I have been receiving a number of emails and contacts from brothers that are currently serving in the congregation. Also several that have stepped down, not for “wrong doing” but because their conscience does not allow them to continue to teach things that they have found are untrue.

The excerpts below are from a variety of these communications. Any comments that could identify a person’s identity have been removed. This is due to the real possibility of reprisal that many of us live under due to the current policies of the earthly organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I have used “[Edit]” or brackets to indicate places where the original text has been altered. Also, in a few places sentences have been cut for brevity.

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JJ – Just wanted to chime in here. I’ve read some of your articles and believe me, you’re not alone. I’m a bit younger than you but was on the same path. I was an elder for about 10 years and was being used at the circuit and district level when I finally investigated those nagging feelings and doubts. What I discovered shook me to the core. Still, it took a couple of years before I could finally “step aside”. Once I did, I felt a lot better. Honestly, I now question the existence of God and the validity of the Bible although I’m still open to looking at it.
I still attend to keep the peace with my wife, but I usually leave the KH in a bad mood after hearing the glorification of the GB time and time again. Certainly, if the Bible is the Word of God, the WTS is not following it.
So, what do those of us in the Conscious Class do? The threat of DF’ing is very real and for those of us with family and/or many years in could be very devastating. And, the GB knows this.

While I applaud your efforts, I’ve come to the conclusion that reform is probably not going to happen in my lifetime (I’m in my early 40s). I wish I could think differently because I don’t necessarily object to being a JW (I’m a born-in) but the level of control is unbelievable.

If Abraham could call Jehovah unreasonable and negoitate the number of righteous people in Sodom, or if Thomas could question the validity of Jesus’ resurrection and demand physicial proof, why is it that JWs can’t do the same of the GB? To me, if God was with them, they wouldn’t act this way. But the only way reform is possible is if someone humbly looks at the issues and listens to the common folk. And, that’s why I don’t think it will happen.

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(MY RESPONSE)

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Your comments and story is so similar to mine. It’s like the boy that found out there was no Santa Claus. Then he said well maybe there’s no God either. It may have seemed childish to his parents (that had perpetuated the lie for so long) but it was a huge disillusioning experience for him.
I so wish I could sit down and have coffee with you brother! [edited] …I don’t have any room to counsel you brother, it sounds like you’ve been around the block a few times. My only advice/hope is that you can re-strengthen your faith in God and Christ and their written word. This stands apart from the Watchtower or any other organization or movement of men.
A brother I greatly respect that wishes to remain out of the spotlight said something interesting to me. He used to write WT articles and even books but has managed to fade now, so he has a unique perspective on WTS inner workings. Anyway, he said that he does not advise people to read Ray Franz’s books even though they are very accurate. It’s because he has seen many that read these, find out that the “emperor had no clothes” so to speak, and then they lose all their faith in Jehovah, and oftentimes fly off the handle spiritually and go into the world.
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(ELDER REPLY)
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Thanks for your response. I like your illustration about Santa. Coming to the realization that the WTS is not what they claim to be really causes you to question everything. When I first woke up, I actually read the NT in about a month. No publications and while I used the NWT, I also looked up scriptures that the WTS often uses (Acts 15 for example). Once I actually bothered reading the scriptures in context, I had a much different view of the 1st century congregation than I had been taught. Instead of a control and command military style organization with multiple layers and a central governing body, I saw independent congregations and independent individuals acting directly at Jesus command. Paul didn’t get assignments from Jerusalem. To the contrary, on the rare occasions he visited with the elders and apostles there, it was often to counsel them such as Acts 15 talks about.

I do appreciate your advice about not throwing out the Bible because of the WT. I would like to think I’m a pretty moral individual and even if my search turns out the Bible is a man made book of wisdom, I still see value in many of its principles and teachings. One thing I am certain of is that if Jesus were to talk into a local KH or Bethel, he wouldn’t be very happy with what he saw.

