by gymbob 23 Replies latest jw friends
I saw something on this subject a few years ago in a publication from Brooklyn but can't find it now. It referred to the 8/1/80 WT about what the Greek word for apostasy really means, 'a standing away from', but showed that a person didn't have to SHARE what he believed that differed from what the society taught to be DF'd for it.
Blondie! Anybody! Help! :)
I'm sure it's a fine line, but not likely. One would be more likely to be considered d/a'd by action, (ex. getting involved in politics). In the end it is the same thing, especially these days, as the announcement from the platform is the same "so and so is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses".
j
I would say check the recent posts from Lennyinbluemont-he did. Other posters here have also been df'd for just asking questions about the UN scandal-not for spreading anything.
Apostacy isn't about accepting some other belief.
According to the WTS apostacy is when a person no longer believes the WTS is the sole mouthpiece of God.
Therefore a person wouldn't have to be talking about different beliefs. If the elders ask you if you still believe the WTS is God's sole organization and you say "NO" - your fried my friend
Are u kidding, u can be DF'd for any reason at any time. Especially if you don't put the elder's on their pedestal and bow to them.
from their website http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1988/4/15/article_01.htm
bold is mine
God's fatherly discipline, which can affect our spiritual lives, can take many forms. One is his arrangement to exclude from the Christian congregation a person who no longer wants to live by God's standards, or who refuses to do so. A person who is thus strongly chastised or disciplined may repent and turn around. In the process, the congregation of loyal ones are also disciplined in that they learn the importance of conforming to God's high standards. — 1 Timothy 1:20 .
When a man in Corinth was unrepentantly immoral, Paul told the congregation: "Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man." ( 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 ) The same was to occur with apostates, such as Hymenaeus: "As for a man that promotes a sect, reject him after a first and a second admonition; knowing that such a man has been turned out of the way and is sinning." ( Titus 3:10, 11 ; 1 Timothy 1:19, 20 ) Such shunning would be appropriate, too, for anyone who rejects the congregation: "They went out from us, but they were not of our sort; for if they had been of our sort, they would have remained with us. But they went out that it might be shown up that not all are of our sort."— 1 John 2:18, 19 .
In the apostle John's writings, we find similar counsel that emphasizes how thoroughly Christians are to avoid such ones: "Everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God . . . If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him. For he that says a greeting [Greek, khai'ro] to him is a sharer in his wicked works." * — 2 John 9-11 .
It's a letter from the Society. It's reprinted in Crisis Of Conscience I think.
If you do not share the "beliefs unique to Jehovah's Witnesses" then you can be disfellowshipped. In other words, even if you never utter a word about what you do believe, your actions might give away the fact that you do not share the "beliefs unique to Jehovah's Witnesses" and you would be considered an apostate.
***
w86 4/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The part about "true teachings of the Bible" and beliefs needing to have "Scriptural" backing is hogwash. The Bible does not address matters such as the length of a skirt, beards, moustaches, needing to drive 4-door cars, not going to college, but the WTS considers its "opinions" and "suggestions" on these matters to be critical to a person's survival at Armageddon™.
In other words, as soon as you no longer attend meetings or participate in field service, you are technically in apostate-land. The more you do that is frowned upon by JWs and the WTS, the further you are in apostate-land. You do not have to utter a word to anyone, because your actions are speaking for you.
If you are seen as a threat or not a yes man , they can find a way to disfellowship anybody for anything. Note how the rules have tightened and you can now be disfelleowshipped for viewing pornography. Soyes you can be disfellowshipped for anything even though you are not "guilty" of anything
*** w86 4/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses.
And don't forget, any or all of those beliefs are subject to change without prior notice to you. You must change your beliefs whenever the watchtower tells you to, otherwise you are an apostate™.
W
