Posted by metatron [metatron] on November 24, 1999 at 10:43:49 {BlpRHB6gpcSCFBHEQNcwP/cA8RWhz2}:
Yes, you can't just resign as an elder. The Society
has forbidden that.
But wait, there's more.
You aren't allowed to doubt or lose faith either.
The organization says it's not allowed.
"But that's ridiculous. Elders are told to help people
with doubts in the Pay Attention book"
Not exactly. Yes, the elder's manual quotes Jude about
showing mercy to those with doubts but that doesn't
necessarily mean THEY WILL DO IT!
You see, the definition of apostasy includes:
"a falling away, abandonment"
It ought to be obvious that the operative definitions
of "apostasy" and "doubt" overlap, leaving plenty of
room to disfellowship ANYONE who lacks faith or doubts.
And this is not mere theory either. There are reports
of brothers who are asked "Do you believe this is
God's organization?" If you say "I don't know" , you
may be DF'd for "failure to affirm God's organization"
on the correspondence to the Service Dept.
Or if you say "I have lost faith in God", again you
may be interrogated about believing this to be "God's
organization"!
Ever read "Catch-22"?
Don't think it's "just a novel"!
metatron