[My wife] seems to be resigned to the fact that I don’t believe in the WT any longer. I still go with her but she misses way more meetings than we ever did when I actually believed. And, I never go by myself. My advice to you would be to give it some time. When the subject comes up (her bringing it up) then stay rational and after you’ve made your point, change the subject. Going round and round, from my experience at least, doesn’t do anyone any good.

I’d love to get together with you as well. I live in [Edited]. I really think that there are many who are slowly waking up to the fact something is wrong, but the fear of losing everyone causes them to bury their fears. I really hope the GB “jumps the shark” and does something so outrageous that it will cause all those with doubts to quit. But, I don’t see them being that stupid.

Stay in touch!

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Subject-line: I’m a Ministerial Servant [in the] Conscious Class

I really think we should make a full website with forum aimed at those of the conscious class, we could link to both jwreform ajwrb and perimenos website, i believe it is most important that we stay in the org if we wish to have the power to change it, there are many of us, if we make it anonymous and try to connect us all and get it out there we have the power to change…

(Second email)

…What im referring  to is perhaps a way of seeing how many of us there are maybe one of those anonymous statistics of concious jws with the little blips on the map, the sad thing i find is that when many find the truth, they go to jwn or something, and many lose all faith in God, they see numbers in unbelief and believe to non belief because of the supposed “learned ones”, others become trinitarian or go to the catholic church, they have really what they see as two choices, all is truth “peace! When there is no peace” or , leaving the true God, because of what “bad shepherds” and those “prophesying a lying divination” are doing within the org, even if they are nothing special there exist real potential, besides the fact that our families are trapped,what i propose is a main website for concious jws, something which will show up on a google search on the firy webpage. If we get numbers, of thinking christians, it WILL cause change, were reaching a breaking point my friend, i believe we as “those having insight” should set up a buffer for the fallout.

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There are also a couple more elders that asked that I not share their feelings, even anonymously. One elder who contacted me said he couldn’t go to any of his fellow elders with his problem because of the danger in so doing. He was discouraged, disheartened, is waking up to the problems within the organization, and feels powerless to do anything about it, except just soldier on. No wonder so many congregations don’t have enough elders. They are burned out.

We also know about Brother Andrew and his stepping down as an elder, and his deep study he is now able to do since he has more time and a conscience free to pursue the truth, wherever it leads.  There is the well-known former circuit overseer, Ron Frye, who is spoken of in Ray’s books. How many more servants and elders are “sighing and groaning” over the problems within our congregations? are there? Hundreds? Thousands?

In Don Cameron’s book he speaks of his fellow elders and how they made such stark admissions such as, “If this isn’t Jehovah’s organization I may as well eat drink and be merry.” And “Even if all the GB members were apostates that wouldn’t change anything.”   How sad, how pitiful that way of thinking.  But we must endure. (Matthew 24:13) We do this for our mates and our children, for the friends and other family we have, and for the friends that we have been privileged to shepherd and encourage through our positive example and counsel. We must figure out what we are going to do and “calculate the cost” as Jesus said. But we can’t go off half cocked and be rash. This is something that I pray about daily. Jehovah God and Christ Jesus will guide us. The Holy Spirit will help us to know what to do.

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26 Comments on How Many are/were Elders and Ministerial Servants?

  1. lurk says:

    I have read plenty of awakening stories, and what scares me the most is that the majority of them at learning the reality of things, no longer believe in God.

    And here is again, “… I now question the existence of God …”
    Someone cheer me up.

    I really believe now that the Bible (or parts) is written to be understood after the fact. (Psalm 146:3) (Isaiah 2:22[NIV])
    Because the situation is right in front of us, and we still don’t get it.

