Living as Christians at the C.L.A.M this week

by Truthexplorer 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Truthexplorer

  This weeks meeting under the section - Living as 'CHRISTIANS', starts off with 'Repentance Makes a difference', which is a talk given by an elder taken from w06 11/15 27-28 par 7-9

  In a nut shell it discusses those who have been disfellowshipped and then show repentance. It then goes on to discuss reinstatement and how a certain amount of time must pass by before this can take place. It makes the following point in the paragraph.

  'A disfellowshipped person is not automatically accepted back into the Congregation after a certain amount of time has passed. Before he can be reinstated, his heart condition must undergo a great change. He must come to realize the gravity of his sin and the reproach he brought upon Jehovah and the Congregation. The sinner must repent, pray earnestly for forgiveness, and conform to Gods righteous requirements. When requesting reinstatement, he should be able to give evidence that he has repented and is producing 'works that befit repentance'

  So effectively , lets just say for argument sake a person is genuinely repentant (similar to the prodigal son) and his or her heart desire is to genuinely 'return back' to God. He or she cries their eyes out before the elders, telling them they are truly sorry for their wrong doing and genuinely wants to do right in Gods eyes again. The following happens:

  Well firstly, there aint no preparing the fattened calf or joyful party for the returned prodigal son or daughter...Nope! Instead they receive a welcome back Watchtower style; which is that the person MUST sit at the back of the hall and be shunned for most, if not more than a year by the entire congregation. No one can speak to them; they cant speak to anyone (such Christian love and encouragement!). They will continue to be shunned until the BOE come to a decision that the person 'is truly' repentant.

  It isn't good enough for such a person simply to have no privileges in the hall, which would be fairer and perhaps more more fitting...nope!; Watchtower goes further than that. The individual will be treated to what amounts to being a proverbial leper for a period of time and then all being well can then and only then, be reinstated back into the Congregation where they can experience the prodigal son style welcome!

  Right after the elder gives this 'loving' talk, the next item is a discussion on the topic 'Forgive Freely?

  OH.. THE IRONY
• 

  Lostwun

  Yes indeed. One of my husbands family members got disfellowshipped for sleeping with a brother she was dating in the same hall. She got disfellowshipped and cut off from her whole family. Treated like a true leper by her flesh and blood while the brother she slept with did NOT get disfellowshipped and the family still kept active communication with him.

  Talk about twisted hypocrisy. Stuff like this is the reason I will never go back!!
• 

  lrkr

  Soooo... that answers my question. Sounds like Service Dept is in charge of this new meeting.
• 

  LostGeneration

  The sinner must repent, pray earnestly for forgiveness, and conform to Gods righteous requirements. When requesting reinstatement, he should be able to give evidence that he has repented and is producing 'works that befit repentance'

  So in theory, if time is not what matters, it could be a matter of a few days right? Oh and what about that quote "works that befit repentance". A little context, because there isn't a scripture there. Turns out its from here, applying Paul's preaching to the nations, not a believer's repentance for sins. These turds will twist the scriptures any which way to forward their agenda.

  19 “Wherefore, King A·gripʹpa, I did not become disobedient to the heavenly sight,+ 20 but both to those in Damascus+ first and to those in Jerusalem,+ and over all the country of Ju·deʹa, and to the nations+ I went bringing the message thatthey should repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance.*+ 21 On account of these things Jews seized me in the temple and attempted to slay me.+

  
  
  
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  WireRider

  I am so confused. The Watchtower is NOT Christian. They think Jesus is just some angel. So how do they get to leap to Christian? They are at best Jewish. Make up their mind. Trinity/Christian - or GOD/Jewish. Pick one. Arius (Watchtower followers) was kicked out of the New Testament.

  When and where did the Watchtower speak to GOD and were certified to speak for GOD? conform to Gods righteous requirements What? When? Where? What gives the Watchtower any right to be in judgement of anyone?

  The very definition of Jesus --> Christ is an acknowledgement of the divinity of Christ. Sooo the Watchtower, like Arius, who was completely kicked out of the New Testament, should be forbidden from using Christ or Christian. To "act" like Jesus - they should call themselves "Jesus-ians". It makes no sense. "We are Christians - but we don't believe in Christ".
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  millie210

  In the original post it is mentioned that merely restricting privileges would be more appropriate than DFing.

  I agree.

  However, the restricting of privileges is a "lesser" punishment used on those who dont turn in enough field service hours or who have less than perfect meeting attendance or who are guilty of some other minor infraction, such as dress, grooming etc.

  Its all about layers and levels of controlling behavoir.
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  Bonsai

  If you commit a grevious error you are subject to public punishment from the body of elders.

  If Watchtower leadership commits a grievious error, they are not punished nor do they face any consequences.

  You must forgive freely and humbly apologize to your brother in order to make peace as Jesus commanded.

  Watchtower never apologizes - for anything.

  Lurkers, do you not see the atrocious double standard here?

  I have never been disfellowshipped, nor have I been publicly reproved, but that double standard made me walk

  away for good.
  
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  Truthexplorer

  I was never disfellowshipped, but did experience a public reproof ( which I now know should have been a private reproof). Having moved halls, I recall having to attend all the meetings including the book study in a state of reproof. The book study was an embarrassing experience. I was not allowed to answer. I experienced 6 months of this AND had attended 'EVERY' meeting in that time. I finally went up to an elder, who pardon the pun, was elderly and whom I thought would show a little empathy and understanding given his experience AND wisdom; someone I thought was approachable. I asked if it was now possible to answer up at the meetings at this point given that I had been attending every meeting for several months. His wonderful spiritually grounded answer was and I kid you not. 'heh...heh...heh... naw...naw...naw....naw..naw' whilst smiling to himself and shaking his head. That wonderful, spiritual, loving, edifying Christian response to my sincere question caused me to stay away from the meetings for another 3 whole years. It is no wonder so many disfellowshipped individuals refuse to go back, knowing the gauntlet they have to go through to be reinstated. It's must be an absolute nightmare for such ones.
  
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  mynameislame

  Now that the end isn't "any second now" they only have one tool in their toolbox to keep people in line. I do think in the long run this is going to be a good thing that wakes a lot of people up.
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  Fisherman

  evidence that he has repented and is producing 'works that befit repentance'

  It means going to the meetings for 6 months or more and to stop what you were doing that got you df. -But the elders look for evidence of God's Holy Spirit