Lois: Cold Steel, I am curious what you will tell us, is the next part. LOL Because I cannot comprehend any JDub saying those words in any kind of a sentence.
No, it was completely hypothetical. I just wondered how deep those waters were when the Society forbade visits to other churches. I mean, didn’t they say they should know about other churches? Even the apostles preached and attended the synagogues.
Also, keep in mind that I’ve never been to a Kingdom Hall, so I really don’t know how the elders would handle someone who wanted to research other religions.
Remember, the Jehovah's Witnesses don’t have, or claim to have, the keys of the kingdom which bind in Heaven and Earth, which means that there is no way they can cut someone off (disfellowship) someone on Earth and that it will be in effect in Heaven. Disfellowshiped people should have no fear or trepidation regarding their status because ultimately a kind and loving God isn’t going to destroy someone just because some elders disfellowship someone. After all, have you ever wondered why they call it disfellowshiping instead of excommunication? The latter is defined as “A formal ecclesiastical censure that deprives a person of the right to belong to a church.” Well, elders can’t excommunicate because they don’t claim to represent a church, nor do they have the ecclesiastical authority to revoke a person’s baptism, which is what excommunication is.
So if what they do is not excommunication, what is disfellowshiping? To understand that, Jehovah's Witnesses need to understand what fellowshipping is.
fel·low·ship (fµl“½-sh¹p”) n. 1.a. The condition of sharing similar interests, ideals, or experiences, as by reason of profession, religion, or nationality. b. The companionship of individuals in a congenial atmosphere and on equal terms. 2. A close association of friends or equals sharing similar interests. 3. Friendship; comradeship. 4.a. The financial grant made to a fellow in a college or university. b. The status of having been awarded such a grant. c. A foundation established for the awarding of such a grant.
That’s where the elders and the Governing Body of the Jehovah's Witnesses have their members snowed. Disfellowshiping isn’t revoking someone’s baptism nor does it mean that Yahweh will recognize the action in any way. It’s simply a means of control. Like smoke, it has no actual substance. So if a person is disfellowshiped for any reason, it’s 1) between them and God, and 2) between them and the Organization. The Society has no authority to revoke someone’s baptism because they do not possess the keys of authority necessary to do so. And if someone tells you they have this apostolic authority, ask them where they got it.
After all, when you’re disfellowshiped, who is it who signs the papers and actually commits the act? If it’s not the Governing Body of the Jehovah's Witnesses, who also don’t have the keys, who is it? Chances are it’s a local action.
Jesus said to the apostle Peter ( Matthew 16:19):
And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.
Apparently Peter, at the time, did not possess these keys of authority. So how did Jesus confer them? The scriptures don’t say, but it was most likely through hands-on-head ordination. Since they were given to the top leaders of the church, one surmises that if one isn’t an ordained leader of a church (as the WTBTS admits they’re not), then they don’t have the requisite keys.
The bottom line here is that Jehovah's Witnesses need not fear being disfellowshiped and are free to follow the dictates of their hearts, including having friends who aren’t members, attending other churches, reading their literature, questioning their doctrine, visiting this website, celebrating birthdays (which isn’t condemned anywhere in scripture), pursuing higher education, accept blood transfusions and whatever else you want to do that isn’t outright sin.
So far, I’m appalled at the things you guys can get disfellowshiped for. It’s just incredible.