Hypocricy of JW stance on shunning those disfellowshipped from the congregation?

by corpusdei 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  corpusdei

  I was doing some research on an tangentally related topic when I came across this gem, from the 7/1/1986 Watchtower, in a paragraph discussing the cost of integrity:

  Certainly when a person becomes a Christian witness of Jehovah, he suddenly finds out who are his true friends. Some will perhaps shun or boycott him because he has abandoned his former religion, even though they themselves do not practice any religion properly. But Jesus promised that there would be a compensation for any such loss, saying: “No one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news who will not get a hundredfold now in this period of time . . . and in the coming system of things everlasting life.”—Mark 10:29, 30. In some cases the course of dedication and integrity may mean a loss of esteem in other people’s eyes. (1 Corinthians 4:12, 13)

  Contrast that with the counsel in the Watchtower 4/15/1991:

  Former friends and relatives might hope that a disfellowshipped one would return; yet out of respect for the command at 1 Corinthians 5:11, they do not associate with an expelled person. They leave it to the appointed shepherds to take the initiative to see if such a one is interested in returning. It would not be fitting even for elders to take the initiative toward certain expelled ones, such as apostates, who ‘speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.’ These are ‘false teachers who are trying to bring in destructive sects and to exploit the congregation with counterfeit words.’

  Strange how the first passage holds just as true with one tiny change:

  Certainly when a person becomes a disfellowshipped Christian witness of Jehovah, he suddenly finds out who are his true friends. Some will perhaps shun or boycott him because he has abandoned his former religion, even though they themselves do not practice any religion properly. But Jesus promised that there would be a compensation for any such loss, saying: “No one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news who will not get a hundredfold now in this period of time . . . and in the coming system of things everlasting life.”—Mark 10:29, 30. In some cases the course of dedication and integrity may mean a loss of esteem in other people’s eyes. (1 Corinthians 4:12, 13)
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  sd-7

  Of course! Why bother trying to save those who have doubts? Elders' faith is too shaky to even try to help such ones! After all, since they have little time for actual Bible study and all, they could be fooled!

  Hypocrisy is the order of the day here. But believe it or not, the elders did actually ask me [via my wife] if I wanted to have a shepherding call, about 6 months after they expelled me. So apparently either these were unique elders or they genuinely thought there was a chance at 'redemption' for me.

  Ah, the '80s. Such loving counsel back then...

  --sd-7
• 

  sizemik

  In the words of the Doc . . . "Their hypocrisy knows no bounds"
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  WontLeave

  Depending on how you look at it, the original is accurate. When someone rejects the human rulers and submits to Christ's rule, they become real Christians. They will be shunned, boycotted, and find out who their true friends are.

  When one rejects Christ's rule for human rulers and requires others to do the same, they apostatize from God, are false teachers exploiting the congregation with counterfeit words, speaking twisted things, and drawing away Christ's disciples after themselves.

  The problem with most JWs is they start from the point of view that the Watchtower=Jehovah. Once that separation is made in one's mind and heart, things become much clearer. No disassociation is necessary, no fear is granted to elders, no worry of losing false friends is felt. Jesus said we'd lose brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, houses, and fields; the JWs fulfill this perfectly with their disfellowshipping and shunning process.

  Now, people who get thrown out for legitimately violating God's standards; that's a different story (1Pet 2:19-20). I'm under no illusion this is the minority, which is why most DFed people aren't as cavalier as "apostates" about their status.
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  steve2

  Another fantastic example of the double-standard. corpusdei! Well spotted. It's similar to the line they spout to members of other religions; i.e., "you owe it to yourself to check out whether your beliefs are supported by the Bible....too many sincere people simply take the word of their ministers and pastors without ensuring that what is being taught is scriptural....etc"

  Of course, the whole story changes when it comes to telling the brothers and sisters not to use independent thinking and to humbly follow 'the faithful and discreet slave...'

  In this regard, JWs pretend to have a huge tolerance for all sorts of probing questions from householders but that tolerance vanishes when they 'conduct a study' with the householder whgo quickly learns that any tolerance was simply a simplistic veneer.
• 

  Quendi

  And the "appointed shepherds" rarely take the initiative to seek the "lost sheep" who is disfellowshipped. I know from personal experience. Whenever I had contact with the "sheperds" of the congregation it was because I initiated it. Only once in the more than four years I spent seeking reinstatement did they ever take the initiative to visit me, and that visit was anything but refreshing, upbuilding, or loving. They had a script which they followed to the letter and when they had finished reciting their lines they took their leave.

  WontLeave is correct to say that Jehovah's Witnesses look upon the WTS as God's own mouthpiece. But I would say that even those who 'violate God's standards' could and should be treated better. Israel certainly violated God's standards numerous times, yet Jehovah again and again appealed to their better nature and begged them to return to Him. I don't see the WTS or its officers ever taking that stance. Nor do they have the attitude the father held in the story of the Prodigal Son. He lovingly and warmly welcomed his son home even before the boy had crossed the threshold and jubilantly celebrated his return with a feast, music concert, and dancing. What is the WTS' stance on the disfellowshipped? They should be shunned even if they are making every effort to come back. And when and if they are reinstated, the congregation cannot signal its joy by applauding when the announcement is read.

  No, WontLeave, this organization is no more God's organization than I am a Martian. Since it violates God's standards itself, it is in no position to chastise others who may do so. That is the hypocrisy that is at the base of the whole disfellowshipping arrangement. The pot is calling the kettle black. The Society can see the splinter in others' eyes, but not the rafter in its own. But 'its end shall be according to its works'. For me and countless others, that end can't come soon enough.

  Quendi
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  RagingBull

  Wontleave hit the nail on the head. As I read it, I thought they were talking about themselves. (the JWs) LOL!!!

  I've never had an "apostate" ask me to FOLLOW THEM. I've never had an apostate tell me that LOYALTY TO THEM, is more precious than my OWN CHILD'S LIFE!

  An "apostate" has never told me NOT to think for myself. And most "apostates" can show me the SOURCE of where they get their info. Can YOU WATCHTOWER????
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  bigmac

  " yet Jehovah again and again appealed to their better nature and begged them to return to Him."

  errr---god--the almighty--begging !!---i'd almost like to have seen that --whatever next.
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  Joliette

  Hypocrital is the history of the watchtower.
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  WontLeave

  @Quendi

  The things you mention are correct. They go beyond what's written in their methods. That being said, removing and shunning a willful sinner has a sound Scriptural basis. Their man-made processes, time frames, and extra-Biblical DFing offenses, however, are all adding to God's word, in their typical Pharisaical way.

  As far as "God's organization", I believe it can confidently be said, God has no such thing. Each must bear his own load and people aren't judged in groups. They point to Jews coming out of Egypt as proof of "God's organization" being lead to salvation. Interesting, because hardly anyone who left Egypt made it to the Promised Land; not even the leader, Moses.