to a former witness elder, still in the organization, who 'shuns' me. He also 'shuns' his daughter, the subject of the little piece I wrote here.
He might know who it came from, I have no clue. But highlighting his daughters name at the top should make him read it. I hope it opens his eyes a little bit. Who knows?
Not long ago, I saw [Name deleted to protect my identity on the forum] in a local restaurant.
We conversed for a long time. Her efforts to raise her children by godly principles was clear. They were well behaved and pleasant. She seems to be a good and decent person also. She may well owe that fine conduct and character to some religious group with which she currently associates. Of that I do not know, as we did not discuss her religious affiliations. But, there was no reason to believe that she was ‘bad association’ in any way. I certainly could see nothing in her speech or conduct that remotely paralleled the sort of person that the scriptures say Christians should mark as unworthy of fellowship. I felt no need to excuse myself from her presence due to danger of her as spiritual leaven. In addition, there is no evidence that she was engaged in the sins set forth by Paul or John for those who should be rejected by Christians. She indicated no ’active’ sins as mentioned by Paul, and she certainly was not acting against the Christ as suggested as reason by John to ’shun’ another. [1 Corinthians 5; 2 John]
I had to ask myself; Will my Lord Jesus be at all swayed in making a final judgment of XXXX by the fact that a religious committee of three determined behind closed doors that she was unworthy of life? Does the opinion of these men carry merit as to my decision to show her kindness and respect a full decade after they convicted her of some sin unknown to me? Further, if Jesus was here would he admonish that due to her failure to return to a particular religious group she is unworthy of ever being spoken to by Christians? By what stretch of propriety, would this lovely person be continually viewed as wicked by puny men, and treated insolently all her life by Witnesses, in spite of having long ago adopted spiritual, positive values and lifestyles?
How can it be right in the eyes of those who serve a forgiving Master to continue shunning her till she dies, though living an upright and good lifestyle? And for a sin she committed as a teenager? Should she choose not to return to Jehovah’s witnesses, the assumption is that she remains wickedly unrepentant. These three men who judged her were neither able to read her heart then nor now. Yet she is continually viewed as evil! Where is Christianity here shown?
In what way does an organization that spurns other people in such a way, at times ruining relationships with parents, siblings, children, grandparents, and spouses, show the love of Christ? How can such be viewed as action that will expedite repentance and a return to Christianity? How could my ’shunning’ this good and decent soul, ten years after her purported sins, have any good effect on bringing her back to God? I will not perpetrate the erroneous thinking of those who fail to love one another under the mask of righteousness. Will you?
Another example of the hatred that disguises itself as love among legalistic societies who seek to control rather than to soothe and comfort as did our Master Jesus. The question is Love or Laws written by man? Is there a choice?
Perhaps if we know of specific individuals like this, a similar letter, well placed, could move a heart to examine these beliefs? Just a thought.
Jeff