In our congregation they used to actually announce that brother or sister X were marked.
does anybody remember "marking?"
by stillin 31 Replies latest watchtower bible
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blondie
LouBelle, are you think of marking or public reproof?
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blondie
*** w81 9/1 p. 20 pars. 18-19 Happy Are Those Whom God Corrects ***The elders have tried to help him, but he persists and may be affecting others in the congregation or presenting a danger to others. The elders can discuss the matter and may assign one of their number to give a firm, direct Scriptural talk on the matter to the congregation. Without mentioning the "disorderly" one by name, the elders may thus be able ‘to shut the mouth of’ such an unruly one.—Titus 1:10-13.
19 Should such a situation exist in a congregation, individual Christians might feel obliged to ‘mark’ the person. Paul explains what this, in part, involves, saying: "Stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed." (2 Thess. 3:14) That would mean your curtailing social involvement with the "marked" person. You should not announce or publicize your private decision, nor try to influence others. But you personally would avoid the company of the "marked" person, in keeping with the healthful counsel given by the congregation’s elders. You would not, though, reject him altogether, for he is still your brother, a fellow Christian for whom Christ died.
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dozy
This could include such things as being grossly lazy or critical, being a profitless talker who is a constant 'meddler with what does not concern him.'
Sounds like most of the JWs I know!
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chickpea
the only "marking"talk i ever heard
was as a visitor at a KH in san antonio....the young-ish elder who delivered the
talk at the service mtg was hot under the collar....
reminded me of a revivalist preacher, he was so animated!a congro member later told us that
the there was an member who was
dating a "worldly" person and likely to marry....
my take is this individual told the meddler
elders exactly where they could stick it..... -
JustHuman14
I do remember "marking" it was so good to see how Jehovah kept the congregation "clean".....
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mindmelda
Marking is never to be done without encouraging and consoling the marked one, according to that scripture. It's amazing how that part is rarely or never emphasized, just the social punishment.
I tend to think discussions of "marking" were dropped for a while because it was confusing to the rank and file. I remember every conversation I ever was in on among Witnesses, there was always some confusion as to whether this was a personal or a congregational thing, and how much avoiding and punishing was involved.
Since the word "disfellowshipping" is made up by JWs and imposed on everything from oral sex to telling an elder to go screw themselves, no one among JWs is ever quite sure just what marking entailed and what the difference between that and "disfellowshipping is". Most regard it as sort of "disfellowshipping lite".
Half the time, they're not even sure what things JWs can be disfellowshipped for, forget "marking". They mostly just live in fear of it all, and the heart stopping "judicial committee meeting".
Also,someone might get smart and notice that "marking" was about as far as Christian congregational discipline in the first century was to go with any sort of ongoing "sin".
And also that it wasn't done by elders or a "judicial committee", but by individual Christians who had noticed that a person among them has spiritual weakness, and instead of being a judgment or reason to shun, it became their obligation by compassion to help the person regain their spiritual balance.
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AWAKE&WATCHING
*sticky note*
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LouBelle
blondie - in our congregation they saw it fit to announce publically who had been marked so that brothers and sisters would know that they were considered as unsavory association. I don't know if they continue to do so though.
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vikesgirl101
About a year ago they had given a marking talk, when I was starting to stray away. I was so hurt because the info that they were giving sounded like what had been MY situation. I was so disheartened because I had been dealt with privately. It felt like they were airing my dirty laundry from the stage. I ran to the Mother's room and cried. Later someone came back and told me that it was not me that they were referring to, but someone else. I didn't feel any better, because I realized how unloving marking someone is.