Was the Watchtower Society Justified in Disfellowshiping Some Individuals? (page 2)

JWdaughter

In the Bible, people were told to not mix with known sinners. They were also told to bring a persons sins to them personally before bringing the CONGREGATION into it. Then, there is no mention of a tribunal with 3 elders who are told information and no one else. The WAY that the WT disfellowships does not seem at all biblical.

becca1

I agree with AK Jeff. His explination sounds very reasonable.

garybuss

Disfellowshipping is just a book printing company firing an employee. They're justified in firing anybody they want.

I do feel sorry for the children of Witnesses and I feel sorry for the adolescents who get shunned just because they tried to please their parents.

Frank75

(2 Thessalonians 3:14-15) 14 But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed. 15 And yet do not be considering him as an enemy, but continue admonishing him as a brother .

Paul also is credited with saying the above. The expression "quit mixing in company" and "stop associating" are actually the same Greek expression (sunanamignumi). The Watchtower translates the above to mislead the JW reader into accepting the unscriptural practice of shunning as practiced by puritan religions.

Since the Greek word sunanamignumi only appears elsewhere in 1 Cor 5:9 & 11 it is obvious it is the same thing. So how can JW's reconcile their practice which makes the DF'd person "an enemy" and no longer a brother, as well as outside of the benefitial "admonishment" from his peers, friends, family with what is highlighted in Thessalonians?

They can't.

The JW religion can do whatever it legally wants to its membership, that I agree, but to call it scriptural or biblical is as dishonest as, well let's take the quotations in the Trinity brochure for example!

Frank75

purplesofa

He is still shunned until he dies, unless three men in a little room vote that he is forgiven. This whole idea is pissing me off as I write.

They really don't leave anything up to God............They are worse than confession to a priest. At least a priest is only one person and behind a closed wall.

we are not supposed to have to confess our sins to anyone but god

OUTLAW

A broken clock is right twice a day...OUTLAW

Wasanelder Once

I imagine if they disfellowshiped Jesus Manuel Cano, no one here would have a problem with that.

W.Once

under_believer

W.Once, actually I would have a problem with that. Can you tell me why I shouldn't?

Forscher

I think the context is the key to understanding where he was coming from.

In that whole 5th chapter he was discussing a particular case of a man who was openly in a relationship which even the jaded pagans of Corinth considered shocking. I doubt Paul was advocating setting up the kind of court system we see among the Witnesses today judging people and shunning them for not keeping some sort of code. Rather he was taking the common sense position that a people who claimed the sort of high moral ground which the Christians claimed should not abide such an open and shocking practice as the man was apparently guilty of. In short, they should've been at least as shocked as their neighbors were and done something about it for the good name of the movement.

And really, doesn't that make sense? After all, shouldn't the Witnesses be much more concerned with what the actions of sexual predators in their midst is doping to their reputation rather than the actions of a few teenagers who've slipped up in the back seats of their cars? Instead, they "strain the gnat and swallow the camel." That is what legalism gets you.

Forscher

Wasanelder Once

Underbeliever,

The question was, "Was the Watchtower Society Justified in Disfellowshiping Some Individuals?"

I wouldn't presume to speak for you in regard to Cano.

It seems the predominant thinking here is that the Society does nothing to protect its children from molestors. If Cano were DF'd, that would at least protect the children in the congregation to some degree. This would be desirable, no? This was the basis for my assumption that many here wouldn't have a problem with Cano being DF'd.

I don't think very many really care if he is redeemed or not, that's between him and God. The goal is to protect the children from being victimized by his obviously predatory behaviors.

So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Alternate views more than welcome.

W.Once

Was the Watchtower Society Justified in Disfellowshiping Some Individuals?

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