Do you know of whole congregations deleted for apostasy, other than the "Great Purge" of the 1980s?
Congregations Dissolved For Apostasy, How You Been Through The Witch Hunt?
by Bubblegum Apotheosis 18 Replies latest jw friends
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Black Sheep
I don't know if this totally fits your description
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ziddina
Heck, I was out by 1983 - 1984, so I apparently missed the whole "purge" thing...
I feel rather deprived...
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smiddy
Black Sheep do you have some background info on the link you provided ? just curious.
smiddy
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Black Sheep
No, Smiddy.
I heard about them years ago, probably here, and Googled the name. Not so much DFd, as I understand it, more like a breakaway group.
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trebor
@Smiddy and anyone else interested in the groups background:
"In 1948, the Romanian government imposed a ban on Jehovah's Witnesses that lasted until 1989. Many Witnesses were arrested and sent to prison or labor camps, and members of the religion had limited communication with other Witnesses and studied largely from older books and magazines. In 1962, The Watchtower altered its doctrine on the meaning of the phrase "superior authorities" at Romans 13:1, identifying them as human governmental authorities rather than God and Jesus Christ as formerly thought. Many Witnesses in Romania rejected the change, and some suspected it was a communist fabrication intended to make them subservient to the state. After the Romanian ban was lifted, members and representatives of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses were able to meet thousands of long-separated Romanian Witnesses, but some Romanians still rejected certain changes and preferred their autonomy, forming The True Faith Jehovah's Witnesses Association in 1992."
Thank Wikipedia for the above here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah's_Witnesses_splinter_groups#Romania
Another consequence of the many flip-flops of the Watchtower Society, including:
Superior Authorities (Romans 13:1)...
-1886 = Worldly Governments or Authorities
[Studies in the Scriptures Series I - The Divine Plan of the Ages (1886 edition) page 250]-1916 = Worldly Governments or Authorities
[Studies in the Scriptures Series I - The Divine Plan of the Ages (1916 edition) page 266]-1929 = Jehovah God and Jesus Christ
[Watchtower June 1 and June 15, 1929]-1950 = Jehovah God and Jesus Christ
[This Means Everlasting Life (1950) page 197]-1962 = Worldly Governments or Authorities
[Babylon the Great Has Fallen! God's Kingdom Rules! (1962) page 548]-1990 = Worldly Governments or Authorities
[Watchtower November 1, 1990, page 11]So the "Superior Authorities" were Worldly Governments or Authorities from 1886-1929. From 1929-1962 'new light' flashed forth making the "Superior Authorities" Jehovah and Jesus. Then finally more 'new light' flashing forth brought the teachings of “Super Authorities” to Jehovah's Witnesses from 1962 onward back to the original teaching of 1886....LOL....Gotta love it :P
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blondie
I know of a congregation in Colorado that circulated a petition that was signed by most in the congregation and submitted it to the WTS. The WTS was not amused and dissolved the congregation. I know of a book study group in Milwaukee that broke off and formed their own group.
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james_woods
I believe I have heard that story from Colorado as well - did that happen in the late 1970s or early 1980s?
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wha happened?
Our congregation was not dissolved, but a number were df'd for apostacy in the late 80's. The inquisition left a bad taste in my mouth. I was questioned by the elders and they were definately on a witch hunt. I made the mistake of dismissing certain accusations as trivial. That was a mistake
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diamondiiz
I'm not sure but wasn't James Penton's congregation in Lethbridge Canada disolved because a large portion sided with Penton and left wts. Maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong.