by Mulan 26 Replies latest jw friends
Such a one is not counted, in any case, as a partaker.
This just gets curiouser and curiouser. Why wouldn't they be counted? Here's the rub.... if and when such a DF person is reinstated, they would be counted. Therefore, the numbers of partakers are very 'fluid' aren't they? Counted, not counted, then counted, not counted and so on.
Cheers,
Ozzie
This inconsistency in treatment of df'd persons totally destroys the "we are a unified organization...all congregations do and teach the same things" claim, doesn't it? In one place, df'd sit in the back row, in another they sit in the lobby, in another they sit anywhere..in some places they aren't passed the emblems while in others they are.
How can any JW supporter explain this? Isn't god's spirit directing things and how can he condone such disunity and still bless this org?
Blondie showed this article in the February 1, 1976 Watchtower page 76
"Keep Doing This in Remembrance of Me"
Those counted as partakers are those known as faithful, baptized servants of God. We do not invite disfellowshiped persons to attend. But if such a one is present, there is no reason to be disturbed if he is seated in a row with others and proceeds to partake of the emblems. Such a one is not counted, in any case, as a partaker.How many remember this rule that df'd person were not invited? I certainly don't remember it ever being practiced. Df'd persons are most certainly invited to attend around here and 'expected' to attend too if they are wanting to be reinstated.
Again..the inconsistencies just scream out a lack of unity...totally opposite to what I used to feel so smug about. The unity in our beliefs worldwide was something I felt so sure was a sign of god's blessing and approval.
JW's can try to dismiss this as just a little thing...but this little thing, along with all the other little things, make a big mountain of wrongs that cannot be denied.
Had Enough
"Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."...Margaret Mead
"We do not invite disfellowshiped persons to attend."
Df'd persons are most certainly invited to attend around here and 'expected' to attend too if they are wanting to be reinstated.
Very interesting point raised, Had Enough. Very interesting. Thanks for posting.
Cheers,
Ozzie
My understanding was always that the emblems were not served to disfellowshipped persons, though it wasn't necessary to go to great lengths to avoid the possibility of the plate or cup being handled by them. Certainly, no great show of shunning need be made. I'm pretty sure I remember reading something in the publications about the emblems not being served to df'ed ones, but I don't have time to look it up right now. I think there's a hint of it in the quotation that blondie offered, though:
Those counted as partakers are those known as faithful, baptized servants of God. We do not invite disfellowshiped persons to attend. But if such a one is present, there is no reason to be disturbed if he is seated in a row with others and proceeds to partake of the emblems. Such a one is not counted, in any case, as a partaker.Or, to put it another way, if he is seated in a row alone, not with others, there will be no issue because the emblems won't be passed to him.
Tom
"At midnight all the agents and the superhuman crew go out and round up everyone who knows more than they do"
--Bob Dylan
I remember in one congreagation I attended, there was a gal that was DF'd and she had always considered herself as one of th anointed, even before she was DF'd, she still partook of th emblems during the memorial, but was always the last to receive them.
Seedy
I was not aware of it being a policy but then obviously there must be congergations all around that take it upon them selves to make up there own rules. That is discusting.
I remember when my mother was on "Public Reproof" she sat in the back by herself and they brought the emblems to her her. She did partake.
btw. No one else did that night the other one who always would partake of the emblems died the year before. They gave my mom the plate of unlevend bread to take home. She fasted everyday for I don't know how long and ate from that plate everyday. Don't know if that is the norm or not. never asked.
seedy,
The last ones to be served at a Memorial are the servers themselves and the speaker.
Cheers,
Ozzie
In hindsight, why would someone submit themselves to such humiliation? How many souls are needlessly driven to depression and psychosis?
[i]
excellent point and it really dirves home the point that jw are like abused women who STAY in an abusive relationship and continue to be abused
believing that they deserve this treatment
to go back into a hall and be SPAT/ SPIT upon is a concept when you share with a NONJW they can't seem to even imagine happening in most churches-
great point
we used to bypass them
At this past memorial, I was an attendant and we didn't have the policy here. I wasn't instructed to ask if a person was disfellowshipped or to seat anyone in any particular place except to encourage the regular meeting attenders to sit toward the front so there would be room for latecomers and new ones who might be shy about going to the front. Maybe a veiled policy?
Ironically enough, they did miss passing me the emblems. Did God know I was not worthy of having them passed to me? Did he know I was about to leave? Nah. They also missed some sister's Bible study who was kinda sitting right up against a back wall of the main auditorium with her handicapped son, who is in a wheelchair. I was standing right next to them. Our hall was full and the servers in the back rooms would finish first and come up front and start on the middle section to meet the servers working back from the front. And the servers on the side sections would finish and assume the guys from the back rooms had gotten us. And the servers in the middle would assume the servers from the side section had gotten us. I thought about tapping one of them on the shoulder and saying we weren't served, but decided it wasn't that important.