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    • rus virgil says:

      I understand what you said, Lurk ! (this is the case also in my family)
      but we cannot stop the process which is ongoing…
      In fact we are living the Judgement processs (lead by Jesus Christ “come” at the Temple )…and for now the judgement is at “God’s house” , and a little time later, it will be all over humankind
      the revealing of the “hidden things” cannot be stopped
      the “spirituality” of the “believers” is being proved/tested ,
      as their faith , in order to be accomplished the Lord’s prophetical words:
      “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

      Now, for everyone and specially for those wanting to keep their faith I have an advice that is not mine
      It is of God Himself ! …to learn a SONG
      Deuteronomy 31 :
      19. “Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them.
      20. When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant.
      21. And when many disasters and calamities come on them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.”
      22. So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.

      The Song is named “of Moses” and it is found in Deuteronomy 32:1-43 .

      please read it and sing it !
      – there will be a time until the simple reader will understand this Song because this is a prophecy in connexion with all others prophecy regarding God’s people at the latter days,
      but what is important ,is that this Song gives the answers we may be seeking for

      with love
      for all Father’s worshipers “with spirit”,
      rus virgil

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    • rus virgil says:

      quote
      “Because the situation is right in front of us, and we still don’t get it.”
      ——————
      I pointed to God’s recommended Song exactly in order to “get it”..

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  2. andrew says:

    Nice post JJ
    Some ex-JWs see the elders as evil or corrupt, perhaps as the enforcement arm of the Governing Body. The vast majority of us are/were just fooled. We thought the Governing Body was worthy of trust and was Jesus’ “right arm”.
    While the GB is not Jesus’ right arm, it is true that the elders are forced to be the enforcement arm of the GB. It has been of great relief to me personally not to be anymore that puppet on a string.

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  3. Tyndale says:

    Its not the governing body… Its the legal department which controls the society
    And is in fact the lawless element, think about it, the laws requirements for a religion introduce
    A gentile hierarchical system all reigned in by a lawyer, rutherford, and the law requiring a board of directors etc. Now the law requires stupid policys, if they had realized we dont
    NEED to be recognized by any government there would be no org to sue, and we would have kept a first century model, as it now stands we ourselves have our own government (earthly) which can be identifyed and prosecuted by the world, the problem being we copied the Catholics error… Its the Legal Department, without them there is no governing body.

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  4. JJ says:

    Tyndale

    That’s an interesting topic that you have brought up. Do you know of examples where the legal department have altered policy, doctrine, etc? I thought I read about this on another forum in the past but would like to know more. “Johnny” the Bethelite on the six screens conference call said that legal was huge and very high tech security. He also said that they regularly sweep for bugs and change the location of weekly GB meeting often. But this may be diverging from the point. Just weird and interesting news coming out lately…

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  5. jacqueline says:

    I think Jonny is out of Bethel now. Sixscreens might have more on it this Saturday. Spoke to a person that talks to Johnny on a regular basis.

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  6. Tyndale says:

    Johnny is out because he was never in, im on my cell typing now but i will try to write a report on this later on

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  7. Tyndale says:

    The legal department that is, it will be comprehensive tracing all the way back to the first and fourth centuries, then the 1800,1900 era of Jws

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  8. JJ says:

    Tyndale

    Please do the report when you can. If you want to email it to me I can possibly make it a guest posted article, depending on the length and content of course.

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  9. Ben says:

    I was raised “in the truth” and served for years as the presiding overseer in my congregation. It was extremely difficult for me to finally admit to myself that the WTBS is not what it purports to be. When I was finally able to accept that in my mind without it wanting to drive me nuts then and only then was I able to seriously consider how I would back out slowly. It took me almost a year to leave. During that time I used my position to my advantage and eventually was able to take at least twenty people out with me. I’m still not disfellowshipped but it’s not because they haven’t tried.

    My faith in God almost went along with my faith in the organization. That’s not really a bad thing, folks. Our notion of God was one painted by the WTBS and a fresh start at approaching God is a good thing. Some abandon God and some turn to some other master to have him explained. I chose to search on my own. Each has his own path that he must choose but at least now a choice is possible.

