by reneeisorym 13 Replies latest watchtower bible
I swear I remember that you can't eat with a DFed person even if they live in the same house. (For example, A JW husband can't eat with his DFed wife)
Did I make this up or is that the truth?
If it is true, can I have a WT article to back it up? I have a JW that doesn't believe that the WT teaches this and I wasn't really 100% sure.
From what I remember, the Watchtower says that normal family relations within the house continue. If a child is DF'd, for instance, they can be required to attend the family study. (How odd would that be?)
It's only once the family member leaves the house that the harsh rules apply, such as restricting "eating and drinking" and limiting all "unnecessary" contact.
Hi Renee,
The rule is that, while a jw lives under the same roof as a df'd person,
they can still eat and sleep with them, but not share spiritual, ie wts
things with them.
Here's something from 15th April 1988 watchtower
What About Relatives?
11 God certainly realizes that carrying out his righteous laws about cutting off wrongdoers often involves and affects relatives. As mentioned above, when an Israelite wrongdoer was executed, no more family association was possible. In fact, if a son was a drunkard and a glutton, his parents were to bring him before the judges, and if he was unrepentant, the parents were to share in the just executing of him, 'to clear away what is bad from the midst of Israel.' (Deuteronomy 21:18-21) You can appreciate that this would not have been easy for them. Imagine, too, how the wrongdoer's brothers, sisters, or grandparents felt. Yet, their putting loyalty to their righteous God before family affection could be lifesaving for them.
12 Recall the case of Korah, a leader in rebellion against God's leadership through Moses. In his perfect justice, Jehovah saw that Korah had to die. But all loyal ones were advised: "Turn aside, please, from before the tents of these wicked men and do not touch anything that belongs to them, that you may not be swept away in all their sin." Relatives who would not accept God's warning died with the rebels. But some of Korah's relatives wisely chose to be loyal to Jehovah, which saved their lives and led to future blessings.—Numbers 16:16-33; 26:9-11; 2 Chronicles 20:19.
13 Cutting off from the Christian congregation does not involve immediate death, so family ties continue. Thus, a man who is disfellowshipped or who disassociates himself may still live at home with his Christian wife and faithful children. Respect for God's judgments and the congregation's action will move the wife and children to recognize that by his course, he altered the spiritual bond that existed between them. Yet, since his being disfellowshipped does not end their blood ties or marriage relationship, normal family affections and dealings can continue.
14 The situation is different if the disfellowshipped or disassociated one is a relative living outside the immediate family circle and home. It might be possible to have almost no contact at all with the relative. Even if there were some family matters requiring contact, this certainly would be kept to a minimum, in line with the divine principle: "Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person [or guilty of another gross sin], . . . not even eating with such a man."—1 Corinthians 5:11.
15 Understandably, this may be difficult because of emotions and family ties, such as grandparents' love for their grandchildren. Yet, this is a test of loyalty to God, as stated by the sister quoted on page 26. Anyone who is feeling the sadness and pain that the disfellowshipped relative has thus caused may find comfort and be encouraged by the example set by some of Korah's relatives.—Psalm 84:10-12.
http://www.quotes-watchtower.co.uk/disfellowshiping.html
I hope that helps.
Here's a link to a scan from the August 2002 Kingdom Ministry article, the Watchtower's latest attack against ex-members in your family:
http://www.randytv.com/howtotreatdf.htm
Paragraph 6 (first page of article) says that normal family relations continue inside the home (including eating).
I wonder where I got that from. I wonder if it was like that at one time.
Don't feel bad, Reneeisorym
JWs flip flop so much on things. In the early 80's, my sister quit talking to me because of their doctrine. I think
it was during the Bethel apostasy scare and some article came out in the Wacktower, and shortly thereafter I received
a letter from her telling me she could no longer talk to me. It destroyed our close relationship. After that, my mother
and father could no longer have the big family dinners we had always enjoyed where we played cards, our children romped
in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard........you know the story. It changed our whole family dynamic from one of being
happy and close even though different, to being distant and cold. It really did a number on my mother. But, then, five
years later I received another letter explaining it was now okay and she wanted a relationship again. But it was never
the same. Today, it is strained and teeters on another brink of total shunning.
I think it's a case of "I can't remember what's 'truth' today."
Sorry...this imeediately brought to mind Larry Craig and his 'wide stance'..comment....sammieswife
renee:
I think it's a case of "I can't remember what's 'truth' today."
neither can the Borg, dear, neither can the Borg Snakes ()
14 The situation is different if the disfellowshipped or disassociated one is a relative living outside the immediate family circle and home. It might be possible to have almost no contact at all with the relative. Even if there were some family matters requiring contact, this certainly would be kept to a minimum, in line with the divine principle: "Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person [or guilty of another gross sin], . . . not even eating with such a man."—1 Corinthians 5:11.
I don't want to hijack this thread, but my family was recently at a relative's funeral and the JW's that were there followed this advice exactly. They came into a restaurant after the service and obviously did not know we would be there. Instead of just turning around and leaving, which is what they should have done IMHO, they sat down at our table (there were about 10 of us there-none JW's or ex JW's only the husband and I). Everyone ordered food except the dad, when their food came, he made his kids move to the table right next to ours. He stayed at our table, but didn't eat. That way they were not even eating with us gross sinners. What a fine witness to the rest of the family!
