Is the "marking" policy of the Society defunct or still officially used?

by yaddayadda 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  tula

  I have a friend who is that (or at least I think that's the name they used for it). He was originally disfellowshipped. Then, they eventually decided that people like him (who weren't baptised) couldn't be disfellowshipped. So, his "crime" was still out there, so people were to be weary of him, but he wasn't disfellowshipped.

  Couldn't there be some legal repercusions to this? Wouldn't it amount to "religious persecution" since this person was not baptised and under the rule of the org? Isn't there some law that could be applied if this action by the representatives affected his reputation or income?
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  faundy

  I'm intrigued on this one too; my parents were marked in 2003 after they left, for apostasy. I was at the meeting when the talk was given, because I was still attending for two years after they left. I stopped going to the meetings last year, because I'm gay and was sick of being encouraged to forget my feelings and think about marrying a decent brother. Now I haven't been disfellowshipped, even though I have had numerous relationships over the past fifteen months and I have been seen with my girlfriend by at least two elders; we had our arms around each other and it was obvious that we were more than friends. The bit that confuses me is that I am being ignored by witnesses from the hall, but not elders or wives of elders. I am being shunned by my MS neighbour and his wife, and I want to know on what grounds they are ignoring me. I haven't been disfellowshipped or reproved; the PO wants me to ring him and has even told two friends of mine that if they hear anything from me they are to tell him straight away. He wants to know the details of my life, and he can forget it. But that's why I'm wondering if I have been marked, otherwise why are they shunning me?????
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  MadTiger

  The rank-and-file are trying to ignore you for several reasons, one of which is that they don't want to be the one to formally inform the elders of your new sexual orientation.
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  Bryan

  I believe, myself and anyone in my position, not DF'd or DA'd but still shunned, would be considered "marked".

  My daughter said in her letter to me "You know I should treat you as a disfellowshipped person". What does this mean? If you ask me... MARKED

  I sure miss her......

  Bryan
• 

  yknot

  Bryan hit it right on the head. It is very much like being Df-ed but they speak to you occassionally or when they think an Elder isn't watching and you meet at the grocery store. But it has its up side too!

  I never swallowed any of the BS that has come out of the tower since 1980....lol
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  fresia

  PO wants me to ring him and has even told two friends of mine that if they hear anything from me they are to tell him straight away. He wants to know the details of my life, and he can forget it. But that's why I'm wondering if I have been marked, otherwise why are they shunning me?????

  People gossip, and the elders want to know you're business, while you are not going to the meetings it is none of their buisness who or what you do, tell them to mind their own buisness.

  As far as the shunning goes, I would front them, wave and walk right up to them say hi how's it going, be in their face, if they ignore you just ask them on what grounds are they shunning you. Blow them, the biggest issue in the congregations as far as I am concerned is people being busy bodies, judemental and down right self righteous, or just tell them to take a hike.
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  yaddayadda

  What sort of crap reasoning is this from that 1999 QFR (thanks Blondie):
  
  "3. On quite a different scale of gravity, Paul wrote to the Corinthians about one who practices gross sin and is not repentant. Such unrepentant sinners had to be excluded from the congregation. The "wicked" man had to be handed over to Satan, as it were. Thereafter, loyal Christians were not to mix with such wicked ones; the apostle John urged Christians not even to greet them. (1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 John 9-11) This, however, does not fit the counsel of 2 Thessalonians 3:14 either."
  
  WTF??? Who the hell wrote this on the writing department? Did they even bother to check the context of 2 John 9-11. The articles goes on and on about the context of first and second Thessalonians but totally ignores the context of 2 John.
  
  Hey, you morons at Watchtower headquarters: The apostle John DID NOT urge Christians "not even to greet" persons unrepentant of a sin under 1 Cor 5: 1-13!!
  
  2 John 9-11 is counsel to not say a greeting to anyone who "comes to you and does not bring this teaching,..." (v9), ie "..everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ..."
  
  So it is only genuine apostates from Christian truth who are to be totally shunned, not persons disciplined under 1 Cor 5.
  
  The Society's reasoning on this utterly woeful and capricious.
  
  Yadda
• 

  LongHairGal

  'Marking', 'Unapproved Associate', 'Disfellowshipped', 'Private/Public Reproof', etc.

  There are more categories to show how to be UN-loving than you can shake a fist at. And, let me tell you, the UN-loving people there are only too happy to show how much love they do NOT have. I guess this makes them feel 'powerful' in some stupid way.

  But, yet, I am sure these same self-righteous people would expect the shunned/marked/disapproved person to help them if their so-called spiritual friends are not around. Then they would expect their phoney 'brotherhood' to kick in. What delusional idiots!!!

  LHG