The Fall Guy - if it's in the family home, no shunning takes place.
That's what they say in print but it happens regardless. It's a horrible experience to be shunned in the family home.
Current 2018 outlines ca with br says do not communicate with apostates or Df ones
by poopie 15 Replies latest jw friends
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Listener
That's what they say in print but it happens regardless. It's a horrible experience to be shunned in the family home. -
poopie
So it appears to be a contradiction.
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BluesBrother
Methinks it is a statement that did does not dot all the i's and cross the t's ... I reckon they would mean in context any apostate or d/f'd one outside of your own household. You would not need to contact anyone at home by social media...
As I understand the situation, if an adult is in that state and lives at home as part of your family then you continue living as a family , just not discussing " spiritual things". If he/she is a minor then parents are still responsible for his training and upbringing . I am sure they have said that they may 'study' with him if they can.
Incidentally, the families I have known that have d/f'd adult children at home certainly did not kick them out or come under any pressure to do so....Of course, times change but I have not heard it said that they must.
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blondie
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2001723#h=16:0-24:714
When a Minor Is Disfellowshipped
12. What responsibility do parents have toward a minor who lives with them but who is expelled from the congregation?
12 What if a minor who lives with his parents gets involved in serious wrongdoing and because of his unrepentant attitude is expelled from the congregation? Since the child lives with his parents, they are still responsible for instructing and disciplining him in harmony with God’s Word. How can this be done?—Proverbs 6:20-22; 29:17.
13. How may parents try to reach the heart of an erring offspring?
13 It may be possible—indeed, it would be best—to give such instruction and discipline during a private study of the Bible. A parent must look beyond the child’s hardened attitude and try to see what is in his heart. What is the whole range of his spiritual sickness? (Proverbs 20:5) Can the tender part of his heart be reached? What scriptures can be used effectively? The apostle Paul assures us: “The word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and their marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Yes, parents can do more than simply tell their offspring not to get involved in wrongdoing again. They can try to initiate and nurture the healing process.
14. What is the first step an erring youth should take to restore his relationship with Jehovah, and how can parents help the child to take that step?
14 An erring youth needs to restore his relationship with Jehovah. The first step he must take is to “repent . . . and turn around.” (Acts 3:19; Isaiah 55:6, 7) In helping the youth in their home to repent, parents must ‘keep themselves restrained under evil, instructing with mildness’ the child who is not favorably disposed. (2 Timothy 2:24-26) They need to “reprove” him in the Biblical sense. The Greek word rendered “reprove” can also be translated “give convincing evidence.” (Revelation 3:19; John 16:8) To reprove, therefore, involves showing enough evidence to convince the child of the sinfulness of his course. Admittedly, doing so is not easy. Where possible, the parents can appeal to his heart, using all means Scripturally appropriate to convince him. They should try to help him to appreciate the need to “hate what is bad, and love what is good.” (Amos 5:15) He may come back to his “proper senses out from the snare of the Devil.”
15. What part does prayer play in restoring an erring one’s relationship with Jehovah?
15 In restoring one’s relationship with Jehovah, prayer is a must. Of course, no one should “make request” concerning blatant sin that is clearly being practiced unrepentantly by any individual once associated with the Christian congregation. (1 John 5:16, 17; Jeremiah 7:16-20; Hebrews 10:26, 27) Yet, parents can ask Jehovah to give them wisdom to deal with the situation. (James 1:5) If a disfellowshipped youth gives evidence of repentance but does not have “freeness of speech toward God,” the parents might pray that if God finds a basis for pardoning the child’s error, that His will be done. (1 John 3:21) Hearing these prayers should help the youth to see Jehovah as a merciful God.*—Exodus 34:6, 7; James 5:16.
16. How can we help family members of minors who have been disfellowshipped?
16 If a baptized youth is disfellowshipped, the congregation members are expected “to quit mixing in company with” him. (1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 John 10, 11) This may eventually help him to ‘come to his senses’ and return to God’s protective fold. (Luke 15:17) Whether he comes back or not, however, members of the congregation can encourage the family of the disfellowshipped youth. We can all look for opportunities to show “fellow feeling” and to be “tenderly compassionate” toward them.—1 Peter 3:8, 9.
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konceptual99
I don't think there is anything to made of the WT statement beyond the obvious. It's the same old admonition to keep away from DFed ones and apostates.
There is no contradiction with the situation in a family, it's just a broad statement. They don't need to qualify it with a "except when the DFed person is in the family home" statement. 99% of Witnesses will take it in the context it's meant. Any Witness that is shunning family members in their own home is already not following the WTS directions (which is clear as per Blondie's post) so any qualification means nothing.
There's no need to twist the statement into a perceived contradiction either intentionally or unintentionally. There's enough ammo in the whole shunning arrangement to shock most sensible people as it is.
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scratchme1010
Current 2018 outlines ca with br says do not communicate with apostates or Df ones
Seems like they just keep going back and forth with that crap. How about ex-JWs set real, healthy boundaries and stop letting the WT dictates whether they can talk to their loved ones or not.