Excommunication is good!!!!

by I-follow-the-narrow-path 81 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  jwfacts

  
  I would like to tell you about real life examples.

  There were 40 JW kids I grew up with that I knew well. Of these most got baptised as teenagers. Of those 17 have since been disfellowshipped. So now none of their JW friends that grew up with are allowed to talk to them, and most are never spoken to by their parents. One friend I knew was baptised at 16. At 18 he feel in love with a worldly girl and had sex with her, so was disfellowshipped. He is now 38, still married to that same girl, and has children. His parents never speak to him and do not see the grandchildren.

  A girl on this called crumpet was baptised at 13 and disfellowshipped at 16. She is now 26, and still shunned. She did not know that her sister was married till 2 years after the wedding, and only found out by accident that her auntie had died.

  Does that sound good, normal or Christian?

  I found out that this religion was not guided by God when I was in bethel, at 25. but I stayed going to meetings for 10 more years because i was scared of loosing all my family and friends, so lived for 10 years feeling like a miserable hypocrite. I got married so that I could have sex without getting disfellowshipped (which is the reason so many JWs get married very young) and so dragged my poor wife and 2 step children into the mess. Now none of us are JW's. What this means is that excommunication backfired, as now there are 4 people that are not JWs and not just one.

  Excommunication is misused by the Watchtower Society, as it is by many high control religions, to manipulate it's members. If you would like to know all the reasons a JW can be disfellowshipped, and why it is not supported scripturally please read http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/disfellowship.htm

  This is probably one of the most important things you should know before starting to preach to others, and especially before choosing to get baptised.
• 

  I-follow-the-narrow-path

  I just do not understand, if it is "the faithful and descreet slave" Who are you to judge God?
  No one said living up to Jehovah Gods word easy.
  Please do not give me any watchtower quotes. My father already saw me looking at this site (non JW) and if he found out their were opposers to the religion he might talk to me about NOT joining.
  I just... I want to understand, but... I am confused at what is truth. Or maybe I am just blocking you out... because I am scared that I will give into what you say. I don't want others telling me what is right.
  As for disfellowshipping.. I am sorry... I know it is hard
  But honestly... Jehovah God has his reasons. SURE the Elders are in the decision, but they are higher athurioty.
  Is it not like a child disobeying it's father? Yes, the child questions why, but is it not in the end for the best?
  Please do not take me as heartless... I am not
• 

  KW13

  Listen.

  Firstly, were not stating opinion here and there ARE facts that prove the Society wrong but each time prove God right.

  The Watchtower Society are a high control group, they do NOT play exactly by the rules. IF your shunned by the Society your not in bad standing with God, only these men running it are shunning you.

  God is always there. Jehovah as you call him if like a dad would lovingly correct but NOT ignore. The ignoring is a cult thing, ask around i bet ya. Its to stop other members from finding out why they did something and then following.
• 

  jwfacts

  Narrow,

  the Watchtower claims that holy spirit guides the decisions the F&D Slave and on who should be appointed as an elder and should be disfellowshipped. That just is not true. I know of many sinners that were appointed as elders, the holy spirit did not help with the appointment.

  The thing that got me to realise that JWs are sincere bible students, but not guided by Jehovah was when i was a bethel. A friend of mine in bethel was appointed as a elder. Yet a few months later it was found out that he had been committing adultry for the last 7 years. When his wife was at the meeting he would sometimes pretend to be sick so that he could have sex with another sister in his wifes bed in bethel. Why did the holy spirit allow this man to be appointed an elder?

  Likewise i have know people that did gross wrongdoing for over 20 years before getting found out and disfellowshipped. On another occasion a person was disfellowshipped for something she did not even do. Holy spirit does not lead the F&D slave, and so it is not fair that it can have such power over destroying the lives of families by disfellowshipping people.

  I know you are enjoying your study and finding out about the beautiful bible truths. However, it will be far better for you to come to worship God and love him without joining such a controlling religion. There are other religions that do not manipulate peoples lives like this one does.
• 

  Honesty

  When I refer to teacher I mean a JW I am studying with. I am a only a little over a month in, so I thought I'd learn as much as I could.