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    • JJ says:

      Ben
      I would very much like to hear more about your story of waking up to the truth about the truth. And then how you spoke to that many of the publishers in your area without getting DFed amazes me. Thank you for sharing- please consider telling us more of the story so we can find out how you managed it. We appreciate your personal struggle to serve God with “spirit and truth”- thank you for sharing this.

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    • Dennis says:

      Ben,

      I’ll second JJ’s interest in your journey. Welcome to the forum, your among friends.

      Dennis

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  10. Ben says:

    Thank you for the warm reception. I struggled with my faith for the whole time I was a JW. I prayed hard to Jehovah to remove the doubts in my heart and I kept busy in the service of the WTBS thinking I was rendering sacred service to God. Ours was a small congregation and yet there were problems everywhere. Of the fifteen or so families that attended, my children were the only ones that never “got into trouble” and the adults were no better. We had to deal with homosexuality, lesbianism, smoking, drunkenness, lots of immorality, malicious gossip, and the list goes on and on. Now mind you regardless of how you have come to look at any of these things, these things were and still are forbidden to Jehovah’s Witnesses and yet here the children and nephews and nieces of the elders were involved in this.

    Witnesses are told over and over again of how much better they are than the world and here I was seeing all these things being done AND being covered up by the very ones condemning those things from the platform. There was none of the Love that’s preached so much being demonstrated but there was a lot of backbiting and gossiping and tattle tailing but no one seemed to be willing to raise a hand to those in genuine need.

    I remember one day a ministerial servant and his family came into the hall and the guy was smiling as he told me how he just passed a brother stopped on the side of the road changing a flat tire. I asked him why he didn’t stop to help and he told me that it would have made him late for the meeting! An announcement was made from the platform on night about a sister being very ill and in the local hospital and the family would appreciate visits from the friends. One sister was overheard telling another sister: “I can’t go visiting. I’m auxillary pioneering this month and I still have six hours to put in!” In short the point was being missed about what love for one another was all about so that meeting attendance and field service took the place of genuine love and concern for others. This worked on me continually. I also saw a lot of politicking going on behind the scenes. I saw good speakers sitting in the audience while far less qualified ones gave the talks because of the green handshake.

    I’ll post what finally did it for me as soon as I can. Thanks again for the welcome and I look forward to reading some of the other posts as I have time.

    Ben.

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    • Dennis says:

      Hi Ben,

      Interesting story. I didn’t see a whole lot of that. My congregation was pretty loving as long as you were in the center of it. It did bother me how some of the older ones and infrequent meeting attendees fell through the cracks at times. I have to say, the straw that broke the camels back for me (and the last time I ever went to a meeting) was during a visit by a member of the Governing Body. I was already feeling like the organization had elevated the GB to the right hand of God and in the process had pushed Jesus aside, but when I seen how the congregation reacted to this MAN at the end of his talk it made me SICK! They (all the prominent members of the congregation) rushed the stage and made over him as if he where a rock star (or Jesus Christ himself)! Camera’s flashing, crowding and the whole bit. As I sat there it was confirmed in my mind that the Governing Body had become an idol. I realized that there was a time when I had done the same thing at an assembly. I left in shock and disgust and never went back.

      Dennis

      PS: I look forward to your future posts. It’s so nice to have you here.

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  11. Ben says:

    Thank you Dennis. There was a large family that made up almost half the congregation and that usually spells trouble. Smile. The thing that really started the ball rolling for me was the article trashing the 1914 last generation doctrine …because that’s what that November 1, 1995 article did. It wasn’t “new light” it just killed the existing “light.” I remember when I read that article and the strange feeling I got when I got to where it said: “Therefore, in the final fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy today, ‘this generation’ apparently refers to the peoples of the earth who see the sign of Christ’s presence but fail to mend their ways.”- I remember the words that formed in my mind like some sort of epiphany: “These guys are just guessing” I may have mouthed the words, I don’t know. From that point on I could not shake that awful feeling that this was all a show. Still I hung on thinking and praying I would see something that would alleviate these agonizing doubts.

    Some months after that the son of what was essentially the matriarch of the congregation was killed in a freak accident. She and a couple of her daughters asked me to do the funeral although the young man was disfellowshipped. Now for the benefit of those of you who may not be aware of this, it’s not unprecedented for an elder to do the funeral of a df’d person under certain conditions. Only a couple of years earlier the P.O. of a nearby congregation did the funeral for his disfellowshipped step son who died of a drug overdose. Of course, this man was connected and no said a word. This time, with me, it was different. I was contacted by the C.O. and told emphatically I was NOT to do the funeral and so I did what all good elders do …I obeyed “momma.” The family got a preacher …a woman… from a nearby evangelical church to do the service and I thought how stupid is that? The community all knew this family and knew that I was this woman’s “pastor” and they were wondering why in the world was someone from another church doing the service when I was right there! It was then I came to fully realize that the whole df’ing business is nothing more than a punishment to keep the flock in line.

    The stated reasons for df’ing are two: 1) Protect the congregation from a bad influence, keep it clean. 2) Move the person to shame and repentance so he can come back. When a person is dead those two reasons can no longer apply. The only ones that are punished are the survivors and friends of that person. It keeps them in fear of leaving the organization. I decided then that I would leave but I would have to leave slowly since I had grown children and a wife still believing what I had taught them as “the truth”. More later.

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    • Dennis says:

      Ben said,

      “The stated reasons for df’ing are two: 1) Protect the congregation from a bad influence, keep it clean. 2) Move the person to shame and repentance so he can come back. When a person is dead those two reasons can no longer apply. The only ones that are punished are the survivors and friends of that person.”

      WOW! I wonder way I never looked at it that way? That is such a good point. Thanks.

      Dennis

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  12. greybeard says:

    Hi Ben,

    I have been following along with your posts. Thank you for sharing. I noticed you came to a conclusion that you would leave the organization and then did. I, like yourself have a wife and children who are both JW’s. I am in the middle of fading out. I no longer go to the meetings but sometimes listen in on the phone to please my wife. She knows my feelings and is not going to report me. My children and other family members would report me so I am walking on thin ice. It’s not easy that is for sure. I look forward to hearing more of your story.

    Thank you again,
    Your brother,
    Greybeard

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  13. JJ says:

    Ben
    It’s sad that the ones in your hall were so caught up in legalism and appearances. It hurts our hearts to see that. And it motivated you to investigate the wrongness and find out more.

    I can say this though, that I would never have “woke up” or feel the way that I do based on only my experiences with the publishers and the servants and elders. For the most part they are good and sincere people no matter what congregation I’ve been in. Imperfect yes, but trying their best to apply the scriptures and WT policies as they can. I feel the only way to reach a fellow Witness that is spiritually comfortable and feels they are in a loving congregation is to appeal to their love of Scripture and of what the Bible really teaches. Here’s an example:

    We have heard the one about how a loving God would not punish his child by burning their hand on the stove. So why would he torture someone in hellfire? Okay, makes sense… So then, would a loving God hold off Armageddon for another year so that a few hundred thousand more JWs can get baptized (and the one hundred thousand that stop) when that means that he will have to EXECUTE an additional 70 MILLION men women and children to make room for them? It doesn’t make sense. 607, 1914, failed prophecy, the Golden Calf worship of the GB, etc. That’s what proves the wrongness to me. Reasoning on the so-called progressive light that is more like a flickering candle can help also. Going after imperfection and flaws of brothers hasn’t worked in the conversations I’ve had with family members at all. There’s lots of good people in the movement, and some that aren’t so good. Just like Catholics, Baptists, etc. People are people.

