I know that Brother Knorr orginally enforced this on bethelites (if I'm not mistaken?) but how and why did this come forth?
Where did disfellowshipping aka excommunication come from
by Joliette 2 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Aussie Oz
keep you eye on recent posts i have made on the subject from the 1800s WT.
i am systematicly going through almost every WT from inception through to Knorrs time researching the attitudes and development of the practice in the WT Corp.
more will be coming, and i may post them all again in one hit soon!
the origin of the practice predates the watchtower to puritan days...like the film the scarlet letter. and probably long before that in europe i imagine too. In the late 1800s and early 1900s so far i have seen the practice both suggested an cautioned against, i am seeing a slow increase in disfellowshiping promoted as the religion turns more 'organization' after russells death.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/197816/1/A-gem-of-hypocrasy-from-1887-Watchtower
more to come...
cheers
oz
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Joliette
thanks aussie oz.