Persons who make themselves 'not of our sort' by deliberately rejecting the faith and beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses should appropriately be viewed and treated as are those who have been disfellowshiped for wrongdoing. --The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 23.
Did they really teach that? Where is that written in the Bible?
I think that the further you get away from the WTS....... you begin to realize how nuts they really are!
Reject the WTS........get treated the same as one who is disfellowshipped?
by RULES & REGULATIONS 16 Replies latest jw friends
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RULES & REGULATIONS
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AWAKE&WATCHING
AMEN BROTHER
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Gopher
Nowhere does the Bible sanction enforced shunning as taught by the WT Society.
As far as shunning those who leave, this control was implemented shortly after the so-called "apostasy" at Brooklyn. Some had raised questions about various doctrine and were interrogated about such doubts, including Ray Franz, the nephew of the WTS' then-president.
You can read Crisis of Conscience for more details. It seems that since Ray eventually DA'd himself, his uncle who had the power in the publishing and real-estate firm (WTS) decreed that nobody could talk to DA'd people any longer.
Formerly, believing JW's were allowed to talk to DA'd people just as if they were non-believers.
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RULES & REGULATIONS
gopher
Thanks for the great response! We knew something happened at the WTS headquarters...... but we were kept in the dark until the Ray Franz book came out.
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Arthur
It seems that since Ray eventually DA'd himself, his uncle who had the power in the publishing and real-estate firm (WTS) decreed that nobody could talk to DA'd people any longer.
Actually, Raymond Franz never DAd himself. He was disfellowshipped for associating with Peter Gregerson who had DAd himself. The unreasonableness of the situation is obvious when considering the fact that Gregerson was Franz's employer and landlord at that time. Franz was caught eating with Gregerson in a restaurant, and was disfellowhipped for this.
As far as the Scripture: "not of our sort" that the WTS cites as a proof text; a closer examination of the text will show how this Scripture has been grossly misaplied by the Watchtower theocrats. At 1 John 2:19, John is speaking of those "not of our sorts", but in the context, he is speaking about "antichrists". This is speaking of those who have rebelled against God and Christ (abandoned the Christian faith). Nowhere does the text indicate that it is speaking of persons who cannot conscientiously follow the dictates of certain men (or an organization). But, in Watchtowersm, God and the Organization in Brooklyn are one and the same. Hence, this kind of Scripture twisting is par for the course.
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Gopher
R&R, I'm so glad Ray Franz wrote his book, peeling back the curtains behind which the "wizards" of the WT Society operate.
Arthur - thanks for the clarification on the Franz / Gregerson facts. It's been a while since I reviewed Ray's book.
I still have the distinct impression that the "shun DA'd ones" rule was instituted in 1981 to get back at those who left Brooklyn Bethel around 1979-80.
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gymbob
The elders were going to DF me for just trying to walk away on these same grounds, so I basically just said "you can't fire me....I QUIT!" Then I DA'd myself.
Best thing i've ever done.....
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RULES & REGULATIONS
1 John 2:18,19
Warning Concerning Antichrists
18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
Thanks Arthur!
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sf
Incidently, what ever happened to Peter?
Arthur, not sure if I've asked you this, did you ever go to Newport Beach/ Balboa Island back in the 70's, to a beach house, with other jws from the valley?
sKally
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OUTLAW
WBT$ has made "itself" mediator between Man and God.....The WBT$ is an "Anti-Christ Organization"...OUTLAW