What the Org Teaches #5 "God's" Law on Shunning is Flexible For Elders!

by The Searcher 7 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • The Searcher
    The Searcher

    All J.W. parents are forced by the Org to regard their disfellowshipped children as if they were dead, non-existent - even if their child was in dire straits. How do such J.W.'s feel when they hear that it's OK for elders to try and encourage disfellowshipped ones back to the Org, but they can't?

    What the Org Says: km 8/02 p. 4 par. 12 "Cooperating with the scriptural arrangement to disfellowship and shun unrepentant wrongdoers is beneficial. It preserves the cleanness of the congregation and distinguishes us as upholders of the Bible’s high moral standards. (1 Pet. 1:14-16) It protects us from corrupting influences."

    e.g. - yb91 pp. 53-54 - "A publisher in Norway was calling back at a house where previously no one was home......As he was leaving the house, the householder with his family arrived........The publisher was invited in and then was told by the wife that she had been disfellowshipped several years earlier because of smoking. Now she wanted to come back to the congregation, but she believed it would be difficult because she had been away for so long. The brother, who is an elder, advised her on what steps she had to take."

    w91 4/15 p. 23 pars. 13-15 - ".....there may be disfellowshipped or disassociated ones who would respond to a merciful approach made by the shepherds. But how might the elders handle this matter? Once a year at most,...... the body of elders...........would focus on those who have been expelled for over a year......it is appropriate, they would assign two elders to visit such an individual. No visit would be made on any who evidence a critical, dangerous attitude or who have made it known that they want no help.—Romans 16:17, 18; 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:16-18. The two shepherds could telephone to ask about making a brief visit, or they could stop by at a suitable time. If the person is interested in returning to God’s flock, they could kindly explain what steps he should take, such as reading the Bible and publications of the Watch Tower Society and attending meetings at the Kingdom Hall. These elders will need wisdom and discernment to determine whether there is indication of repentance...... After the visit, the two would give a brief oral report to the Congregation Service Committee. They, in turn, would inform the body of elders at their next meeting."

    But What Does the Bible Really Teach? According to Jesus Christ, disfellowshipped ones were to be treated the same way as if they were "an unbeliever and a tax collector", (Matthew 18:17 - Holman Christian Standard Bible) namely, not to regard such ones as close friends or associates but as people whose way of life was not aligned with Christianity. Jesus never uttered the word 'shun' once! Jehovah's Witnesses don't shun unbelievers & tax collectors, do they? What Bible verses or "principles" allow elders to talk to disfellowshipped ones with impunity, whereas non-elder J.W.'s could face being disfellowshipped for doing the exact same thing with the same motives?

    If a disfellowshipped J.W. lives at home, "God's" law doesn't apply, but if they move out and into a house across the street, they must be treated as a dead person.

    Surely "God's" command must be obeyed to the letter by everyone!

    Of course the reply will be that an elder's faith and knowledge will be strong enough to enable him to talk to an ex-J.W., but a J.W. who is not part of the appointed-men class would be far too weak and gullible to do so. Evil & perverse dogma.

  • Divergent
    Divergent
    No visit would be made on any who evidence a critical, dangerous attitude


    LOL! They can't handle dissent!

  • pale.emperor
    pale.emperor

    Cant wait till they try and visit me in a years time. I'm saving up all my negative energy to tell them to fuck off.

  • Listener
    Listener

    Agree totally The Searcher.

    Is the shunning principle greater than the 'necessary family business' principle or not and how do they decide? When all involved are independent adults why is there even an exception for necessary family business?

    There are situations where a mature woman would be more suitable in discussing issues with another female than any Elder and there could be no scriptural principle prohibiting this policy, specially if it was instigated at the direction of an Elder.

    When it comes to policies like shunning, I don't doubt they come up with ideas that they think will benefit the organization the most and then find bible scriptures to fit, no matter how loosely they might relate.

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    In case you've forgotten, let's review: It's a cult!

    Doc

  • poopie
    poopie

    Good points but they are Pharisees until.they change there thinking and really show love to All they will swallow gnat gulp down camel they no its wrong but it feels so good to be wrong and no one human to answer to but many of the annointed know that this is extreme and yet they will not change unless Jesus forces them to we have written similar letters tons of them but they are Pharisees and hypocrite s at this time can they change yes but they will have to admit they have ruined famileys lives there not ready to do that some will die off younger ones will replace them and maybe they will have courage to change.

  • Truthexplorer
    Truthexplorer

    Excellent post

  • Sevan
    Sevan

    Except that Matthew 18:17 is not about disfellowshipping at all. It is about resolving a personal conflict. It states, "If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you (singular) just as a man of the nations and a tax collector." Also, the passage states to bring the matter before the whole congregation, not a secret star-chamber of 3 elders, and then only after all the previous options had been exhausted.

    This is something the Witnesses never follow. Never once does Jesus mention expelling or disfellowshipping in that passage. It is not even about that. Excommunication was something practiced by the Synagogues of the apostate Jewish nation, not something Jesus ever endorsed.

    Just another example of the JWs perverting Scripture to suit their own ends. They are much more like the apostate Jewish nation and the Scribes and the Pharisees than they are anything like Christ Jesus. Jesus was a true revolutionary of his time and in many ways still of our time.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit