James,
You're correct, it can well be a thread only. Anyway, what I am referring here is not the inactive ones but the so-called irregulars, people that go not so often to meetings due to its job, lack of interest, or something else, in sum people that are irregular.
Arthur,
My information come from:
(1) An elder from Bethel (former bethel elder) in Brazil that was recently in my congregation have related some meeting where this point has been discussed, he have said that a biblical basis for this was in Hebrew 10, since just after it mentioned the need of meeting it is mentioned the case of "willfull sin":
"Hebrew 10:
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And let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works,
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not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as YOU behold the day drawing near.
For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left,
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but [there is] a certain fearful expectation of judgment and [there is] a fiery jealousy that is going to consume those in opposition.2
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Any man that has disregarded the law of Moses dies without compassion, upon the testimony of two or three.
29 O f how much more severe a punishment, do YOU think, will the man be counted worthy who has trampled upon the Son of God and who has esteemed as of ordinary value the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and who has outraged the spirit of undeserved kindness with contempt? 30 For we know him that said: “Vengeance is mine; I will recompense”; and again: “Jehovah will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of [the] living God. " This brother even have quoted me a watchtower magazine (1983, I guess) that insinuate something like that. So in the same way that impurity has became officially a dfd offence, so will be a guy that willfully (i.e., due to its college, job, or anything else) miss the meetings. I don't know exactly what would be the case for inactives.
(2) Finally, my second source come from some elders I know in Sao Paulo that after an elder meeting in DC started with a similar talk. Maybe it was just a "non-credible threat" or a circulated opinion, but we can wait to see, I think that will be probably. Best regards,
Pele