SBF too true.
Does Disfellowshipping only prohibit spiritual contact with a DF family member or friend?
by Isambard Crater 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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zeb
1974 WT-shunning.
"Each family must decide"
Such a one (parent or grandparent) have a natural right to visit their blood relation and his/her offspring"
15/9 1981 then their was a flip-flop.
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dubstepped
They know they shun totally. They know it looks bad. They lie. Call it "theocraptic warfare", they lie.
This is a great example of the way Watchtower Corporation muddied the waters and weasels around things. It's like how a person is automatically disassociated for doing certain things instead of being disfellowshipped because to DF them for those actions (taking blood, military service) would look bad on them. It's all about keeping up appearances with them and the culture they create through talks and such is often just different enough from the written word because they know what to put in writing and what to then tell you in person.
These things show that they are manipulative and not to be trusted.
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StephaneLaliberte
The position is the following:
The family ties remain intact but no spiritual communication IF THEY LIVE UNDER THE SAME ROOF!If they do not sleep in the same place, family may keep in touch as long as they are discreet about it. JWs who take this choice will not be considered exemplary, and thus, will not have any privileges or be able to retain them. If it becomes common knowledge in the congregation that so and so keeps regular association with his/her disfellowshipped relative, and the family exhibit no shame in it, the brothers may consider this a form of apostasy and force the family to stop all communication, otherwise, face excommunication as well.
As for non-family (aka: friends), they don't have any choice in this matter. If they are caught, even only twice, associating with a disfellowshipped person, they may face a JC for it.
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Sanchy
^^^StephaneLaliberte nailed it. That is the current shunning protocol.
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Vidiot
OnTheWayOut - "...They will show the one thing to government officials and curious people who think they are a cult, that they allow normal family relations and only refrain from spirtual discussions, therefore their work should not be banned and they should not be viewed as an extremist group. Then they will remind members of the other thing- any contact can lead to being misled by Satan's wiles..."
dubstepped - "...This is a great example of the way Watchtower Corporation muddied the waters and weasels around things. It's like how a person is automatically disassociated for doing certain things instead of being disfellowshipped because to DF them for those actions (taking blood, military service) would look bad on them..."
Once again, for the newbies, lurkers, and trolls...
...if you have to cheat to defend your beliefs, your beliefs don't deserve to be defended.
Personally, I've come to feel that if the Org had any real balls, they'd say (the equivalent of) "fuck you, we'll shun ex-members and treat them like shit all we want!"...
...it would at least be honest.
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Vidiot
slimboyfat - "...I have come to think this isn’t a bug of the system but a feature..."
Probably on to something, there.
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I Faded Twice
In my opinion it's like this. They only technically cut you off spiritually. But a good jw only thinks spiritually they have nothing else to say or do that's not jw. So it is basically shunning because they are trained to be nothing except spiritual.
But then again there was the Sam herd talk that compared disfellowshipped people to demons and jah casts out demons.
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Incognito
StephaneL stated it correctly.
JWs are not to even offer a greeting to a DF'd or DA'd person, but when that person is a family member who resides within the same home, then WT stipulates there be minimal interaction and certainly no discussion of 'spiritual' matters.
If the df'd family member does not live in the same home, there is to be no interaction except for when family business is necessary.
When a family member lives in the home, I've heard where some JW families have required the df'd person to eat in another room or at a different time as that person was not permitted to eat with other JW family members. I also understand some parents of a df'd child, have required that child to move-out once reaching 18 years of age (or other age of adulthood applicable to that country).
Often, a person does not need to be df'd to be treated as such as many JWs will provide that treatment to anyone who no longer attends meetings.
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Vidiot
I Faded Twice - "...they are trained to be nothing except spiritual..."
Some constructive criticism?
Maybe consider putting the word "spiritual" in "quotes".
Just sayin'.