Posts by charlie

63

Are you Ex's still Christian?

by joel in

jw
friends

whassup guys.

i've spent most of my web time over the last 2 years at another site full of ex-jdubs...i'd say about 50 people post there on occasion...many of that number regularly.. what struck me from the beginning, as i got to know the people posting there was...how many were now atheists...non-believers in god...the bible...pretty much anything they once held sacred as jw's!.

i dare say...90 some % do not consider themselves christian now!.

charlie

I still consider myself a christian.How could you not. I think some people, when they say that they are Atheists, are looking for attention.

35

Is it Biblical to Shun??

by charlie in

jw
friends

i'm not a witness, but i know one very well and we have had many discussions on various topics.

we would both like to know, however, if it is biblical to shun the disfellowshipped/disassociated?

where in the bible does the society base the practice of shunning or groveling back for a long period of time if a person is sorry and wants to return to the church?

charlie

I'm not a Witness, but I know one very well and we have had many discussions on various topics. We would both like to know, however, if it is Biblical to shun the disfellowshipped/disassociated? Where in the Bible does the Society base the practice of shunning or groveling back for a long period of time if a person is sorry and wants to return to the church? Why can't a brother/sister encourage the person for returning or try to encourage him to keep coming back? Why does he have to be shunned continously until reinstated? Sure a person needs to be punished, but what about forgiveness? Does he still need to be shunned? Sure, the need for caution, in case it happens again, but is the Society so insecure that disfellowshipped/disassociated people will bring down everyone that they can't let anyone talk to them? Or is it a fear tactic to keep people from leaving the church? What if a family member decides not to be a Witness for whatever reason, he can't associate with his family (other than immediate family he lives with) anymore because he might bring down his family? I think that if a person feels brought down because the person is obviously immoral and is hindering his relationship with God (Jehovah)or other Witnesses then he should be the one to cut of the relationship rather than the Society almost demanding that the person shun the other. However, if the Society sees/knows that a problem is arising, then take some action. The Society to me seems to have an awful lot of control over its members. Associating with someone who has been DF'd or DA'd doesn't mean that a person agrees with the behavior or is siding with that person. We deal with people every day in our schools and workplaces, some people we have to spend time with more than our families or fellow Witness, but we don't shun them. They may do wrong and we see it but we still work with them and talk with them. That doesn't show that we agree with their actions. If we participate or maybe don't voice that we think what they are doing is wrong, then it may look like we are siding with them and that is wrong.

But my question: where in the Bible does it say that we must shun the disfellowshipped or disassociated?

Anyway, sorry this is so long and wordy.

2