Recent article on shunning?

by Shepherd Book 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  Shepherd Book

  In the past two months:

  -my father (a ministerial servant who continued to associate with me) called to see if I was DF'd or DA'd. I told him I didn't "want to do the religion" two years ago, but suddenly he was concerned about my exact standing. He even called my ex-congregation to verify the information I told him.

  -my brother-in-law decided not to attend a family gathering because we were going to be there, even though, just four months ago, he invited us to go to the circus with his family.

  -my sister-in-law decided not to attend the same gathering.

  So...what's going on?

  I've heard there's been a some hard-hitting Watchtower's on avoiding ex-JW family members lately. I searched this site looking for such info, but haven't found any. If anyone has a scan of said articles (I'm assuming they're in a 'members only' issue), I would really appreciate seeing them here. It will help me construct a response to my suddenly-pious relatives.

  (I'll post that email here, if anyone cares.)
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  steve2

  Yes, I've heard there's an upcoming article on apostates in the Watchtower. There was a thread on it on this site, say 1 or 2 weeks ago. Perhaps other posters can be more specific on the date of the article.
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  MissingLink

  The new "Keep Yourself in God's Love" (JW 2008 Fascist Rule Book) hits on the subject pretty hard.
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  blondie

  Having been around the WTS for almost 40 years, nothing on df'ing is new, just a repeat and a strong standing. While locally individuals or individual elders might have been a little lax, it was not officiall policy and the WTS wants to remind everyone where the policies really come from.

  What is more interesting is reports of family/friends cutting or limiting severely any contacts with inactive jws. That is not quite new in that the WTS only wants jws to have contacts to encourage them to "come back" but not to socialize with them.

  Blondie
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  Shepherd Book

  Yeah, it might not be new info, but you know how they get all excited when they're reminded of something. I recall a few years ago, there was an article in the Kingdom Ministry about the 'benefits' of living in the territory of the congregation you go to. It wasn't new info, but a lot of JWs in my area switched halls so as to be attending the 'correct' one. But now that's died down and no one cares again.
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  seek2find

  I was told once while I was still in that at one of the latest elder and servants schools that it was stated that a person could loose their position (elder or MS) simply by being in a social gathering along with a disfellowshipped or D-A'd person. It sounds like this may be the reason for the inquiry. Maybe someone has brought it to his attention. seek2find
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  blondie

  I don't see where he said he was officially df'd or announced as having da'd.
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  Shepherd Book

  Blondie, you're right - I didn't say if I was DA or DF. And, for the record, I am neither. But that could be why my dad called - he needed to verify. Same thing with my in-laws, maybe they assumed I was DF'd and thus figured they'd get in trouble if they were in my company for the day. Either way, I wish I knew why the sudden surge in interest in my current standing.
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  steve2

  Yes, the Watchtower is expert at dishing up as new something that is really just a grim regurgitation of old policy.

  I do remember, however, the excitement that followed a Watchtower article in the early 1970s that advocated a more compassionate view of disfellowshipped ones who are attending the Kingdom Hall. It gave the example of a disfellowshipped sister who was at one of the meetings and whose car had a flat tyre - and no brothers helped her. Not good, said the article. The article emphasised that the disfellwoshipped sister should have been helped by the brothers and that there was a need for balance.

  Truly, the article was like a breath of fresh air: It was balanced and, rare for a Watchtower article, warmly-toned. But, we know it was short-lived, because we never saw its likes again. In fact, every so many months, the same loveless message to shun disfellowshipped one is regurgitated.

  Of course, it is well known that local JWs still interpret this to suit their own dispositions, with some taking a more lenient view and others applying the policy in an even more punitive manner . Give me the quality of mercy any day.
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  seek2find

  steve2 Ray Franz talked about that article in one of his books and indicated that he wrote it. Later after he left Bethel and was disfellowshipped a series of more strongly worded articles was run in the Watchtower re-inforcing the hard rigid stand that was in place before. It's went downhill ever since. sad. seek2find