by little_lamb_on_a_hill 87 Replies latest jw friends
Lamb, something is wrong. You stated that you are not shunned by family and friends because you do not try to share your beliefs with them? That makes no difference. You were once a witness and because you did not agree with their beliefs you left and you are not shunned? I don't get it. Even though you do not try and share your beliefs, you are still considered to be "bad association" in the eyes of the organization. I don't understand how you could not be shunned!
Little Lamb:
The WT has made a point to go from door to door to expose other religions and condemning all who refuse to join as non believers by withdrawing fellowship and waiting for God to act.
Most here acknowledge the Jws right to make public declaration. With that right, however, comes the duty of debate which we gladly accept. The WT has made many public claims that need a response. Unfortunately, the WT’s own members are disfellowshipped if they examine their own religion, and many here can’t just leave with honor.
This site is for open debate on any JW topic. How refreshing this site is, considering that the WT refuses such activity.
Dutchie,
It's not like they would socialize with me or anything, but if they saw me in the street, most of them would say hello. I don't think me leaving really changed my relationship with my family at all.
I guess it's not uncommon for extremely religious people to severe ties with family members, a girl I was at college with, who was raised a muslim, can't now speak to any of her family because she rejected Islam. I don't know, maybe I've just been lucky with my family - perhaps they're abnormal JWs.
Until then, I'll continue to respect their beliefs, just as they respect mine.
Wittle Wamb,
here's an example of jWs "respecting" yours and others' beliefs:
*
little_lamb_on_a_hill says:
I guess it's not uncommon for extremely religious people to severe ties with family members, a girl I was at college with, who was raised a muslim, can't now speak to any of her family because she rejected Islam. I don't know, maybe I've just been lucky with my family - perhaps they're abnormal JWs.This is true.
What you will find here are many that were raised as JWs have little knowledge about other religions or cultures. They were isolated by the JW doctrine. Many of us who became JWs as adults were cut off from our families for becoming JWs. This is something you raised in the truths didn't realize as children. The orthodox Jews consider ones that are not practicing to be dead as well. So it's not uncommon in ultra orthodox religions to exclude those not practicing. Just because it's common amoung other ultra orthodox religions doesn't mean it doesn't deeply affect individuals. So they may need support from others when they leave.
Everyone here has not been as fortunate as you. Many have families that threw them out in the street at a young age and won't even speak with them. This tends to make a person resentful and angry. The best way to get rid of resentment and anger is to recognize it and give it away. For some that's what they are doing others are just stewing with it here. Everyone has different experiences to live with and process. Just be grateful you haven't had a hard time with your own process.
Crazy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Many have families that threw them out in the street at a young age and won't even speak with them.
Personally, I think that's more to do with their families than with the JWs as an organization. I know of dozens of people who are disfellowshipped and still live with their families, some children others husbands or wives.
I find all these "things they don't teach you in the Kingdom Hall" as plausible as the aliens that the US government are apparently in cahoots with.
xenu:
really, stop handling people. As it has been said before, -- and I'll paraphrase -- if ya don't like it, scram. Evil is best promoted by apathy, and well, if some of us recognize that simple truth, and decide to be brash and make a stand, then we should be commended. BTW Hubbard was a charlatan, too.
I was raised a JW but I can still relate to that. "ONE" of my uncles
refused to talk to us or have anything to do with us about 30 years ago when he discovered from his religion (The Paul and Jan religion Now) that all JWs are the "Anti Christ" He called his OWN SISTER the Anti Christ. 30 years later he still has nothing to do with her. His Choice.
PATHETIC!!~~
EDITED CUZ I 4 got My Name. plmkrzy
Many have families that threw them out in the street at a young age and won't even speak with them.
I find all these "things they don't teach you in the Kingdom Hall" as plausible as the aliens that the US government are apparently in cahoots with.
OK, will someone please get out the watchtower magazines that explain how family members are told to shun a DF or DA person, so that little lamb can see for herself.
You can start here little lamb and see how the WBTS tells the public one thing but it's members another regarding shunning.
http://quotes.jehovahswitnesses.com/DF_DA.htm
"We would not refuse to treat one as a brother because he did not believe the Society is the Lord's channel... There should be full liberty of conscience." -- WT April 1, 1920, p. 100, 101
I already brought this up once in this thread. Hopefully littlelamb will read and use critical thinking and discernment. Figure out the WTS lies.
Disfellowshiping & Disassociating
*** Official Jehovah's Witnesses Media Relations Web Site *** http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/beliefsfaq.htm
Do you shun former members?
Those who simply cease to be involved in the faith are not shunned.
In compliance with the Scriptures, however, members can be expelled for serious unchristian conduct, such as stealing, drunkenness, or adultery, if they do not repent and cease such actions. Disfellowshipping does not sever family ties. Disfellowshipped members may continue to attend religious services, and if they wish, they may receive pastoral visits. They are always welcome to return to the faith.—1 Corinthians 5:11-13.[emphasis added]
*** Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock, p.103 ***
Proper View of
Disfellowshipped and Disassociated Persons
If an individual is trying to influence others to take an
unscriptural course or is trying to deceive others, all
should avoid him; he is described at 2. John 9-11.
