Posts by snakeface

31

My own story.

by JoelCW in

jw
friends

i'm a long time lurker, first time poster.

i think i have a similar story to others who were brought up in the so called "truth" but after reading so many stories i thought i'd finally get around to writing mine:.

like i said, i was raised into it and almost my entire immediate family where (and for the most part still are) serious members.

snakeface

Welcome to JWN and thanks for posting your story.

I was not raised in the "truth" but there was always one or two witness kids in school who did not sign a birthday card or participate in holidays. I never made fun of them; I respected their beliefs. Later in life I became a witness. Then thru Classmates.com and other sites I got in touch with those former classmates to let them know I was now their brother....but to my surprise every single one of them said the same thing you did. They said throughout their childhood they "went thru the motions" because their parents forced them, then as soon as they graduated and left home they left the organization. I was shocked. But now once again I am on the same team with them.

7

How should a letter to my local congregation be addressed?

by Resistance is Futile in

jw
friends

how are letters from the society addressed to the local elders?

.

should i simply address it to the "body of elders"?.

snakeface

The Society address the letters "Dear Brothers:" but that probably wouldn't be appropriate for you if you don't consider them to be your "broithers" anymore.

It depends on the purpose of the letter, and also your "status" (already DF'd or DA'd, in good standing, not even a member, etc)

You could start it with "Gentlemen:" or "Body of Elders:"

When I wrote my DA letter - which was actually a "stay off my property" letter since I had stopped associating years earlier - I addressed it to an elder's house because that's where the mail goes. (The Hall has no mailbox. All mail goes to an elder's home.) So the envelope said

XXX Congregation

[elder's name]

123 Main St,

[town], FL 00000

And I started the letter

"Congregation Elders:"

I closed the letter with

"Respectfully,

[my name]"

because I was not being confrontational; I just wanted to tell them bascially, "Please stop coming on my property and leaving literature because I quit this religion years ago. Just remove my from your records and leave me alone."

46

demon posession?

by perfect1 in

my gradmother used to tell me about a catholic icon at her aunt's house which was demon possesed and once blinked at her.

.

any other good stories of possession from people you know?.

snakeface

I know for a fact that if the elders cannot figure out what's going on with a "weak" or an "inactive" one who doesn't respond to their shepherding, they lable that person as having "problems with the demons" and they tell their wives - who in turn tell others - to stay away from that person. They don't come right out and say that at first...they start out being vague, like "just be careful...Jehovah's not gonna protect you if you ignore his warnings....once Jehovah removes his spirit from a person they become easy prey for the demons..."

10

weird "shepherding" phone call

by snakeface in

as many of you know, i recently wrote a letter to the elders telling them to make sure the congregation stays off my property.

in the letter i mentioned that i "left the organization several years ago.

" i have not had any contact with any witneses for about 5 years even though i was not disfellowshipped and not even counseled; i just stopped showing up.. well last night a brother called me (not an elder, just a publisher) but i let the call go to voice mail.

snakeface

Oh yeah I'm aware that they sometimes have another elder listening in on the line.

This particular brother is not - and will never be - an elder. He got fired from jobs because instead of working he spent the whole day "witnessing" to co-workers. He even told the boss, "if they are worldly, they will be witnessed to." He and his wife never pay their bills. They rely on handouts from the congregation, and they move every few years leaving their landlord with several months' rent unpaid. Their credit is so bad, they cash their paychecks at one of those cash-advance stores. Apparently he is just taking it upon himself to call even though I'm sure the elders told him I'm DA'd.

I doubt anyone else will call but if they do I just won't answer. If they leave a msg I will not return their calls.

10

weird "shepherding" phone call

by snakeface in

as many of you know, i recently wrote a letter to the elders telling them to make sure the congregation stays off my property.

in the letter i mentioned that i "left the organization several years ago.

" i have not had any contact with any witneses for about 5 years even though i was not disfellowshipped and not even counseled; i just stopped showing up.. well last night a brother called me (not an elder, just a publisher) but i let the call go to voice mail.

snakeface

As many of you know, I recently wrote a letter to the elders telling them to make sure the congregation stays off my property. In the letter I mentioned that I "left the organization several years ago." I have not had any contact with any witneses for about 5 years even though I was not disfellowshipped and not even counseled; I just stopped showing up.

Well last night a brother called me (not an elder, just a publisher) but I let the call go to voice mail. Here is the gist of his intelligent message. Keep in mind he has not bothered with me in about 5 years. He said he tried to call me the previous night but dialed (a phone number one digit different from mine) and "spoke with that householder until he finally let me know that I had the wrong number." HA HA! What a moron! Then he went on to tell me to call him one evening so I could talk to him.

I can imagine this brother telling "the householder" all about how he is trying to reach out to a lost sheep he hasn't seen in 5 years and who has been snatched by the devil and will therefore be killed by Jesus at Armageddon.

I went ahead and blocked this brother's number.

71

Were You Ever Comfortable Going From House To House?

by minimus in

jw
friends

because i was raised a witness, i don't think i was "uncomfortable" knocking on strangers' doors.

(weirdo).. but as i got older, i simply didn't want to bother anyone so i was at there door for no more than 30 seconds.

at the end i hated being there..

snakeface

I wasn't born in; I came in when I was in my early 20's. The first few years I actually didn't mind the ministry in fact I regular pioneered (and worked fulltime). I think being exposed to a variety of people and situations helped mold my personality. But then I as I got older and got my own place I relaized I would not like to have strangers come knocking at my door and engaging me in conversations. Now we have the internet, the US postal service, and other means of communicating to people without invading their personal space. So then I got to hate the ministry. Not the part about taling to people, but the fact that it was against my conscience to go onto othe people's property uninvited. To go and simply leave tracts/flyers is one thing, but to make them stop what they;re doing and participate in a discussion is really infringing on their privacy and their personal space.

25

I wrote a D.A. letter

by snakeface in

i used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.

always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.

almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.

snakeface

Onthewayout, I agree with you. But if let them go on thinking the devil has me they will be more likely to stay away from me, out of fear of becoming under Satan's control. Usually when witnesses can't figure someone out they say either the person is mentally ill or he has "problems with the demons".
These past 5 years I have not seen any of them or run into any of them in the grocery store or anything since I live in a very rural area. A few months ago when I walked the half-mile out to the paved road to go to my mailbox, an elder and his wife just happened to be driving by and they beeped their horn and waved. I waved back. Other than that, I haven't even seen any of them. Therefore, if they now want to think I am demonized it really won't bother me at all.

25

I wrote a D.A. letter

by snakeface in

i used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.

always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.

almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.

snakeface

UPDATE

I'm at work, but I answered my cell because I'm expecting a call from a friend regarding the toga party we're going to (by plane) this weekend.

The elders would have gotten my letter Wednesday. They are at the convention today. The caller was a brother (not a MS, just a publisher) calling to see if I was alright. He said there are rumors going around about me. I said, "That's nothing new." Then I told him I'm at work and have to go. He said OK, but he heard that "the evildoer" got me. I said "Yep." and hung up. I should have said, "Yep. Satan got me by the damnBALLS!" ha ha ha

25

I wrote a D.A. letter

by snakeface in

i used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.

always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.

almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.

snakeface

Outsmart, that sounds so loving of that MS to let you know where the problem lies. Surely it's not them. And it took him 3 months to notice you weren't there? No wonder these people cannot see thru the GB's lies!

25

I wrote a D.A. letter

by snakeface in

i used to be very active int he organization, "high profile" so to speak.

always taking the gorup out in service, always having parts on the platform etc etc.

almost 5 years ago, i simply did not show up anymore.

snakeface

Thanks Blondie. Actually, if 1 or 2 elders were to stop by I actually would not call the police and I would not throw them off the property.I would not be hostile; I would just tell them I have nothing to discuss. I prefer that they and the publishers just don't bother coming by and leaving tracts etc.

However, in my letter I've asked them not to come by so that they don't start planning to get aggressive, bringing by CO's, elders, and others to try to get me to come back. In a sense I'm telling them, "What we've been doing all these years is fine with me. You've ignored me and I've ignored you. No need to start calling on me now. Let sleeping dogs lie."