dis-associated/disfellowshipped - are they the same? (page 2)

Caedes

Thanks everyone,

Very useful information, amazing that by not making your intentions known you can avoid shunning. Just crazy.

Cedars,

Thanks, that was just the info I needed.

jemba

Ive been fading over the last 3 years, I would guess that my status would be 'bad association' I am shunned by most Witlesses.

Despite citing love and compassion as the reasons for shunning disfellowshipped or disassociated people, this religion exercises neither towards them. That makes all their claims about shunning being scriptural and Christian false.

Quendi

LostGeneration

http://www.jw-media.org/aboutjw/article41.htm#shun

If you want to call them to the carpet, print this off and show it to anyone who shuns you if you are in "fader" status.

IsaacJ22

Bear in mind that being inactive may still get you shunned as a bad associate. It's started happening to me in recent years. Of course, it may also be because I told one of my in-laws I was an atheist. She may have spread the word. Very hypocritical since she told me she would not do that, but also quite typical.

Steve_C

From the jw-media.org link above:

" Those who become inactive in the congregation, perhaps even drifting away from association with fellow believers, are not shunned."

Well, there's a big steaming pile.

blondie

I don't have access to the CD right now but the WTS has stated on several occasions that even baptized, meeting attending, d2d (low hours), can be bad association, to talk them at the meeting and out in d2d but not to socialize, have over to eat, go to movies, etc.

*** g05 7/22 p. 20 Why Am I Drawn to the Wrong People? ***Melanie was drawn to a fellow believer who was not faring well spiritually. “I was told she needed some encouragement, so I started to associate with her,” Melanie explained. Of course, the Bible encourages Christians to “support the weak.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14) But Melanie began joining her new friend at bars, where further associations led her into reproachful conduct.

*** lv chap. 3 pp. 31-32 par. 13 Love Those Whom God Loves ***Occasionally, there may be a situation in the congregation that calls for us to watch our association. Some individuals might engage in questionable conduct. Others may develop a bitter or complaining spirit. Congregations in the first century C.E. faced a similar challenge. While most members were faithful, some individuals did not conduct themselves aright. Because some in the congregation in Corinth did not uphold certain Christian teachings, the apostle Paul warned the congregation: “Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:12, 33) Paul cautioned Timothy that even among fellow Christians, there might be some who do not act honorably. Timothy was told to keep clear of such ones, not making them his close associates.—2 Timothy 2:20-22.

james_woods

Way back in the Vietnam-era draft days, if an active baptised witness actually joined the military instead of going to prison, they were not announced as being disfellowshipped.

It was just read that they were "no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses". They thought this would somehow protect the society from charges of treason or interfering with the draft laws.

I knew of such a case in California where a young witness joined the Coast Guard to avoid being drafted, and this was what they did with him.

james_woods

On the above comment I made - it does bring up the question (which I did not think of at the time when I heard this story as a witness):

What if the guy repented and came back to the witnesses? Would they announce that he was "re-instated", or would they say that he was "again one of Jehovah's witnesses"?

Or - more likely - just say nothing publically and let everybody gradually start associating with him again...probably "encourage" him to start over in a new congregation where nobody knew much about his story.

dis-associated/disfellowshipped - are they the same?

Share this