    But we see the truth about the truth, and “figure it out” in many ways. Something tingles in our mind and/or heart telling us that…there is wrongness here. The logic falls apart when scrutinized. Trying to figure out what to do next is the hardest part of all for a lot of us.

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  14. Ben says:

    You’re welcome, Dennis. Smile.

    Hello Greybeard. I don’t envy your situation because there is no easy solution. It’s a very difficult and slippery path. The technique, if you can call it that, is simple but it’s implementation is not. JW’s are conditioned to respond to certain situations. Think about it. Even when a “worldly” person starts denigrating the Society it makes them angry. That’s not the route to go, obviously. But there is another conditioning that we often overlook, one that can work to our advantage when trying to help loved ones to wake up. JW’s are conditioned to respond positively to certain types of questions. Again, great caution must be used and you have to skillfully incorporate “pure language” terminology not to trip the warning flags. Tell me if you understand what I’m saying.

    Hello JJ. There are a lot of reasons given for JW’s walking away from the organization. The most common I hear is the lack of love being manifested among “the brothers.” I saw that first hand in my home congregation which is in the deep South. However, as an elder I gave Public Talks in several congregations …in four different states as a matter of fact. As a Presiding Overseer I had conversations and discussions with other Presiding Overseers and I found that the same problems we were having were prevalent elsewhere, to a lesser or greater degree perhaps, but present nonetheless. I also headed up departments in the Circuit Assemblies and the District Conventions. This gave me further contact with elders from a wide area. I found out our problems were not unique. I took a trip to the New England area, visited the factories in Brooklyn and the Farm and Patterson and the whole bit. I got to know some of the elders in a congregation in Connecticut (not going to name it) as well as one in Virginia. They had the same problems as we did.

    Sometime back a C.O. and a couple of local elders …one with whom I served as the P.O. came to “visit” me in my home. The discussion was interesting to say the least. I knew the reason why they had come. Several weeks prior a disfellowshipped man (I was the chairman of the committee that disfellowshipped him! Smile.) was working nearby and he called out to me and I went over, shook hands (we’re fellow motorcyclists) and we chatted. He told me a couple of the local elders had gone to him …he’s disfellowshipped now!… and asked him if it was true that I had started a church! They didn’t mention this to me, of course.

    The C.O. started to give me the spiel he had prepared about how they were there to encourage me but I cut him short. I told him quite bluntly that there should be no pretense as to why they had come. I said: “You came here because you heard that I had started a church. That’s not true. However a few months ago my wife became very ill and spent a week in intensive care and for a while it was touch and go. None of you ever showed his face nor did I even get a phone call. So please don’t try to pretend that you’re here for my benefit because when I did have a genuine need you were conspicuously absent and yet when you hear of a rumor …an false rumor… about something which would give you the reason you are seeking to hang me you come running in force. Now tell me again why I should be running back to the hall.” They left with their tails between their legs. Smile.

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  15. JJ says:

    Wow Ben that was deftly played. I see what you are saying. And yes I agree that these problems are systemic not just local.

    You said “JW’s are conditioned to respond positively to certain types of questions. Again, great caution must be used and you have to skillfully incorporate “pure language” terminology not to trip the warning flags.” I’d like to hear more about where you are going with that, if you have the time.

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    • greybeard says:

      Yes, me too Ben as I am not sure what you mean by “pure language” with the JW. Don’t they already think they have the pure language? I have tried to show my wife stuff right out of the Watchtower and she doesn’t want to view it because she thinks I am trying to lead her away from the “truth”. They are programed to shut off anything that they do not believe. just like many Catholics ad other religions do.

      Any useful tools would me much helpful!