Disfellowshipped and disassociated ones are shunned by those who wish to have a good relationship with Jehovah.
Basic Scriptural counsel on the proper view of those who
have been expelled from the congregation is set out in the
apostle Paul's words at 1 Corinthians 5:11- 13.
John counsels against speaking to or associating with a disfellowshipped or disassociated person so as not to be "a sharer in his wicked works." (2 John 11 )
Scriptural and historical guidelines on how to view
disfellowshipped and disassociated persons are found in The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, pages 20-31.
[Emphasis Added]
*** Nov 15, 1952 Watchtower ***
Questions from Readers
In the case of where a father or mother or son or daughter is disfellowshiped, how should such person be treated by members of the family in their family relationship?-P. C., Ontario, Canada.
We are not living today among theocratic nations where such members of our fleshly family relationship could be exterminated for apostasy from God and his theocratic organization, as was possible and was ordered in the nation of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai and in the land of Palestine. "Thou shalt surely kill him; thy hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him to death with stones, because he hath sought to draw thee away from Jehovah thy God, . . . And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is in the midst of thee."-Deut. 13:6-11, AS.
Being limited by the laws of the worldly nation in which we live and also by the laws of God through Jesus Christ, we can take action against apostates only to a certain extent, that is, consistent with both sets of laws. (Note they wish they COULD STONE YOU TO DEATH) The law of the land and God's law through Christ forbid us to kill apostates, even though they be members of our own flesh-and-blood family relationship. However, God's law requires us to recognize their being disfellowshiped from his congregation, and this despite the fact that the law of the land in which we live requires us under some natural obligation to live with and have dealings with such apostates under the same roof.
God's law does not allow a marriage partner to dismiss his mate because his mate becomes disfellowshiped or apostatizes. Neither will the law of the land in most cases allow a divorce to be granted on such grounds. The faithful believer and the apostate or disfellowshiped mate must legally continue to live together and render proper marriage dues one to the other. A father may not legally dismiss his minor child from his household because of apostasy or disfellowshiping, and a minor child or children may not abandon their father or their mother just because he becomes unfaithful to God and his theocratic organization. The parent must by laws of God and of man fulfill his parental obligations to the child or children as long as they are dependent minors, and the child or children must render filial submission to the parent as long as legally underage or as long as being without parental consent to depart from the home. Of course, if the children are of age, then there can be a departing and breaking of family ties in a physical way, because the spiritual ties have already snapped.
If children are of age and continue to associate with a disfellowshiped parent because of receiving material support from him or her, then they must consider how far their spiritual interests are being endangered by continuing under this unequal arrangement, and whether they can arrange to support themselves, living apart from the fallen-away parent. Their continuing to receive material support should not make them compromise so as to ignore the disfellowshiped state of the parent. If, because of acting according to the disfellowship order of the company of God's people, they become threatened with a withdrawal of the parental support, then they must be willing to take such consequences.
Satan's influence through the disfellowshiped member of the family will be to cause the other member or members of the family who are in the truth to join the disfellowshiped member in his course or in his position toward God's organization. To do this would be disastrous, and so the faithful family member must recognize and conform to the disfellowship order. How would or could this be done while living under the same roof or in personal, physical contact daily with the disfellowshiped? In this way: By refusing to have religious relationship with the disfellowshiped.
The marriage partner would render the marriage dues according to the law of the land and in due payment for all material benefits bestowed and accepted. But to have religious communion with the disfellowshiped person-no, there would be none of that! The faithful marriage partner would not discuss religion with the apostate or disfellowshiped and would not accompany that one to his (or her) place of religious association and participate in the meetings with that one. As Jesus said: "If he does not listen even to the congregation [which was obliged to disfellowship him], let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector [to Jehovah's sanctified nation]." (Matt. 18:17, NW) Hurt to such one would not be authorized, but there would be no spiritual or religious fellowshiping.
The same rule would apply to those who are in the relation of parent and child or of child and parent. What natural obligation falls upon them according to man's law and God's law the faithful parent or the faithful child will comply with. But as for rendering more than that and having religious fellowship with such one in violation of the congregation's disfellowship order-no, none of that for the faithful one! If the faithful suffers in some material or other way for the faithful adherence to theocratic law, then he must accept this as suffering for righteousness' sake.
The purpose of observing the disfellowship order is to make the disfellowshiped one realize the error of his way and to shame him, if possible, so that he may be recovered, and also to safeguard your own salvation to life in the new world in vindication of God. (2 Thess. 3:14, 15; Titus 2:8) Because of being in close, indissoluble natural family ties and being of the same household under the one roof you may have to eat material food and live physically with that one at home, in which case 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 and 2 John 10 could not apply; but do not defeat the purpose of the congregation's disfellowship order by eating spiritual or religious food with such one or receiving such one favorably in a religious way and bidding him farewell with a wish for his prosperity in his apostate course.
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