Protect The Flock Letter From 1980

by Bangalore 77 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • alice.in.wonderland
    alice.in.wonderland

    "Thanks for posting these.

    They prove quite false the claims of Alice/Consfearacy, and if I recall correctly Djeggnog, that one has to to be actively seeking to lead others away from the congregation by preaching contrary doctrines before one can be DF'd as an apostate:

    "A person would be disfellowshipped for trying to proselytize inside the Kingdom Hall or using connections with witnesses that are not elders, relationships they formed after Baptism to proselytize or press counter doctrines for destructive purposes...As for ex-communication, a person doesn't get disfellowshipped for... disagreeing...They get disfellowshipped for taking an active stand against the organization."

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/197624/2/High-Control-Groups

    Not that we needed such proof, seeing as many here have been DF'd for simply disagreeing with the Sociey, without trying to 'proselytize', but it helps to shut the mouths of lying Watchtower apologists.

    (I had to click on images and select 'open in new tap' to see them)"

    It proves nothing towards that end. For starters the integrity of the document is in question as to whether it has been tampered with. You may try falling back on something official that is actually in use by the organization.

    w86 10/15 p. 31 Questions From Readers

    What is the fitting response of the congregation if someone leaves the true Christian faith and joins another religion?

    One dictionary defines apostasy as “renunciation of one’s religion, principles, political party, etc.” Another says: “Apostasy . . . 1 : renunciation of a religious faith 2 : abandonment of a previous loyalty.” Accordingly, Judas Iscariot was guilty of a form of apostasy when he abandoned the worship of Jehovah God by betraying Jesus. Later, others became apostates by deserting the true faith even while the apostle John and other early disciples were alive. John wrote: “They went out from among us, but they were not of our sort; for if they had been of our sort, they would have remained with us.”—1 John 2:19.

    What is to be done when a similar thing happens today? The elders, or shepherds, of the congregation might learn of a baptized Christian who has ceased associating with Jehovah’s people and who has apparently become associated with another religion. In harmony with Jesus’ words about being concerned about any stray sheep, the spiritual shepherds should be interested in helping such a person. (Matthew 18:12-14; compare 1 John 5:16.) But what if the shepherds designated to look into the matter determine that the person no longer wants to have anything to do with Jehovah’s people and is determined to remain in a false religion?

    They would then simply announce to the congregation that such one has disassociated himself and thus is no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Such a person would have ‘abandoned his previous loyalty,’ but it is not necessary for any formal disfellowshipping action to be taken. Why? Because he has already disassociated himself from the congregation. Likely he is not trying to maintain contact with his former brothers so as to persuade them to follow him. For their part, the loyal brothers are not seeking fellowship with him, since ‘he went out from them, for he was not of their sort.’ (1 John 2:19) Such a disassociated person who ‘has gone out from us’ might begin to send letters or literature promoting false religion or apostasy. That would underscore that the individual definitely ‘is not of our sort.’


    Getting back to the letter, if someone believes counter doctrines that are diametrically opposed to what the Bible teaches, why would they be associating with Jehovah's Witnesses? If a person believes all the doctrines taught by orthodox Judaism for example, why would they be in a Kingdom Hall if they reject Jesus as the Messiah? Or why would I be in a Jewish synagogue if accept Jesus as an authentic prophet of God? As long as I kept what I believed to myself, nobody will know about it, but when I start communicating what I believe with others, problems will develop in either place of worship. For the most part, people don't do this sort of thing in other religions, but people have attempted to inject information that is counter to what the Bible teaches into the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses so the matter has to be given due attention.

  • blondie
  • blondie
  • sherah
    sherah

    Thanks for posting these letters, the GB are truly the thought police. Thinking, speaking and acting contrary to GB teachings are what makes one an apostate according to the WT not just joining another religion.

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia
    Getting back to the letter, if someone believes counter doctrines that are diametrically opposed to what the Bible teaches, why would they be associating with Jehovah's Witnesses?

    It really isn't that hard to see it's not as simple as that. How about an 18 year old who was baptized under pressure from parents at age 13, but who has come to realize that many of the things she formerly had believed as a young child are not in fact true? Or a 50 year old who has believed a given JW doctrine all his life discovering that it has been changed in the latest Watchtower. Some people can't change their beliefs at a drop of a hat because -- get this -- they actually believe what they believe. Or others come to a realization that what they had believed was wrong.

    So why would they be associating with Jehovah's Witnesses? Usually, because they already have been, often for the bulk of their lives. The JWs embody more than a set of compulsory beliefs but embrace a whole social structure: family, friends, business contacts, etc. JWs are supposed to be "separate from the world", so many JWs live their lives in the congregation and don't have any support elsewhere. People usually don't want to lose their families, their friends, their livelihoods. The problem is: the Society makes it very hard for a person to leave the organization without losing all of this (via shunning), and at the same time, it makes it very hard for a person to remain as a JW without giving up their beliefs. All "official" teachings by the Society, no matter how arbitrary or ill-founded, are compulsory.

    As long as I kept what I believed to myself, nobody will know about it, but when I start communicating what I believe with others, problems will develop in either place of worship.

    First of all, you seriously cannot expect a person in a difficult situation like this to keep their beliefs to themselves. All JWs are expected to preach regularly, as well as take part in the meetings and so forth. One usually does not like to feel like a hypocrite, and teach things that he or she doesn't believe. And a person who has come to realize that the "truth" may not in fact be true may need to talk things through, not to "convert potential apostates" but to get these loadsome things off one's chest or to hear someone else's perspective. I was in this situation myself, and I realized that I could never talk about these things with others without be seen as an apostate or someone with "apostate tendences". So I did as you recommended, I kept it to myself. And when the elders, concerned about my inactivity and silence and lack of participation in the service work and meetings, asked me directly if I had issues with the teachings, I had to lie and deny that I did, for I knew that if I did, things would not turn out well for me. I am glad that I was able to discretely leave at the time I did (by simply moving away), which quietly put an end to that dilemma. I don't think I could have persisted much longer in that situation without affirming what I actually believed.

    And many Christians I know have no problem with plurality (or uncertainty) of belief in a place of worship, who promote freedom of thought and stimulating discussion and debate.

  • laverite
    laverite

    Awesome post, Leolaia.

  • alice.in.wonderland
    alice.in.wonderland

    I've observed Jehovah's Witnesses get the silent treatment from friends and relatives simply because of becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses. In 30 years I have had no friends that have been disfellowshipped for apostasy. I never read information from opposers until the internet. I took the information and showed it to the elders at my Hall. They encouraged me not to read it, but there were no warnings about anything relating to being disfellowshipped. I've at times e.mailed information from here to lifelong witness friends and family:

    http://www.cuttingedge.org/

    When I was in my late teens and early twenties I'd go to various nightclubs with other kids raised as Jehovah's Witnesses that abused alcohol. The elders had something to say about it but none of them were disfellowshipped. I've seen various ones go missing from the meetings. Many more times than not it's because they don't want to be there. If the elders call on them and they tell them they no longer believe in it, there will be no announcement made.

    It's only normal for a person to disclose their sincere beliefs but mingling in contemporary society has taught me to have some reservation about using friends and family as a network to press religious and political viewpoints if they don't agree.

  • brotherdan
    brotherdan

    Uh oh...Malice has made her entrance. Time for everyone to leave. :-( That probably happens to her alot.

  • brotherdan
    brotherdan

    Actually Alice, I'd like to get your opinion on this post:

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/198172/1/Counting-time-on-JWN

  • sabastious
    sabastious

    Alice, kindly stfu.

    -Sab

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