The Wisdom of Disfellowshipping

by r51785 8 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  r51785

  Please forgive me if someone else has posted these thoughts. I have not seen them elsewhere.

  Why did the JW's disfellowship Bill Bowen et al?
  Why now?
  Given the avalanche of bad publicity this would seem a stupid move.
  But it wasn't because the JW's aren't concerned about bad publicity from worldlings. They care about keeping the flock in line. It was a brillant move.

  By disfellowhipping these fine people they have effectively silenced the Dateline program. If Brother or Sister Rankandfile comes up to brother Elder and expresses concern about what he or she sees on Dateline than Brother Elder can tell them that since Bowen and the others are disfellowshipped then the very act of watching them on TV becomes a disfellowshipping offense for the viewer.

  Voila, end of discussion, end of dissent, rule by fear!
• 

  Yerusalyim

  Neither Bill nor Barb Anderson have been Disfellowshipped as of yet. Barb met the JC last night (Friday), and Bill goes up in about two weeks. Only the NJ family has been Disfellowshipped.

  
  YERUSALYIM
  "Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
  [Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]
• 

  William Penwell

  I think the object here is not trying to get the ones out of this dangerous religious cult but to prevent innocent people from joining it.

  Will

  "I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's."
  Mark Twain
• 

  Siddhashunyata

  While it may seem like a brilliant move from an "internal"(congregation) standpoint , the "move" soon will be perceived as a serious "blunder". A tidal wave of public opinion will also be placed in front of the membership and the internal grumblings will become louder and louder! I don't think the WTBTS had a choice. The presence of Bill Bowen ,Barbara Anderson and Carl and Barbara Pandelo was already stirring the membership. The WTBTS had to show "muscle" and the lesser of two evils, from their stand point was to take action before the Dateline broadcast. It was a dilemma for them and they reacted accoringly. Think of what they faced if the program "aired" and then they tried to disfellowship these sweet people. It was a dilemma and they chose the "wisest" course just as the religious leaders chose not to answer Jesus about the identity of John The Baptist. Same spirit!
• 

  somebody

  r51785,

  The same thoughts went through my mind immediately after reading that ARoarer was df'd. Although Barbara Anderson and Bill Bowen have not yet been df'd, as Yeru stated, I know it's coming. I can see it.

  Just from reading the article Venice posted here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=27460&site=3

  I spotted outright lies told by JR Brown.

  Can you see anything odd about these two statements he made to the press?

  '

  'What she (Anderson) alleges is not true at all,'' said J.R. Brown,"

  ''We have no idea what she told Dateline,'' Brown said

  How would he know what Barbara Anderson alleges if they have no idea what she told Dateline, seeing as how she has been inactive for FIVE YEARS?

  "although she stopped attending services in 1997 in protest of what she viewed as lax judgment on the part of the international organization's leaders."

  Which leads to your question of :

  Why now?

  In my opinion, you answered that question with this:
  
  

  If Brother or Sister Rankandfile comes up to brother Elder and expresses concern about what he or she sees on Dateline than Brother Elder can tell them that since Bowen and the others are disfellowshipped then the very act of watching them on TV becomes a disfellowshipping offense for the viewer.

  That is what their plan is. And for those who faithfully put their loyalty and depend on WBTS INC. for their salvation, they'll respond to that as if it's the word of God, just as they have been instructed to.

  While the WBTS have no control over truth that is exposed through the media about them, they have control over the minds of all their followers. That is the sad and very unfortunate truth about cults. They can hold the fear of "harsh isolation" from the "the friends" and even from ones own family members over any members who watch the dateline show and speak of their concern over it.

  peace,
  somebody

  edited for using too many commas. I've been hanging out with zev too long!
• 

  Guest 77

  The org.'s expulsion of 'any' of these brave and courageous people will bring a backlash that would be unparalled. The die has been cast.

  Any expulsion would only confirm the truth of such accusations. Public opinion is awesome. They become like an uncontrolled mob. Look at the damage they will inflict on the R&F when they go from door to door. How aboutup and coming open assemblies? Many if not most of the R&F have been kept in the dark about this entire fiasco. They will think they are being persecuted for righteousness sake when they will be taking the brunt of abuse. This is not being persecuted for righteousness sake but sheer ignorance.

  Pedophilia and disfellowshipping are two issues in one, let's not forget it.

  Guest 77
• 

  somebody

  Pedophilia and disfellowshipping are two issues in one, let's not forget it.

  Although they are both being combined because of the circumstances ( and there is a saying to go with that but I can't think of it right now), what you said is so true

  Thank you for the reminder, Guest77.

  peace,
  somebody
• 

  SYN

  I tend to agree with Shid (good grief, your nick is pretty hard to type ), but I doubt they could have done anything at this point without making themselves look like bad guys. They simply chose the lesser evil.

  The fact of the matter is, they're DFing the whistleblowers and hiding their problem.

  That is the crux of the matter here.

  "If men were like their personal ads, they wouldn't need personal ads."
• 

  waiting

  I believe any major corporation does the same thing - try and silence dissent.

  Look at what happened when the cotton mills tried to stop labor unions......slowly, the laborers listened. But the bosses cut their pay, fired them, evicted them,......anything they could to shut the speakers up from talking to others.

  And if others dared listen? They'd lose their jobs, their tin houses, too. They really, REALLY, tried not to listen. The threats were followed through....gotta "make that point."

  But, it finally sank in......the bosses were willing to let them die to make money. So they unionized. Perfect ending? Naaaaaaaaa, but a start. Of course, that was without the nasty little "God'll kill you if you listen" threat that the WTBTS uses.

  waiting