July 15th 2006 Watchtower 'Questions From Readers'
If you don't mind, I'm only going to type this out a few paragraphs at a time so I'll keep updating it as we move along if there's interest in this thread.
Can a person be disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation for engaging in uncleanness as he can be for fornication or loose conduct?
Yes, an individual can be expelled from the congregation if he unrepentantly practices either fornication, some forms of uncleanness, or loose conduct. The apostle Paul cites all three of these sins along with other disfellowshipping offenses when he writes: 'The works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct...I am forewarning you...that those who practice such things will not inherit God's Kingdom.'
Fornication (Gree por-nei'a) applies to illicit sexual relations outside Scriptural marriage. It includes adultery, prostitution, and sex relations between unmarried individuals as welll as oral and anal sex and the sexual manipulation of the genitals of an individual to whom one is not married. A person who unrepentantly practices fornication does not belong in the Christian congregation.
Loose conduct, denotes ' liscentiousness, wantonness, shameless conduct, lewdness of conduct. The New Thayers Gree - English Lexicon defines the Greek term as 'unbridles lust,...outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence.' According to another lexicon, loose conduct is a form of behaviour that 'violates all bounds of what is socially acceptable.'
As the foregoing definitions show, 'loose conduct' involves two elements 1) The conduct itself is serious violation of God's laws and 2) the attitude of the wrongdoer is disrespectful, insolfent.
Therefore, 'loose conduct' does not refer to bad conduct of a minor nature. It pertains to acts that are serious violation of God's law and that reflect a brazen or boldly contemptuous attitude - a spirit that betrays disrespect or enven contempt for authority, laws and standards. Paul links loose conduct with illicit intercourse. Since Galatians 5 :19-21 lists loose conduct among a number of sinful practices that would disqualify one from inheriting God's Kingdom, loose conduct is grounds for reproof and possible disfellowshipping from the Christian congregation.
Uncleanness, is broadest of the three terms rendered 'fornication' 'uncleanness' and 'loose conduct'. It embraces impurity of any kind - in sexual matters, in speech, in action, and in spiritual relationships. 'Uncleanness' covers a wide range of serious sins.'
I'll stop there for now. The rest is just as interesting. I'll type out the rest if anyone is interested. It is really fascinating how the Elders JUDGE a person in this article.