Help needed: Written material regarding shunning of DF'd and DA'd individuals

by EdenOne 68 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  EdenOne

  I would like this to become a permanent thread, because I think there are grounds - at least in Europe - to take this matter up to the European Court of Human Rights. Not sure we'll ever get there, but one must start somewhere.

  Objective: Force, by legal means, the Watchtower Society and the Jehovah's Witnesses to stop the practice of shunning ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, on grounds that it constitutes a violation of Human Rights.

  What is needed: All written material ever published by the Watchtower Society, especially since 1940's, concerning the practice of shunning. This means, every reference made to it in the "Watchtower", "Awake", "Kingdom Ministry", books, the Elder's manuals, and also (Elders' help especially needed here) confidencial letters to BOE's and outlines from Circuit Overseers meetings with BOE's, outlines from Ministerial Schools (any other material welcome) dealing with the matter of shunning and treatment dispensed to DF'd and DA'd individuals.

  Please post them here, and if you feel it's too sensitive to be posted in public, contact me via PM.

  Your help is much appreciated.

  Eden
• 

  EdenOne

  I would also add:

  If you have suffered objective discrimination and material loss due to shunning as a result of being DF'd or DA'd, you're also welcome to tell your story here. Stories involving loss of jobs, denial of visiting relatives, loss of heritage, etc

  You get the point. It must be something tangible, beyond the usual "my friends won't talk to me anymore".

  Eden
• 

  EdenOne

  "Being limited by the laws of the worldly nation in which we live and also by the laws of God through Jesus Christ, we can take action against apostates only to a certain extent, that is, consistent with both sets of laws. The law of the land and God's law through Christ forbid us to kill apostates, even though they be members of our own flesh-and-blood family relationship. However, God's law requires us to recognize their being disfellowshiped from his congregation, and this despite the fact that the law of the land in which we live requires us under some natural obligation to live with and have dealings with such apostates under the same roof. Satan's influence through the disfellowshiped member of the family will be to cause the other member or members of the family who are in the truth to join the disfellowshiped member in his course or in his position toward God's organization. To do this would be disastrous, and so the faithful family member must recognize and conform to the disfellowship order. How would or could this be done while living under the same roof or in personal, physical contact daily with the disfellowshiped? In this way: By refusing to have religious relationship with the disfellowshiped." - Watchtower 1952 Nov 15 p.703

  (Btw, thanks in advance, JWFacts, for many of the quotes in your website)

  Eden
• 

  EdenOne

  "Jesus encouraged his followers to love their enemies, but God's Word also says to "hate what is bad." When a person persists in a way of badness after knowing what is right, when the bad becomes so ingrained that it is an inseparable part of his make-up, then in order to hate what is bad a Christian must hate the person with whom the badness is inseparably linked." - Watchtower 1961 Jul 15 p.420
• 

  EdenOne

  "Assist those having undue association with disfellowshipped or disassociated relatives. ... If members of the congregation are known to have undue association with disfellowshipped or disassociated relatives who are not in the household, elders should counsel and reason with those members of the congregation from the Scriptures. ... If it is clear that a Christian is violating the spirit of the disfellowshipping decree in this regard and does not respond to counsel, it may be that he would not qualify for congregation privileges, which require one to be exemplary. He would not be dealt with judicially unless there is persistent spiritual association or he openly criticizes the disfellowshipping decision." - Shepherd The Flock of God, pp.114-116 (Ed. 2010)

  
  
• 

  EdenOne

  "If a publisher refuses to do this and ignores the prohibition on associating with the disfellowshipped one, that publisher is rebelling against the congregation of Jehovah, and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. If after sufficient warning the publisher persists in associating with the disfellowshipped person instead of aligning himself with Jehovah's organization he also should be disfellowshipped." - Watchtower 1955, Oct. 1, p.607
• 

  EdenOne

  "Brazen Conduct" is the new buzzword category of disfellowshipping offenses, that is so broad that may include:

  "...brazen conduct may be involved if the wrongdoer has an insolent, contemptuous attitude made evident by a practice is these things: (...) Willful, continued, unnecessary association with disfellowshipped non relatives despite repeated counsel". - Shepherd The Flock of God (Ed. 2011), p.60

  Eden
• 

  EdenOne

  ""Disfellowshipping" is what Jehovah's Witnesses appropriately call the expelling and subsequent shunning of such an unrepentant wrongdoer (...) a simple "Hello" to someone can be the first step that develops into a conversation and maybe even a friendship. Would we want to take that first step with a disfellowshipped person?" - The Watchtower 1981, Sep 15, p. 22, 25
  
• 

  EdenOne

  "4 What about speaking with a disfellowshipped person? While the Bible does not cover every possible situation, 2 John 10 helps us to get Jehovah's view of matters: "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him." Commenting on this, The Watchtower of September 15, 1981, page 25, says: "A simple 'Hello' to someone can be the first step that develops into a conversation and maybe even a friendship. Would we want to take that first step with a disfellowshipped person?" 5 Indeed, it is just as page 31 of the same issue of The Watchtower states: "The fact is that when a Christian gives himself over to sin and has to be disfellowshipped, he forfeits much: his approved standing with God; . . . sweet fellowship with the brothers, including much of the association he had with Christian relatives."… 12 Benefits of Being Loyal to Jehovah: Cooperating with the Scriptural arrangement to disfellowship and shun unrepentant wrongdoers is beneficial. It preserves the cleanness of the congregation and distinguishes us as upholders of the Bible's high moral standards. (1 Pet. 1:14-16) It protects us from corrupting influences. (Gal. 5:7-9) It also affords the wrongdoer an opportunity to benefit fully from the discipline received, which can help him to produce "peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness."-Heb. 12:11. 13 After hearing a talk at a circuit assembly, a brother and his fleshly sister realized that they needed to make adjustments in the way they treated their mother, who lived elsewhere and who had been disfellowshipped for six years. Immediately after the assembly, the man called his mother, and after assuring her of their love, he explained that they could no longer talk to her unless there were important family matters requiring contact. Shortly thereafter, his mother began attending meetings and was eventually reinstated. Also, her unbelieving husband began studying and in time was baptized. 14 Loyally upholding the disfellowshipping arrangement outlined in the Scriptures demonstrates our love for Jehovah and provides an answer to the one that is taunting Him. (Prov. 27:11) In turn, we can be assured of Jehovah's blessing. King David wrote regarding Jehovah: "As for his statutes, I shall not turn aside from them. With someone loyal you will act in loyalty."-2 Sam. 22:23, 26."

  Kingdom Ministry August 2002 p.3 "Display Christian Loyalty When a Relative Is Disfellowshipped"
• 

  EdenOne

  "Yet, there might be some absolutely necessary family matters requiring communication, such as legalities over a will or property. But the disfellowshipped relative should be made to appreciate that his status has changed, that he is no longer welcome in the home nor is he a preferred companion."

  Watchtower 1970 June 1 pp.351-352