by Joliette 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I overheard this kind of explanation once. It really do not matter if a person DA's themselves or get DF'd, it is due to person's own actions and unrepentant attitude that leads to that they cannot be considered to be one of the JW's anymore. Therefore the announcement in same format for both cases would be appropriate.
Whatever
Is god's business ok.
When a Catholic was ex-communicated, was he no longer a Catholic, or was he just denied communion ?
I think the idea is that "disfellowingshipped" sounds like something they are doing to you (inflicted punishment), whereas "no longer a JW" sounds like you are leaving them. That way it's easier to deny that they are forbidding your family to talk to you, and make it seem like it's your choice to cut yourself off. It makes it appear less evil.
I see this often with disfellowshipped kids: their parents plead with them "why are you hurting us like this?", refusing to notice that they are the ones choosing to follow the cruel and petty rules, and that the kid desperately still wants to be a part of the family.
-inkling
Good question!
I guess they are (supposedly) judging a person's heart and announcing that they are no longer one of their Jehovah's people. You would think they would just say that they are no longer a person the JW's want to associate with or that they are bad associations.
Surely they aren't so all mighty powerful that they can actually say you aren't a witness to Jehovah any longer?
Actually I never paid attention to the wording when they made announcements. I think in all my years I only heard 2for disfellowshipping and they were for conduct unbecoming a christian.
One was for smoking (an old lady )and the other was for commiting adultry( he was our circuit overseer..)
Snoozy
I agree with daringhart13...it is legalistic, loaded language that does not mean what it says. The words say you are just as a "worldy person" (and JW's don't shun worldy people), but their actions say an entirely different thing. The announcement allows for a legal defense to say we don't encourage shunning...
so this week im no longer a jw and the congregation will never no i didnt do anything wrong only that my eyes were opend and i saw the light,and want to be true to god and not man,ow and almost died if it wasnt for blood theyl all prob think iv done something realy bad, owel,they never talked to me anyways so wont miss anything,
I thought perhaps I'd misread the question, dear Joliette (peace to you!). If so, my sincere apologies! If, however, you meant "no longer one of [Jehovah's] Witnesses"... meaning, no longer even a witness for God/Christ... which is what they want people to BELIEVE... then my response stands.
Peace!
A slave of Christ,
SA, who says folks should REJOICE when someone says FOR them that they are no longer one of "Jehovah Witnesses" as that title reflects a direct relationship with the WTBTS...
for legal reasons and because these guys say so
They used to announce disfellowshipping due to "conduct unbecoming of a Chistian." That covered everything, adultery, stealing, smoking or disagreeing with the WT. There was a lawsuit against the WT to do or state that way. So, the WT have found a way to get around that and scare and control with the same result of no association allowed with that person no matter what for, to just state that "so and so is no longer a JW."
