by JH 12 Replies latest jw friends
When a person is disfellowshipped, no one in the congregation can talk to him. Why is it that in certain circumstances that an elder can talk to a disfellowshipped person? Is there a place in the bible where it says that some can talk to DF'd people and others can't?
Edited by - jh on 26 December 2002 8:58:57
It isn't just elders, elders' wives also talk to disfellowshipped ones in my congregation. These sisters also visit disfellowshipped ones. The whole shunning thing is ridiculous and so cruel and un-Christian that words fail me!
Clearly, the more the congregations ignore shunning and disfellowshipping the better it is for the congregations. Why so? Because shunning and the threat of shunning are the WT's "enforcers" of mind control. The operative word is IGNORE. So, while it is hypocritical, in one sense, for the elder's wives etc. to talk disfelowshipped ones, on the other hand it is a step in the right direction.
Officially, where I live, only the elders on that person's judicial committee can talk to them if it is necessary but not at length regarding getting magazines and literature. If they are interested in being reinstated the DF'd/DA'd person must submit a letter. If in a different congregation than the one they were DF'd in, they should seek out an elder who might be familiar with their situation. Once a year 2 elders may call on them at home to see if they are interested in reinstatement and how to do it, but they are not supposed to go into a 2 hour scriptural encouragement session.
Nobody else is supposed to talk to them except perhaps the attendants to direct them to a place to sit if appropriate or the brothers behind the literature/magazine counters.
So there are some elderettes that think they can talk to DF'd ones?!
Blondie
Whatever the stoooppid rulz are that the WretchTower has established, the JWs who come online here obviously think GAWD doesnt see them in here, talking away DAILY to not only DFd ones, not only DAd ones but (GASP!!) APOSTATES!! With great aplomb, thankyousmellymuch.
I remember being out in service on an EARLY Saturday morning, in fact I remember it was still dark because we were doing AUX that month, and coming across a Shell station attendant who admitted he was DFd when I offered the magazines. He was quite kind actually, but I remember my REACTION...I was horrified, like Id stepped in dog poop in my service shoes. I said, "Um, just a second..." and backed away to the car, where I told the ELDER in the car there was a DFd guy in that BOOTH like the poor man was the Unibomber. The elder then "did his duty" and went and talked to the guy, apparently inviting him back, and when he didnt jump at the chance, the elder got back into the car and was snarling about how far Satan had gotten that loser and he was goat and he was doomed and on and on! I felt so bad years later about that.
Whatever the stoooppid rulz are that the WretchTower has established, the JWs who come online here obviously think GAWD doesnt see them in here, talking away DAILY to not only DFd ones, not only DAd ones but (GASP!!) APOSTATES!! With great aplomb, thankyousmellymuch.
I hope this isn't directed at me, LovesDubs. I'm not worried about God seeing me here. I like the people here. Some day I may be a DF'd one if anyone at my KH figures out who I am. I would like to just leave abruptly but I can't right now but I do have a fading schedule. How DF'd people are treated depends on the congregation you are in and who you are in the hierarchy. It is hypocritical to the max. They are stupid rules that I don't follow any longer, that is why I am here.
Blondie (sorry if I hurt anyone)
So there are some elderettes that think they can talk to DF'd ones?!
A couple of weeks ago a pioneer sister (who's known to be "headstrong" ((gag!) stopped by my office. She knows I'm DA'd and also knew that it was my office. I didn't have the foggest idea why she'd stopped by.
If the spirit of the Christian Greek Scriptures were to be followed (fat chance in the JW's), then each individual would decide who is and who isn't good association. If someone is obviously a troublemaker, then most people might shy away from that individual, except for those in a position to help him/her.
The only direct commands regarding shunning, or turning someone away, involves (1) those CALLED a brother who carry on sin and try to influence the congregation -- 1 Corinthians 5:11, and (2) those who try to bring "another teaching" into the congregation -- 2 John 10. The majority of DF'd and DA'd people do not fall into either of these categories.
The scriptures obviously make no division between elder and publisher, clergy and laity, whatever, in regards to shunning.
The Watchtower publishing company allows their chief sales organizers (elders) to talk to the DF'd person in order to see whether they might want to rejoin the Watchtower sales organization, in order to keep the income rolling in. Otherwise the DF'd person is of no use to the sales organization, and all non-elder members are prohibited from talking to this "unproductive" and so-called worthless individual.
Edited by - Gopher on 26 December 2002 10:36:21
You can also speak with a disfellowshipped person if you have business dealings with that person.
You can especially speak with a disfellowshipped person if you are an elder and you have business dealing with that person.
Go figure
Now ya think that maybe because the elders are chosen by god's spirit that might give them sorta like a safety shield when they talk to us - although it might be only a cloak so if they talk to us too long the apostate influences could seep through
