by Englishman 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Should the male members of the congregation, seeing her plight, refuse to aid her, perhaps leaving it up to some worldly person to come along and do so? This too would be needlessly unkind and inhumane. Yet situations just like this have developed, perhaps in all good conscience
This kind of double talk is the big reason I left.
Bullo1 said:
However, do you know of any witnesses with this balanced view ? In simplistic terms, I was taught - "Disfellowshipped person - Evil. Do not even acknowledge their existence. Only the Elders are strong enough to talk with them." And as regards families that have DF'd members - in my own experience, many in the congregation expected my parents to throw me out because I had been DF'd.
This isn't my writing, this is the article as it appeared in the '74 Watchtower.
My parents began to speak with me as a result of this article. my mother still maintains contact because of this and closes her ears to the latest anti-DF persons articles.
It's a useful thing to show any JW family who might be shunning you. It might not result in their re-establishing contact but it might just make them wonder a little.
Englishman.
Xena - beautiful point!!
Hmmm, paragraph 6 makes me think of Kitties post a couple of days ago...
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/7/71929/1.ashx
decent human beings indeed.
Hi Mike,
As was pointed out, that policy was superceded in the September 1981 Watchtower articles. When the article you quoted from was printed, it was during that very short-lived period when Ray Franz was one of the guiding forces in making the society a "kinder, gentler" dictatorship. COs and DOs were "just another elder" in those years, as you well remember. Unfortunately, the WTS quickly realized they were losing their iron grip on their members, and reversed gears. During the 1981 Bethel Massacre(tm), the WTS again decided to clamp down and HARD.
It's interesting how "Jehovah" can be forced to change His mind due to circumstances created by humans, huh?
Farkel
When the article you quoted from was printed, it was during that very short-lived period when Ray Franz was one of the guiding forces in " dictatorship. making the society a "kinder, gentler
This was the article that made me walk away from the CRAP that is the WT .Due to a family situation and being a good "DUB" I had shunned my own Mother. This was "NEW LIGHT" Shunning of close family now going to be a personal decision.The elders were to have no say in close family relationships.
I,like a good "DUB" did not jump out to embrace my Mother at once but "studied carefully" all the wisdom of the "faithful and excrete class"
I came to the conclusion that this was indeed "new light"and began a limited relationship based on this new light.I do believe also that Ray Franz was at least part author of the article and this was an attempt to put a kinder gentler look to the BORG.
Along came 1981 and the jack boot NAZI way of treating your relatives.When this new info came out it was the week of a visit from a CO.I was so insensed by this crap that had just come out that day that I could not wait. I was at the KH early with all the info and confronted him before the meeting.
Nothing was accomplished.The bottom line was that no matter what changed you followed it without question. It was not up to us to question the almighty slave ??? class.
A further meeting took place at my home about a week later where I was urged not to question these new teachings but to "WAIT ON JEHOVAH"and accept what I could.
I saw through them completely at that point and severed my ties.I have never regreted DISCARDING this filth that pretends it is truth.It is now 22 happy years without the fear of the big "A" hanging over my head.I also get to sleep in on sat and sun mornings.
"If members of the congregation were to see such a one walking such a long distance to the meeting place and had space in their automobile to accommodate her, would it not be the humane thing to assist her?"
How on earth did people get by before such teaching was revealed ?
Along came 1981 and the jack boot NAZI way of treating your relatives.
We knew a couple whose only daughter was df'd then. They maintained a distant but cordial relationship. When this article came out, they wrote the daughter and in effect said "buh-bye."
The daughter went on to raise her own family and establish herself in a good career. Her mother died a slow, agonizing death from cancer just a few years after '81 (no one told her daughter until she was virtually on her death bed and, of course, the daughter didn't fly home for the funeral). Her father has Alzheimer's, can't remember his name, and has been forced to leave his home of 40 years and move thousands of miles away to live with relatives he doesn't recognize half the time.He is, according to mutual friends, quite miserable there (when he's lucid, anyway).
What's that scripture? Oh, yeah: "By their fruits you will know these men." That's it.
Good for the daughter............I would not rush back to help them either if they shunned me for relgion's sake. They made their own bed.
When this article came out, they wrote the daughter and in effect said "buh-bye."
The same thing happened with my family.When the 81 article came out my wife,without so much as mentioning it to me wrote a letter to my Mom to sever the little relationship she did have with her. Not once did she ever question the flip flop in doctrine. Her only need was to obey the dictates of the faithful and excrete slave class?