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  16. Ben says:

    I wish there was a simple formula that could be used with all people and in all situations but unfortunately that is not the case. There are a lot of factors to consider before you attempt to “reach” a witness. There is the disposition of the individual AT THE TIME you decide to say something. Obviously it would be best, if possible, to speak to someone when they are in a mood contusive to actually listening instead of simply hearing what you have to say. It’s also far better for you if the person broaches the subject instead of you bringing it up. You have to learn to back off quickly and gracefully when they start getting upset. No two people are exactly alike and no two situations are exactly the same and so one must be both able and willing to adjust with the responses of the witness. Finally, this is not a one shot deal. Understand that their conditioning was done over a period of many years in most instances and you will not undo this with a few clever words and phrases. It hurts them to think negatively about the organization and you have to do it slowly and gradually or else they will bolt on you. Few people are willing to spend the time and energy that is required to gently pry someone loose from the WTBS. You must understand that you may have to be content with planting seeds and hoping that they will sprout later on while at the same time be ready and willing to get on your hands and knees and tend to the seedling you have managed to induce to sprout knowing that too much water or too much fertilizer or too much bright light might damage the tender shoot.

    Let’s say the subject drifts toward blood. Instead of spouting off statistics and quoting Watchtower articles right off, ease into it. Start off with: “I don’t understand it, I really don’t. I could perhaps understand or at least just accept it if there was a hard and fast rule like there used to be about not drinking or eating or using blood at all but that’s not the case anymore, is it? Now it’s gotten complicated. Why can we use some parts of the blood but not other parts? Why are only some parts sacred while other parts are not? Isn’t it blood? Do you understand it?

    Let the other person wrestle with this a while. Don’t let them off the hook. If they start to say something like: “Well as for me I don’t want any parts…” You come back and say: “Brother (or sister) that’s not what the Faithful Slave says now, is it? We have to be careful about independent thinking here and have to go with what they say. So what do I tell my children (or friend or spouse or relative) when they ask me what the rule is on blood and fractions and all those surgical procedures of which some we can accept and some we can’t…? How do I explain to my Bible Study about those things?

    The point is to keep prodding and use terms like “brother” and “faithful slave” and “independent thinking” which are all terms of the “pure language” because these terms don’t raise flags. The simple act of using the word “God” too much instead of “Jehovah” will raise a flag. Ask questions instead of making direct statements but ask the right questions.

    You would not want to ask the question: “Why is it that it that the Society can’t make up their minds about blood fractions?”

    Ask instead: “Do you think maybe the brothers are having a hard time trying to figure out what Jehovah’s will is on the matter of blood fractions?”

    Learn to leave the question unresolved so that the person will think on it after you leave them. It’s always good to have them thinking on something to answer you when they see you again. It’s not easy and it takes a lot of patience but the key to the whole thing is asking the right questions at the right time and in the right manner. It worked for me.

    One last point on this. I came to realize importance of this when I was a JW. You never really make much headway in any discussion until the person you’re talking to starts asking YOU questions and I don’t mean rhetorical questions or leading questions but real questions. It’s only then that you’ve reached that person and now they actually want to know something. Move slowly but give them something to chew on.

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  17. greybeard says:

    Thank you Ben,

    That sounds like good advice. You said, “It worked for me”. Could you relate an example of someone who you helped see the light as far as the GB/JWorg? Did you help your wife, a relative or a bother/sister?

    Thank you!
    Your brother,
    Greybeard

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  18. W.H. Conley says:

    The GB sadly promotes legalism instead of mercy & compassion (Mat 23:23)

    Examples:

    1. They do not call police to turn in a child molester or murderer even though this will protect the victims. If the state mandates that they call the police, they will use a public pay phone but not leave any contact information (only after calling legal dept)

    2. They will fight a subpoena from the authorities to produce confidential files against a member of the Congregation even though this can protect the community from further victimization.

    3. There is an explicit policy to elders not to hold sessions of talk therapy to victims of molestation. Only shepherding calls where they are told to leave matters in Jehovah’s hands. That same letter tells elders that those shepherding calls are to be “limited” and to balance their time with their other responsabilities.

    4. Elders are not allowed to warn others in the congregation if theres a pedophile, rapist or any other criminal as the Watchtower Society can be sued.

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