If disfellowshipping was to be done away with, aside from the authorities that should be informed of child abuse so it may be dealt with legally, how should these one`s be dealt with within the congregations?
disfellowshipping
by Sabin 7 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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Island Man
Disfellowshipping does not have to be done away with. Shunning has to be done away with.
A disfellowshipped person should simply have his status as one of Jehovah's Witnesses revoked, returning him to being just another member of the public lacking all the privileges in the congregation that only baptized and unbaptized publishers are permitted to have. Additionally a disfellowshipped person should also be treated as a marked individual who is on reproof.
Where I am, a JW on reproof cannot comment at the meetings and is associated with less, by some JWs. But he is not shunned. I think that is how a disfellowshipped person should be treated.
But beyond that I think the whole criteria for disfellowshipping needs to be revised. The whole idea of elders trying to discern the repentance of an individual based on his words and body language is foolish. A person who commits a serious sin once and isn't continuing in it should not be disfellowshipped, period.
Disfellowshipping should be reserved only for those who persist in the serious sins that 1 Corinthians 5 mentions.
A JW who commits pedophilia should have a lifetime ban on having any authority in the congregation - even if he is reinstated as a JW - and all in the congregation should be informed of his status as a sex offender.
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Quarterback
Yes, I agree with you, Island Man -
truthseeker100
Island Man your suggestions indicate that you think the WBTS can be reformed into a kinder gentler org. I think the WBTS is like the Third Reich , SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DESTROYED!!! -
Diogenesister
@truthseeker100 Island man has a good point because wbts wont be destroyed and so harm reduction is the way to go. It would improve the quality of life for many members of this forum for a start. -
Deltawave
Disgellowshipping isn't the problem as many who I have known to be Disfellowshipped have done something pretty bad, cheat on their wives, get girls pregnant then ignore them and split up families or start abusing drugs etc.
So many of these people are ones I would choose not to have close association with anyway. However I do not and can not for the life of me comprehend why such ones are totally shunned. Especially inside the kingdom Hall. The kingdom Hall should be the one place where we are ALL equal in the sight of God. And not having close association with a person doesn't mean you have to shun the with the extremist behaviour that prevails the congregations today 😕
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Vidiot
sabin - "If disfellowshipping was to be done away with..."
...at least two thirds of the rank and file would walk.
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Sabin
Deltawave, so what your saying is that it should be a conscience matter that each individual should make their own choice wether to associate with some-one.
Islandman disfellowshipping & shunning go hand in hand, they wont have one without the other. 80% of JW`s love it until it`s them of corse.
Truthseeker, your right I don't believe they can be reformed into a more kinder org. Their nuts.