California Sunshine,
This may help you. Several months back, I forbade my 12 year old son from attending meetings anymore since he was told he had to shun his two friends because the “the society said so”. I challenged my wife, “a full blown dub” to produce anyone that could overcome the scriptural arguments I presented below. They sent the PO. He was smart, he was their best; but he was unable to do so.
The first thing to remember is that Witnesses are not really Christians in the true sense, they are more like Jews, they like being under law and will always try to use Old Testament proof texts. Strait off I told this Elder that we are not under the Law of the Jews and that I will not listen to any Old Testament arguments that undermine the teachings of Jesus. If he wants to use them as a reference, fine, but the New Testament is the final word. He agreed to this. Here is what I presented; I hope it can be of some use to you:
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The point of this writing is to demonstrate by way of scripture that the Watchtower Society's current shunning doctrine and practices do not adhere to the Bible and this is why I am at odds with this practice of shunning.
The primary scripture for consideration is:
But now I am writing you to quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man.--1.Cor. 5:11 (NWT)
The text is clear that a person with whom the congregation should not mix company is one who is:
1) "called a brother" (that is, one who professes to be a member of the congregation); and
2) practicing fornication, greed, idolotry, reviling (insulting), habitual drunkeness, and/or extortion (theft).
The scripture mentions only these serious wrongdoings, however, Jehovah's Witnesses do disfellowship and shun people for the following reasons:
No longer claiming to be called a brother/sister.
Independent study and discussion of the Bible that brings Watchtower doctrine into question.
Possession of literature written by former members.
Having lunch, dinner etc. with a former member, even if the former member professes to be a Christian and was not disfellowshipped for fornication, greed, idolotry, reviling, drunkeness, or extortion as the above scripture outlines.
Authorizing for a minor in one’s care or one’s self a blood transfusion, provided the components of this transfusion are not on the approved list of minor components.
And numerous other actions never mentioned in scripture, but deemed by the congregation elders to be "unclean conduct," or "conduct unbecoming" of a Jehovah's Witness, smoking is such an example. Therefore "conduct" in this case covers a very broad range of actions not defined by scripture and thus leaving it to the discretion of the congregation's elders. As a result, standards by which people may be disfellowshiped are inconsistent.
Now consider this portion of the scripture sited below:
"Not to be mixing in company with" . . . "not even eating with . . ."
Here it is important to learn the customs of association for worship practiced by first-century Jews and Christians, bearing in mind that Jesus and the apostles were Jews. They lived according to the Jewish lifestyle and customs of their day. Jesus taught in the synogogues; hence, he was called "Rabbi." Matt.26:25; 26:49; Mark 9:5; 11:21; 14:25; John 1:38, 49; 3:2, 26; 4:31; 6:25; 9:2; 11:8
There were two kinds of association for religious worship:
1) public meetings, such as at the temple and in synogogues, which anyone was allowed to attend; and
2) private gatherings of the different sects.
Christians and Jews participated in both. Christians, met in private homes, usually over a special meal with prayer. A presiding minister hosted the meal using either fellowship funds or personal funds. (Acts 20:20; see the footnote in older editions of the NWT)
Christians were instructed to "greet" one another with a kiss. (Rom.16:16; 1.Cor.16:20; 2Cor.13:12; Ti.3:15; 1Pet.5:14) When Paul sent his "greetings" in a letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, he requested that the "brothers" be greeted by a "holy kiss" on his behalf. (1Thess.5:26)
If you recall, it was by this sign that Judas betrayed Jesus. (Luke 22:47,48)
Clearly, Paul did instruct Christians to expel from the congregation's fellowship any person who was purposely practicing willful sin. The disassociation would quite naturally exclude them from being greeted by the identifying "holy kiss," as well as not being allowed to share in meetings and the meals for Christian worship and prayer. However, Paul's instruction did not prohibit normal conversation or witnessing to former members. Nor were they barred from attending worship in the temple or the synagogues. Jesus, the apostles and Paul, along with the rest of the Jews, worshipped God both publicly in the temple and synagogues, and privately with small groups in various homes. (Acts 5:42) It was from the private Christian fellowship for worship that sinners were excluded.
Now what of 2 John 10,11?
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him. For he that says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works.--2 John 11 (NWT)
FACT: The above scripture is not about people who have been expelled from the Christian congregation. When read in context, it is about anyone who "does not bring this teaching" [of the Christ]. Because they held congregation meetings in their homes (which might be little more than a dug-out or tent outside the city walls of Jerusalem), in their culture their neighbors might view inviting a non-Christian into the home as the Christian sharing worship with non-Christians
Jehovah's Witnesses, while shunning disfellowshipped or disassociated persons, do not prohibit them from attending the congregation meetings at their Kingdom Halls. Yet the congregation was specifically where Paul instructed Christians not be be "mixing in company with" disfellowshipped sinners.
If the scripture at 2 John 10 were observed literally by Jehovah's Witnesses, they would be obliged to never invite anyone other than a Jehovah's Witness in good standing into their home, or ever speak a greeting to anyone other than a Jehovah's Witness. Does this make sense?
How did Jesus say one expelled from congregation should be treated?
Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, in order that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations ['Gentile' in some translations] and as a tax collector.--Matt.18:15-17 (NWT)
The instruction was to bring up the matter of sin first between the two individuals alone. Then, if the sinner would repent, there was no need to carry the matter further. If the sinner was not repentant, then one or two others should be sought for witnesses. If the sinner remained unrepentant, only then, as a last resort, should it BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION and not privately with the "elders as is now the practice.
If, after all that, the person still would not listen, he should then be treated the same as Gentiles and tax collectors. In other words, Christians were to treat former members just like anyone else who was not a member of the congregation. To be treated like a "man of the nations" (which is to say, a Gentile or foreigner). This is far removed from being shunned. Jewish people worked with, associated with, transacted business with, and preached to Gentiles. As for "tax collectors," Jesus ate and associated with them. Matthew was a tax collector. Tax collectors were not popular, but they were not shunned.
Note the example Jesus presents us with: "Next, while passing along from there, Jesus caught sight of a man named Matthew seated at the tax office, and he said to him: "Be my follower." Thereupon he did rise up and follow him. Later, while he was reclining at the table in the house, look! many tax collectors and sinners came and began reclining with Jesus and his disciples. But on seeing this the Pharisees began to say to his disciples: "Why is it that your teacher eats with tax collectors and sinners?"
Hearing [them], he said: "Persons in health do not need a physician, but the ailing do. Go, then, and learn what this means, 'I want mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners."---Matt 9:9-13 NWT
Conclusion
There is no basis in scripture for mandating that Christians must totally shun former members (that is, to have no communication or conversation with them). The instruction is very clear to expel them from the congregation to keep it clean but to treat them like anyone else who is not a member. To go beyond what the scriptures teach, no matter how well intentioned is simply wrong!
I believe I have adequately demonstrated by way of scripture that the Watchtower Society's current shunning doctrine and practices do not adhere to the Bible and the example of Christ, and therefore that is why I myself will not adhere to this practice. I truly believe this is a destructive and divisive policy and practice. Further I will not let children under my care be improperly influenced by what I consider an abhorred and un-Christian practice and therefore I will denounce this practice both publicly and privately as necessary for their protection.
freeman
