by amarantha 40 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
They haven't announced WHY for many years.
They just recently stopped announcing that someone is DF'd or DA'd just that they are no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
It's a legalistic organization; no surprise it is hard to keep up with their adjustments.
Blondie
Welcome Amarantha! Wish you much luck in your difficult situation. I faded many years ago, have attended other churches, celebrate holidays, vote etc., but my active JW sister has not been shunning me nor have any elders tried to contact me. I think it's because my sister moved out of town years ago, and though she knows I celebrate holidays--she has no info about me attending other churches which is why I think she doesn't shun me. I'm also assuming that she has contact with me because we are the only siblings taking care of my elderly father, I have a feeling when he passes away she won't want to have much to do with me unless it's to preach to my kids.
If a JW joins another religion, the WTS/elders considers them to be an apostate unless they repent, remove their name from the religion officially.
That is really news to me. Now that brings up a question. Apostacy, as defined as speaking against jws, has been said to be unforgiveable. Yet a person who becomes an apostate simply because he/she joined another religion is allowed to be forgived if repentant?
Amarantha, to give you idea of my experience (which surely differs from others' experiences), I left approximately 17 yrs ago (can't remember exactly). I didn't do anything proveable against jw rules for several years after that. For about the last decade, my jw mother has been well aware I have celebrated holidays, had idolatry items in my home, spoke against jws to her, lived with my fiance, thrown out jw literature in lobbies, ordered jws off my property, and joined another religion. She is well aware of all these things. In fact, she attended my wedding which was performed by a priest. (I consider myself an athiest, but she thinks I'm catholic.) No action has been taken because I'm not a member any longer.
woo-hoo
Just noticed I have only 6 more posts to go before I hit 1000. I must have too much free time.
Since the WTS feels they are the only true religion, all others are false and joining another religion means you advocate false religious teachings.
Onacruse, who posted on JWD, said he was DF'd for apostasy and later reinstated. Apostasy is not a permanent barrier evidently to being reinstated.
The important thing is to go by what is written in the WTS and the 2 quotes I gave show that joining another religion is considered apostasy by the WTS.
I can think of 12 people over the years who did that; all labeled as apostates unofficially. Nobody came back (smart people).
Blondie
My head is spinning even more now, after re-reading the article below. I see they are using the word unrepentant but don’t get what they’re trying to say. Is apostacy forgiveable or not, according to this?
Watchtower 1982 April 1 p. 27 Survival or Destruction at the "Great Tribulation" ***
6 Now, the Bible definitely shows that some end up in the symbolic Gehenna before the 1,000-year Judgment Day begins. Jesus told the unrepentant scribes and Pharisees that they and their Gentile proselytes were 'subjects for Gehenna' or, literally, 'sons of Gehenna.' (Matthew 23:15, 33-35; see also John 9:39-41; 15:22-24.) If even a proselyte of the Pharisees became a subject for Gehenna 'twice as much so as themselves,' how much more so Judas Iscariot, who made a heinous deal with them to betray God's Son! Jesus implied this when he called Judas "the son of destruction." (John 17:12) Similarly, unrepentant apostates go, at death, not to Sheol, or Hades, but to Gehenna. (Hebrews 6:4-8; 2 Peter 2:1) The same is true of dedicated Christians who persist in willful sin or those who "shrink back." (Hebrews 10:26-31, 38, 39) These are merely examples to show that some, even in "this system of things," have committed the sin for which there is no forgiveness, not even in the system of things "to come." (Matthew 12:31, 32; compare 1 John 5:16.) They will, therefore, not be resurrected.
Aren’t they saying that willful apostacy is unforgivable? If we’re talking about joining another religion, that’s always willful, so wouldn’t that make it unforgivable?
My spell checker keeps stopping at apostacy because it’s not a real word! Ha ha!
Keep under the JW radar for as long as you can and if they do find out you should be glad that it became publicly known that you are not part of this destructive cult.
If apostates stay unrepentant until death, then it is to Gehenna according to the WTS.
As a group, the religious leaders were consigned to Gehenna as apostates against God's Son. Yet, they were able to repent and come back. A perfect example is the apostle Paul who was Pharisee who persecuted Christians and stood by in approval when Stephen was stoned to death. Yet Jesus appeared to him and Paul turned changed and went on to be one of the better known followers of Christ.
Blondie
These elders who decide who can or can't be disfellowshipped are skating on thin ice. They may have the 'power' to boot you out of their organization, however they don't have the power to keep you from the kingdom of God. Why should you fear these leaders? It is not them which brings you salvation, neither can they judge your heart....only the Lord has this decision. These elders take it upon themselves to be your judge...how patronizing (condescending) is that for a 'teacher' of scripture? To exalt themselves by this manner is placing their own salvation in danger from the wrath of God. They sincerely believe they have the truth, but the truth lies not with the word of man, but in the power of the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart.
Thanks Blondie!
