Can anyone help?

by Pink sapphire 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Pink sapphire

  Hi, I'm doing some research, which many here have participated in and could do with some help.

  on another forum some months ago someone commented that in a July 1992 watchtower it said that the emotional effects of disfellowshipping may last far beyond reinstatement. I thought this a really interesting statement and would like to include it in my assignment, acknowledging the harm done by disfellowshipping and its not just a protective and disciplinary process. I don't know if I believe they would actually go that far.

  My problem is that I have no access to wt literature (i dont really want fo visit my old congregation library) and the online library on www.jw.org only goes back to 2000. Does anyone here have access to bound volumes and a bit of time that they could check this out for me?
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  sd-7

  Not at the moment but hopefully someone else will answer before I can. If not, I'll be sure to look into that tonight.

  --sd-7
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  Newly Enlightened

  I have the WT CD-rom lib and I did a search for that phrase, also just the words 'disfellowship' & reinstatement but couldn't find anything from the 92 WT. If you could get maybe which July WT it was. I will be happy to look it up
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  leaving_quietly

  w91 10/1 p. 18 par. 18 is what I think you're looking for:

  Sin still has an aftermath. For example, a disfellowshipped wrongdoer may repent and be reinstated in the congregation, but it may take years to overcome the tarnished reputation and emotional trauma resulting from sin. Meanwhile, how comforting it is to have Jehovah’s forgiveness and the support of his everlasting arms!

  It's the only statement similar to this in the years surrounding 1992.
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  gone for good

  true to form... they blame what may have been a benign or even pleasant 'sin' for the lingering emotional trauma..not the years of hateful shunning
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  Mum

  There was a sister in one of my old congregations (pre-1992) who had been DF'd for adultery, I believe. I don't think she wanted to be reinstated, but her mother pushed and pushed the sister and the elders until they all caved and she was reinstated.

  After she was reinstated, I heard remarks like, "Well, what's she going to do now? Nobody in their right mind would marry her." This poor woman married a "worldly" man and got everybody making snide remarks about that.

  Now that her mother is no longer around, I wonder if she's still in.
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  sd-7

  the tarnished reputation and emotional trauma resulting from sin. Meanwhile, how comforting it is to have Jehovah’s forgiveness and the support of his everlasting arms!

  Meanwhile, how comforting it is to run into the arms of the very person who presents your reputation as tarnished and tells you just how emotionally traumatized you should be when you sin!

  --sd-7
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  notjustyet

  Probably already have this source of info, but just in case, wanted to pass it along.

  Lots of great info in here.

  Also check out about half way down the WTBTS AWAKE piece from 1947 "Are you also Excommunicated?" where it talks about this having pagan origins and is unscriptural.

  NJY
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  Pink sapphire

  Thanks everyone for your help, really appreciated. Leaving quietly, I think that is just what I was looking for and thanks a million for including the reference! Straight into the assignment!

  It's true how they shift responsibility for harm of their actions back to the 'sinner' when in reality disfellowshipping is unscriptural. When I read crisis of co science ray franz described it beautifully as an organisational procedure rather than scriptural directive. On this basis, it is interesting how they acknowledge this causes emotional Trauma. A loving organisation. Ummmm....
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  cassuk11

  What happened to fogiving each other not 7 times or 77 times but 777 times