Can you be disfellowshiped for reading other religious materials? (page 3)

DesirousOfChange

Being disfellowshipped would result not from reading other information, but starting to raise questions about the accuracy of Watchtower information, which is a natural result of research. ~ jwfacts

From my experience, this is accurate. If you claimed you were reading religious materials to learn how to refute it, that would be acceptable. If you are reading religious material and supporting thoughts that are in conflict with WTS, then that is "apostasy".

Reading COC is apostasy just because Ray was the #1 apostate. You would really have to "wiggle" to get out of that if you were caught with it.

WTWizard

If there is any way it can be labeled "brazen conduct", yes you could get disfellowshipped for it. And it takes merely peeking at some other religion's material and then putting it right back, after they had a talk against such (no matter how long it was ago), and they call it brazen conduct.

EverApostate

I had an elder Friend who had a Koran, just to find faults in it and argue that with the Muslims.

That same elder Harassed me for reading "Crisis of Conscience".

UnshackleTheChains

It seems to be when an individual promotes what they are reading. If you were going round other JW's promoting some other Christian interpretation and were quite adamant, you will quickly draw the attention of the elders.

Knowing their policies inside out. For example, I told my Mrs that I could guarantee her that I would be spoken to if I grew a beard. This I did. Within 3 weeks the cobe pulled me to the back of the hall and had a chat with me as to why it was important to follow the example of the brothers on the platform at assemblies when it came to grooming.

Another time an elder approached me asking if my niece (who was staying with us at the time) was getting serious with an unbaptised brother as the boe were a little concerned. There antennas are always on when it comes to their policies and rules.

jwfacts

I had an elder Friend who had a Koran, just to find faults in it and argue that with the Muslims.
That same elder Harassed me for reading "Crisis of Conscience".

There is great fear of apostate information. A person is unlikely to become a Muslim or Mormon after reading their holy books, but there is a far higher likelihood of them leaving the religion after reading apostate information. It is all about damage control.

I wonder how Maclean would square having other religions' publications sent to you with the strong admonition of not accepting other religions' literature at the door. Sometimes people will say 'I'll take your Watchtower if you will take my literature,' and we were always told to never take it.

There is quite a lot of variance on this topic. Research everything, be like the Boreans, make sure of all things, but don't spend too much time looking into information not actually provided by Watchtower - a typical form of information control.

One of the reasons that we were not to take literature from a householder was so as not to give the impression that their information was of the same value.

Vidiot

paradisebeauty - "Can you be disfellowshipped for reading other religious materials?"

Sure, why not?

Can you be disfellowshiped for reading other religious materials?