? for those still attending meetings (page 2)

eclipse

If I'm ever ready to go out with a "Bang" though, I'm gonna start clapping when they announce a DF, stand up and clap my way all the way out of the K Hall.

LOL that's the best idea ever! Can I copy it?

I haven't been to a KH in years and years and had no idea that clapping is forbidden. For #%&@'s sake, they are truly more stark raving mad than even I thought. I think it's almost worth GOING to the hall for awhile JUST so I could see someone get reinstated so I could give a GD 10 minute standing ovation!! You know, the someone stands and claps slowly, deliberately until others join in type ovation... They really are not HUMAN anymore are they?

biblical comparison: ...and when the father saw his son from afar, the father gathered those of his household and began to run fast in the other direction so as not to be tainted by his newly regained prodigal son.

knock knock

lol ok, I like your idea better Open Mind.

purplesofa

In a circuit assembly part there was counsel that it was "inappropriate" to applaud a reinstatement because you might hurt the feelings of the one(s) injured by the DF'd ones wrongdoing. (We don't want to stumble anyone, remember?)

What happened to all that counsel that Jehovah has forgiven the wrongdoer and we must accept them back as our brother?

IS that not showing more concern for the injured person over Jehovah....?

purps

Gopher

What happened to all that counsel that Jehovah has forgiven the wrongdoer and we must accept them back as our brother?

Maybe the parable of the prodigal son has been erased from the New World Translation?

Welcoming someone back to the fold would surely bring a congregation together. Refusing to allow applause merely keeps old wounds open.

Mum

Open Mind: If you decide to go out with a bang, we want to be there and have a big party afterwards.

I think it would be great to take a boom box and play some really upbeat music as you leave, or a great old gospel tune like "I'll fly away."

Regards,

SandraC

BFD

That's funny, I got the clap before I was DF'd.

Openmind, maybe rollerdave can come get you in his apostatruck!

BFD

WTWizard

To me, all this is is another rule that is supposed to control how you think. It is true that many people do not deserve applause when they come back, since they were willfully stupid and constantly gave non-sequitor counsel or cut people down at every possible occasion prior to getting disfellowshipped and that should have been good riddance. But to make a rule about it is another matter.

And the person who comes back has additional limitations placed on them. Usually, the congregation is relatively cold toward such ones for a time, which can vary according to how well they kiss up to the lead hounder and whether they are aggressively doing all they can to do ever more (like putting in pioneer hours even though they cannot pioneer, etc.) There is never forgiveness based solely on what the errant person is doing to correct the matter and to prevent recurrence of the problem. This usually just creates problems where none needed to exist.

Also, why are there so many "sins"? No wonder we are "imperfect"! Most "sins" are inherent human nature and were created by St Augustine solely to control man. Others were Puketower interpretations of the Scripture, like celebrating a birthday. All one would have to do is redefine a sin as a volitional act that causes harm to oneself or to society, and suddenly you have a situation where human perfection is possible. Using this definition of sin, anyone can become perfect since thoughts are not sins, and only volitional actions that cause harm to self or society are sins and once people stop those things, they are not only no longer sinners but usually a lot better off. Knowledge and fully integrated honesty, not out-of-context "truth", is the key to such.

And there really is only one subset of sins that should lead to disfellowshipping. Only a person who volitionally initiates the use of force, threat of force, or fraud shall be "disfellowshipped". And this would be until such person has learned to create enough value to undo the damage that they have caused, at which time full privileges and rights would be regained. Under that rule, relatively few would have it happen. Ted Jaracz would be the first in line, since he initiates use of all the above against people and property.

Alligator Wisdom

In my congregation, everyone generally claps if the person was reinstated from a DA. Nobody claps if the person was reinstated from a DF. And yes, there is a difference.

How do we know since the specifics aren't announced, except the generic "So and So is no longer a Jehovah's Witness"?

Believe me, our congregation knows if the offense was a DA or a DF. Word gets out.

The elders haven't hindered anyone from clapping or not. That is because some elders clapped themselves upon a reinstatement of a DA one.

Our congregation is a bit more liberal I think.

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother NOT Exerting Vigorously)

still_in74

If I'm ever ready to go out with a "Bang" though, I'm gonna start clapping when they announce a DF, stand up and clap my way all the way out of the K Hall.
(At least that's how it plays out in my dreams)

LOL!

BTW, they dont announce it. We all know now. But I do remember years ago when it first became taboo to clap there was a person reinstated and everyone clapped and the PO and his wife just sat there shocked and NOT clapping. Thats when they had a local needs on it.

? for those still attending meetings

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