Greeting a person(who was removed from the congregation) at the Kingdom Hall now becomes a matter of conscience

by RULES & REGULATIONS 20 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  The Watchtower—Study Edition | August 2024

  Help for Those Who Are Removed From the Congregation

  14 Does what we have considered mean that we would completely ignore a person who has been removed from the congregation? Not necessarily. Certainly, we would not socialize with him. But Christians can use their Bible-trained conscience in deciding whether to invite a person who was removed from the congregation​—perhaps a relative or someone they were close to previously—​to attend a congregation meeting. What if he attends? In the past, we would not greet such a person. Here again, each Christian needs to use his Bible-trained conscience in this matter. Some may feel comfortable with greeting or welcoming the person to the meeting. However, we would not have an extended conversation or socialize with the individual.

  

  The Watchtower lawyers are at it again. Relax the rules and regulations of the Watchtower Society so that they can show government authorities that they are not an extreme religion and not loose their religious funding.

  After relaxing the dress code for men ( no suits and ties ), woman can now wear slacks, members do not need to fill out a Field Service Report and men can grow beards.

  Now the Watchtower Society have decided ( exactually the lawyers ) that if your Bible-trained conscience allows it, you can greet or welcome a disfellowshipped at a Kingdom Hall meeting.

  '' IN THE PAST, WE WOULD NOT GREET SUCH A PERSON.'' What a long way the Watchtower Society has come from the days a disfellowshipped person walked in the last second, sat in the back row of the Kingdom Hall and left as soon as the prayer ended.

  All these new changes are not ''Bible-trained conscience matters'', nor ''praying to Jehovah for new light'', but financial matters set by Watchtower lawyers.
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  Beth Sarim

  This is all a legal ploy in attempt for the Borg to look like a gentler religion.

  As they attempt to appeal the Norwegian ruling next February.

  Disfellowshipped or removal from the congregation has the same outcome on the person that is shunning.

  Turfing the disfellowshipping name makes it appear the Borg is attempting to be less punitive & kinder. Same results though.
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  LongHairGal

  RULES & REGULATIONS:

  Yes, all these changes are probably as a result of the JW lawyers advising them.

  I was reading a Reddit post where somebody said some CO told an elder to reinstate as many disfellowshipped (um ‘removed’) people as they can.

  The religion must be hurting with so many leaving! It didn’t seem so long ago that they were eager to disfellowship people from the religion.. They arrogantly imagined somebody was going to come crawling on their belly to come back. Meanwhile twisted idiots with an axe to grind would withhold reinstatement from somebody they didn’t like. They were playing ‘God’ with people’s lives.

  Now they are begging people to come back! Years ago banks would offer free gifts as an incentive.🤣 Just kidding but you get my point.. The religion needs some ‘rice Christians’ to fill the empty seats there!
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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  This is all a legal ploy in attempt for the Borg to look like a gentler religion.

  Yes, all these changes are probably as a result of the JW lawyers advising them.

  
  

  Question Box

  ● In view of our understanding of 2 John 9-11 as discussed in The Watchtower of August 1, 1974, would there ever be circumstances that would allow for a disfellowshipped person to attend a meeting held in a private home?

  Generally speaking, disfellowshipped persons are not invited to meetings held in private homes. The Organization book (page 174) said: “A disfellowshipped person is not prohibited from attending meetings in the Kingdom Hall open to the general public as long as he conducts himself properly. None will greet him, of course, and he may not attend any meetings held in private homes.” This is true concerning those who are ‘pushing ahead’ and do not “remain in the teaching of the Christ.”
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  Vidiot

  “…In the past, we would not greet such a person…”

  A more accurate statement would be, “…In the past, you would be forbidden from greeting such a person…”
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  NotFormer

  'A more accurate statement would be, “…In the past, you would be forbidden from greeting such a person…”'

  But the new kind and gentle WT never controlled or dictated behaviour within the congregations. 🙄 Those stoopid worldly governments keep trying to hold the leadership accountable! 😱
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  blondie

  Yes, you can "greet" them, the WTS says after they have changed their meaning of greet with a reference to a scripture used before to support not greeting them. Typical WTS ploy.
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  Beth Sarim

  ""Let us not run ahead of the 'organization chariot' and speak to the disfellowshipped victim more than we have to"" !!!

  
  
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  Dave500

  Paragraph 4: "When an unrepentant wrongdoer is removed from the congregation, an announcement is made to inform the congregation that he is no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses."

  They have always called them 'unrepentant wrong doers'.
  

  So as long as they are repentant, they are not disfellowshipped (removed) right?
  That means that all of those people who were disfellowshipped in the past were "unrepentant".

  They were glad they did what they did and would do it again. No regrets.

  Yeah right!

  (Luke 17:4) Even if he sins seven times a day against you and he comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
  

  Check out the article "Disfellowshipping in the Early Congregations".

  http://da.getmyip.com/pdf/Ramblings/Disfellowshipping%20in%20the%20Early%20Congregations.doc

  :^)
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  enoughisenough

  So the d f goes back to the meeting and some will say hello...big deal...would that really be encouraging if they knew they were only putting on a show of mercy. If the GB hadn't given permission, they wouldn't even look at the person. ---which ever way the wind blows, the sheeple will follow their 9 headed god.