I believe Sister "M" got the last "laugh" when she crossed over to heaven, was met by loved ones and continued life's eternal journey. I'm sure she probably shurgged with a "whatever" titter when she had her one millisecond of thought of JWs and their odd belief of soul-sleep.
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  FairMind

  Somehow I don't believe your father gave you a streight answer or maybe he didn't have all of the facts. Perhaps the elders spoke with Sister M and from her heart she confessed some beliefs that were at odds with organizational dectrine.
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  Blueblades

  Tell your father that the Society has been using the King James Bible for almost one hundred years before the NWT. was printed. They still quote from it in many of their articles. So,that cannot be a basis for DFing anyone. They also encourage comparing different texts from other translations.
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  jeanniebeanz

  Actually, this reason is not that far-fetched. I remember being told that I could not use the King James Bible either as it did not display a spirit of appreciation for the provision made available through the faithfull and discreet slave. When I protested I was told that if I continued to balk that I would be risking 'action' for disrespecting the headship of the elders and that was as good as arguing with Crooklyn.

  I feel bad for the old lady though; she didn't deserve that kind of treatment.

  J
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  A Paduan

  I remember being told that I could not use the King James Bible either as it did not display a spirit of appreciation for the provision made available through the faithfull and discreet slave.

  Sounds like they did not indoctrinate well enough in you the appropriate thanks you should give them - as such is their esteemed due you know.
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  Lot

  Just to set the record straight on the KJV. I have only used the KJV in the service for 15 years of active witnessing. I know many others who do the same because of the area of the country in which we live. I have done so in the presence of many CO's and even did so At Pioneer school.

  I don't say this to justify the DFing of this sister. I have no idea of the circumstances and I don't believe in this practice anyway, but the stated reason given by your father is not represented by the WTS.
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  steve2

  Perhaps this old lady got the best of both worlds: Would she have befriended the JWs if she did not have her own active support network at that time? Probably not. Sounds like the JWs provided her with company and support. So, she got companionship in the last few years of her life, at least up until she went into a nursing home. And, she was "able" to revert to her earlier beliefs (as another poster said, oftentimes older adults do this). May be she was more resourceful than you've given her credit.

  I'm still surprised that she was disfellowshiped though back in 1965. I wonder if the same thing would happen in 2005?