are df, da and apostates still shunned?
are each treated differently?
i heard a secondhand report that they seemed to have eased up on this practice ...
Let's not forget, they are the losers in this game of life - not to be mean. But I refuse to assume the victim / martyr stance.
I am in touch with a family member, secretly. The risk is DF. My parents also are receiving pressure to stay away. Shunning is alive and well in Canada - my immediate family is spread from coast-to-coast, and they all shun.
years ago when i joined this forum we use to meet each other in person and it was nice to talk in person about our background and why we left.
years ago i meet "seattle nice guy" and another guy buy name of arie was his real name he was from spokane wa.
usa.
we all sin and some sins are worse than others but blasphemy against the holy spirit is said to be unforgivable.what is considered to be an unforgivable sin?
Found it, in WT, but it's 2007, so you and I were long gone (unless it's a rewrite) That was weird, ugh.
2 Yes, it is possible to sin against Jehovah’s holy spirit. “Every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men,” said Jesus Christ, “but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven.” (Matthew 12:31) We are warned: “If we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment.” (Hebrews 10:26, 27) And the apostle John wrote: “There is a sin that does incur death.” (1 John 5:16) But is it left to the one who has sinned seriously to determine whether he has committed “a sin that does incur death”?
9. What is blasphemy, and what did Jesus say about it?
9 Blasphemy is defamatory, injurious, or abusive speech. Since the holy spirit has God as its Source, saying things against his spirit is the same as speaking against Jehovah. Unrepentantly resorting to speech of that kind is unforgivable. Jesus’ words about such sin show that Jesus is referring to those who willfully oppose the operation of God’s holy spirit. Because Jehovah’s spirit was at work in Jesus but his opposers ascribed this power to the Devil, they sinfully blasphemed against the spirit. Hence, Jesus declared: “Whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit has no forgiveness forever, but is guilty of everlasting sin.”—Mark 3:20-29.
we all sin and some sins are worse than others but blasphemy against the holy spirit is said to be unforgivable.what is considered to be an unforgivable sin?
smiddy, I don't remember it either. Here's the current teaching ... I went to the site (sry, just threw up a little in my mouth)
... However, a person can become so set in following a sinful course that he will never change his attitude or conduct. The Bible describes such a person as having “a wicked heart” that has “become hardened by the deceptive power of sin.” (Hebrews 3:12, 13) Like clay that has been fired in a kiln and that can never be reshaped, the person’s heart has become permanently opposed to God. (Isaiah 45:9) There could never be a basis for such a person to be forgiven, so he is guilty of the unforgivable, or unpardonable, sin.—Hebrews 10:26, 27.
Some Jewish religious leaders in Jesus’ day committed the unforgivable sin. They knew that God’s holy spirit was the force behind Jesus’ miracles, yet they maliciously said that he got his power from Satan the Devil.—Mark 3:22, 28-30.
what has changed in the last 7 years?
just curious .... 1) do they still shun?
what's the policy on da's, df's and a?.
A few years ago, in December 2011 or 2012, if I recall, they had a WT article that featured 'diseased apostates', and said that we are suffering from a mental illness.
The press was contacted, and a major British newspaper wrote an article. About 36 hours was spent with JWS and exJWS debating the issues in the comments section which is a world forum. It was very exciting, and I think, opened a few eyes to who the JWS really are.
The article made the front page of one of the atheist 'leaders' news ,,, was it Dawkins?
years ago when i joined this forum we use to meet each other in person and it was nice to talk in person about our background and why we left.
years ago i meet "seattle nice guy" and another guy buy name of arie was his real name he was from spokane wa.
usa.
Brent, posts here sometimes, is from that area. It's about midnight, though, so a lot of folks might be sleeping.
I'm gonna try to get into my facebook (have a virus - I killed it, but need some code rewritten, I get 'the Blue Screen of Death" ahaha, that name slays me), and check on the other. I have another good friend out your way, but they are not on the board,
it is a challenge coming to terms with your experience as a jehovah's witness.
if you were born and raised as a jw, and your parents were true believers, the impact on your life is profound, lasting, and largely negative.
in some cases quite abusive emotionally, spiritually, financially, educationally and yes, even sexually.. i recently watched "trumbo", and was quite moved by dalton trumbo's speech to the screen writers guild in 1970. here is an excerpt that i think is quite relevant to this topic:.
Lee Elder
I would agree with all your comments except for the statement that the leaders are victims also , The leaders ARE the Watchtower Society.
And they bloody well know they are not being led by GOD , Jehovah , Jesus Christ , Holy Spirit , or anybody else.
It is well past time when they should come clean and admit they are just another man made religion that started off with good intentions but lost their way, for one reason or another .
smiddy
Agreed. I remember hearing Franz and Knorr at assemblies. Sheeple these men were not. ugh.
years ago when i joined this forum we use to meet each other in person and it was nice to talk in person about our background and why we left.
years ago i meet "seattle nice guy" and another guy buy name of arie was his real name he was from spokane wa.
usa.
There's a few people on board from that area. :)
was told by someone that a receipt article eluded to the fact that satan can cause natural disasters.
i don't see how i could have missed this.
doesn't anyone remember this?
I found one that sounds familiar: "Q&A: Ask a Bible Teacher"
https://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/does-satan-create-natural-disasters/
[bold mine]
All this can be laid at Satan’s feet. I don’t think that means Satan specifically conjures up every disaster, but I do believe they’re the consequence of his destructive work. The fact is the creation is no longer perfect, and the flaws that have been introduced as a result of sin cause storms, earthquakes, floods, droughts and other so-called natural disasters to happen periodically.
If left alone, these flaws would eventually tear the world apart, but before that can happen, God will intervene and restore the creation to its pre-flood condition (Acts 3:21). The indication that this time of restoration is near is that the disasters we’re experiencing are becoming more frequent and are causing more devastation than they have in the past.
so, cra has fixed the glitch whereby they had probably posted the annual return of a small congo.. at first glance, there was disappointment that the gb's begging has been paying off.
so, donations are at an all-time high, up by 10% (line 4500).. more staggering, gifts from other charities exploded to $33.5 million (line 4510).. as a result, total revenue is at a staggering $83.3 million (line 4650).. however, expenses are still high, with supplies increasing by $5 million (line 4891).
(really explains the push to digital, and discontinued publications.).
