You have to shun non-disfellowshipped people now?
Says who? I don't recall that being a clear direction and i followed last years convention pretty tight.
New Announcement At The 2017 - DF'd People To Sit At The Back Of The Hall
by pale.emperor 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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dubstepped
@problemaddict - I *think* they did encourage people to shun non-disfellowshipped people that are living "immoral" lifestyles. In other words, there are lots of people that have faded but that lead lives that appear basically "good" from a JW perspective and you don't need to shun them. However, if a person is leading a life that would get them dfed should they go to meetings, then you should shun them. People have taken that admonishment and created "shun non-dfed" people out of it, taking it farther than what was really said. I remember discussions about it back then.
Let's face it though, Jehovah's Witnesses shun anyone they want anytime they want for any reason that they want. Plenty of people never even got baptized and are shunned, people faded or are just inactive and are shunned by family and friends, they are one shun happy organization whether or not it is all officially sanctioned.
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konceptual99
Interesting video SBF - I'd forgotten that one. I think anyone with any experience of attending meetings will recognise that over the years DF'ed people sit at the back. I think that regardless of what the WT says about it not being a rule the practice continues for a number of reasons:
1 - practicality. Coming in and leaving during the song means it's easier to slip in and out when at the back.
2 - reserved seating. Often the back rows and/or the second school (as shown in the video) are reserved for late comers and families.
3 - culture. The rules that are rules even when the WT says they are not rules. The recent beard thing in the WT is another good example
4 - WT subliminal indoctrination. This video is a good example. "We'll tell you it's not a rule but what we show you reflects the age old cultural norm". The same happens time and time again with beards - "we've told you it's ok to have a beard and will not prevent spiritual (aka WT career) progression but we will show men shaving all the time".
As has been said numerous times on the thread, it's all ultimately about control.
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berrygerry
The videos are another step in the progression of ensuring compliance.
The WT studies in our congo spent an inordinate amount of time dissecting the photos, which showed us EXACTLY what we should be garnering from the written material.