From: Big Ray
Date: Mon Apr 17, 2000 8:44am
Subject: Re: inactive publishers who post
I would say that it is not for us to conduct a witch hunt for individuals who are inactive or disfellowshipped. There simply is not much of a way to determine that without getting mired in the personal lives of peple who will not welcome that. The point is, are they behaving on the board?
Now...
If it comes to light that a disfellowshipped person is associating with us, we then investigate to authenticate, and then inform the poster by email that their posting priviledges will be revoked and a brief announcement on WOL will be made that this individual has been disfellowshipped, and in accord with Bible principles, we uphold the disciplining technique of avoiding contact with this person. That's the part that we have in upholding that principle.
As far as an inactive one is concerned, they aren't disfellowshipped, so we should not treat them as such. We encourage them to get as much help as possible, or if we have time, we encourage them as much as we can. As long as they behave in posting, there isn't much hard administration that we could do without having to go ona witch hunt for all manner of inactive ones and to tell the truth, there may be quite a few. Some are using the Internet to find their way back to strength while others are using it to help with their circumstances in that if they see others with similar problems who have conquered them because they really uphold the field ministry, the meetings and it's preparation, prayer, and association with the friends at the Kingdom Halls... then they will be influenced for the better. We have all seen the praise for Gert's efforts with the Daily Text... people need us, and even the inactive ones need us.
So, the principle should be, as long as we don't know their circumstances, we assume that they are in good standing.
Jehovah will reveal to us the troublemakers and unsavories... and disfellowshipped ones are included. Once identified, we take action.
On that note, I do have to inform you that it is official that the poster Irene Beni( [email protected]) from Wit.net, a sister from Hutchinson, Ks, is now disfellowshipped. So look out for a female by the name of Irene, although I don't think she is hanging with us anymore. There is however, a brother in the Filipino forum that goes by the name of Irene... so don't be too quick to shoot him.
That is all for now...if you have any further comments, let me know....