Reading 'apostate' sites? - Can you be disfellowshipped?

by Zico 15 Replies latest jw friends

  • sir82
    sir82
    "A householder told me I didn't know history well. He says that the temple was destroyed in 586, not 607 BCE. I haven't been able to find any sources for 607 yet. Can you let me know where a good resource for him might be?"

    Elder's answer: "A source for 607 BCE? Why, the Insight Book, of course. Why would you consult a worldly source? They don't respect the Bible."

    Answer to original question: Just for reading a website, by itself, no, you won't get disfellowshipped. But, as others have pointed out, it will 100% certainly lead to questions whose answers, if not "correct", will lead to your disfellowshipping.

    And if you point others to an apostate site...buh-BYE!

  • LennyinBluemont
    LennyinBluemont

    Reading apostate literature is NOT a disfellowshipping offense. Sharing what you have read with other JWs IS a disfellowshipping offense. (This is assuming the prosecutors elders abide by the Society's directions.) Example: The elders here have known for at least 3 years that I have read apostate literature, but no action has been taken. A little over a year ago, at her urging, I shared a bit about the UN with a "sister" I had known for 25 years and trusted implicitly in her assurance that anything I told her would remain strictly confidential. She then turned me in. The wheels have turned slowly here, but last week I had a phone call from two elders who want to talk to me regarding a judicial matter. Your mileage may vary.

    Uncle Lenny

  • No Apologies
    No Apologies
    Reading apostate literature is NOT a disfellowshipping offense.

    Technically this may be true. But as you noted, "your mileage may vary" and the fact of the matter is that if it becomes known that you are reading apostate literature, you can be about 95% certain you will be called in front of a judicial commitee, and DFing is a very real possibity barring very liberal and/or lazy elders or an exorbitant display of "what was I thinking, how very foolish of me to ever even glance at such evil evil material!!!" on your part.

    No Apologies

  • Confession
    Confession

    No Apologies is right. If the elders counsel you on viewing "apostate websites," and discover you have continued to do so afterward, they may very easily decide that your not accepting counsel in this area is evidence of a wicked and unrepentant heart. DeeEffaRoony...

  • rolling rock
    rolling rock

    You could also say that an old school friend(who rememberd that you where a JW) sent you some info and links vai email that you read and wanted to know if it was true... Like the UN deal ECT... One thing is forsure tread lightley...

  • bebu
    bebu

    Glad to say something helpful!

    rolling rock, that's a good spin too. Wanting to help people out, and especially people we know from the past, we are forced to look at their objections. If the JW friend says to ignore the person or their question, I think it would be appropriate to answer, "if we've got the truth, there is going to be something available to help him see where we are right. I like this person, and would like to see his objection answered so that he can follow Jehovah." Mention blood guilt or something like that, especially since "the end times are so close"--right?

    What's the point of going door-to-door if no one really planned to help anyone come into faith??

    bebu

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