For obvious reason I will not state my real name I have been a witness all my life and for the past 8 months I have been df'd Can some please help me figure out how to get reinstated soon?

Answer 1

I know the rules and guidelines I just cant handle living this way anymore and I need to talk to someone who has been in my shoes before. Basically some very helpful hints as to what I should put in my next letter. Anything to convince the elders in my committee to just reinstate me already. This would greatly be appreciated.

Although we believe only Jehovah can read hearts we have to trust congregation elders to do the actual judging of whether a person is truly repentant with regard to being reinstated. As elders are only imperfect men then the circumstances for one's being accepted as being repentant enough will vary from local congregation to local congregation. No two bodies of elders are the same although they will have the same guidelines to take note of.

Remember it is not the sin that led to the original disfellowshipping that really matters. That is dealt with in the disfellowshipping act. What matters after, is the value of the repentance shown by the disfellowshipped one as determined by the men who make up the body of elders.

I have rewritten the Watchtower quote from 1st March 1977 page 152 to help show it from the elders point of view;

'before making any decision we (the elders) must determine whether the wrongdoer is truly repentant. Has he shown us works that befit repentance? Obviously, this means more than words. Deeds must be produced in evidence. How have we seen him conducting himself? For how long? What do we think his heart attitude shows? Has he been proving to us that he is diligently studying God's Word and endeavoring to apply it in correcting his way of life? Do we believe he really appreciates that his wrong was against Jehovah? Have we been shown that he has he made appreciable changes for the better, showing us that he has been moved by godly sorrow and not just regret for having been found out? These are questions we elders have in mind when talking with the person. Then we will be in a much better position to decide whether there are grounds for reinstatement at the time or not.'

Answer

Perhaps God is actually giving you an opportunity to re-examine your life and to look closely at your relationship with Him- and not with an organisation. You should, perhaps, ask yourself why you are desperate to return back to the JW organisation that threw you out, and what hold it has over you. Your faith is as a result of God's grace and not because of an organisation.

In the Christian Church worldwide (which officially does not include the JW organisation) you will never be thrown out or disfellowshipped, but will be treated with agape love and respect. I have never - in 30+ years of ministry to JWs - known any JW who, after being disfellowshipped and then subsequently experiencing the real love and freedom associated with Jesus Christ, as opposed to the straightjacket rigid and judgemental rules of the Jehovah's Witness organisation, ever wanting to return. I therefore suggest that if you wish to talk things over, in confidence, that you email me to chat further. Just look up my wiki name and put 'at wikianswers dot com afterwards).