  If you are smart you will go to the library and get on the internet and really research the history of the early church. If I had done that, I never ever would have become a Jehovah's Witness. The Watchtower Society takes advantage of the fact that there are a lot of people who do not know the history of the early church.
• 

  luna2

  Elizabeth, the world is full of opinions and men trying to make it look like their opinions and brand of worship have the weight of God behind them. Just because people claim to be God's organization doesn't mean that they really are.

  Check out some of Terry Walstrom's essays. I think you might find them of interest. http://www.cultbuster.info/walstrom/walstrom.htm

  I don't say that Jehovah's Witnesses are knowingly evil but they are self-deluded....many of us here know this from first hand experience.

  I would so hate for you to be sucked into this group, waste years of your life, and come out the end of it emotionally battered and bruised.

  Nobody thinks you are a mean or heartless person. (((Elizabeth)))
• 

  I-follow-the-narrow-path

  Thanks everyone
  I wanted to know (assuming I would go through) I used to be a self harmer (in remission now). Under a lot of stree
  I come out of remission... what if the congregation saw I cut myself. Would they call that a misuse of blood? Would I be disfellowshipped? Can one before baptism get disfellowshipped?
  I totally understand when people say I do not need an organization. But look at it this way
  You have a big project do at school and you can not get it done in the one weekend. So you ask for help (org)
  I am trying to finish the project of getting closer to God... it is not as easy on my own.
  Sure it is possible, but is so much easier and nicer to have others help you.
  PLEASE do not think I block out everything you people say. I don't. I really apperciate it, but it is just a lot to take.
  You critizing the WTBS feels like you attacking God... I don't know why it feels that way. It just does. And those are hard insults to take, but I will try and listen carefully.
• 

  KW13

  Well God is neutral in this. He hasn't picked the Church i go to, he hasn't picked the mormons...he's picked NO ONE. Try not to get offended, were just saying what has happened to us.

  What if for example, the Watchtower Society misguided you on your project (maybe without meaning to) and ultimately you didn't reach your goal because you became occupied pleasing those in the congregation and following "company policy".

  I don't think you'd be disfellowshipped but i wouldn't know for sure.
• 

  Joe Grundy

  Dear Elizabeth

  I am not, and never have been, a JW. I have no personal grudge against them, or flag to wave on their behalf (wrong illustration, perhaps, but I hope you know what I mean). From what I have found out about them, I believe JWs to be a very controlling cult which has caused a great deal of harm and damage to very many people over many years.

  I am not a bible student, a theologian, or whatever, and most JWs (or people of other religions/denominations/cults/sects/whatever) could outquote me easily. But I was a police officer for 30 years (mostly as a detective, and rising to senior rank), and I DO know how to investigate. (I also, sadly, know quite a bit about abuse in all its forms from a professional point of view). I have brought those investigative experiences and skills to bear on JWs, firstly out of general interest in comparing religions and latterly out of concern for some people who I care for. What I have found has concerned me greatly, and what I have read of people's experiences with JWs has made me deeply saddened and angry.

  I regret now that I didn't go to a few Kingdom Hall meetings before I retired. Why? Because having read on this site some of the experiences of children being physically abused for not sitting still, I can promise you that if I had seen such a thing happening two things would have happened immediately. 1. I would have immediately seized the child (as UK law permits) and it would have been taken to a 'place of safety' pending social services intervention. 2. The abuser would have been arrested there and then (handcuffed if necessary) and probably charged with assault. I did this on other occasions in other locations, and nowhere but nowhere is exempt. It is to my shame, and for me to answer for, that I didn't know these things occurred within JWs and so did nothing about them.

  I have a daughter slightly older than you. You have mentioned your Dad. If you have a good relationship with him, can I just suggest that you discuss all of this with him? If he loves and cares for you, his main concern will be that you are happy and come to no harm. Invite him to look at this site with you. Ask him for his advice. He may see things that you don't - you may see things he doesn't. But by discussing issues with someone you trust at least you will perhaps have more confidence in whatever decision you make.
• 

  KW13

  Best advice i've heard, speak to your dad who loves you.