Is this a new practice of the org or just certain elders wanting to throw their weight around? We had received a phone call from a once mennonite man turned joho and he was upset. The elders for three years in a row have hounded him not to partake. Last year him and his wife were yelled at and given a stack of printed papers straight from the org stating why you wouldn't partake. (young punk of a new elder)
Then this year he had a young elder who has only been in the religion for no more than five years (when they made him an elder he was nineteen and had only been a joho for two and a half years) come up to him before the memorial started and told him that he shouldn't partake. On the following Sunday meeting this man gave that elder a hand written letter letting him know he has no intentions of ever stopping. Next meeting he was hauled into the second school with two elders. The young one Andy told him that he was just doing his job as an elder and should be respected and feels very strongly that he should not partake. The other elder said he would have to hate to disfellowship him. This man said go ahead that there were plenty of other churches out there that will take him. The elder asked him if he would really want to go back to the teachings of hell fire and pagan worship. He told them that they are the ones that want to get rid of him and so he will leave that up to them.
He also told the elders that there is only one hope and not two. He does not believe that there is a heavenly hope nor an earthly hope but only one and that is you have to be born again, that everyone goes to heaven.
This couple are eighty-three years old. For the last three years they have been keeping the passover in their home. Right after the memorial they go home and redo it so his wife can partake of the bread and wine. Another elder walked passed him last Sunday and shook his fist at them telling him to smarten up.
If the number of anointed isn't important then why is this sweet couple being treated like this? We are so glad that we got out if people are being treated this way. Just never heard of this and wondered if this is standard treatment in all congregations now.