You will no longer be disfellowshipped for associating with a disfellowshipped person.

by shepherd 40 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  shepherd

  "If members of the congregation are known to
  have undue association with disfellowshipped
  or disassociated relatil'es who are not in the
  household, elders should counsel and reason with
  those members of the congregation from the Scriptures...
  If it is clear that a Christian is violating the spirit of
  the disfellowshipping decree in this regard and does
  not respond to counsel, it may be that he would
  not qualify for congregation privileges, which require
  one to be exemplary. He would not be dealt with judicially
  unless there is persistent spiritual association or
  he openly criticizes the disfellowshipping decision."

  -"Shepherd the Flock of God"- page 116 (bold font added)

  They got rid of Ray Franz after they changed the rules and he was seen eating with his landlord who was disfellowshipped. Now he has died they have changed the rules back again - NO GENUINE RELIGION OF 'TRUTH' WOULD BEHAVE IN THIS UNDERHANDED WAY!
• 

  cameo-d

  And what happens when the Master returns and finds the Shepherd beating the flock?
• 

  Gayle

  is this pertaining to only for "relatives?" only... not necessarily acceptable if it is with non-relatives?
• 

  cabasilas

  I understand what the new Elders' book as saying on this relates only to disfellowshipped and disassociated relatives and only to them.

  If a JW associates with someone (not a relative) who is disfellowshipped or disassociated a judicial committee is likely to form.

  But, not so if a JW associates with a relative who is disfellowshipped as long as there is no "spiritual sharing." However, such "non-spiritual" association with disfellowshipped and disassociated relatives will mean the JW will not be appointed as a elder/ministerial servant or pioneer, etc.

  That's how I understand this statement from the new book. Others?
• 

  brotherdan

  My wife associates regularly with her disfellowshiped mother. I asume that this would apply to her...?
• 

  Lady Lee

  OH gawd Does this mean my mother might actually want to have some kind of contact with me?

  Naaaaa that's too weird even for her
• 

  shepherd

  haha Lady Lee. Yes, this does mention relatives - though how distant they have to be is not discussed. But how could a body of elders disfellowship one who is not directly related and not the other, who is, however distant? It is a minefield and it has no scriptural backing whatsoever.

  Maybe the reason this has been relaxed a bit is because so many ignore it anyway. And that goes for elders, who continue to associate freely with their kids after they are disfellowshipped.
• 

  Mythbuster

  So, a pioneer, who has an adult male child living outside of the pioneer's house, and is in regular association with said son, who is basically disassociated, celebrates the holidays, lived in sin, after baptised, could be removed as a pioneer?
• 

  BabaYaga

  Very interesting indeed, and thank you for sharing this, Shepherd.

  However, I don't think it will change a THING. People have been brainwashed for too long, and this certainly doesn't stand out in any way as being a definitive CHANGE of operations. It is worded vaguely, and I believe it will be glossed over as business as usual.
• 

  Listener

  Hopefully they will bring that out in a publication that all JWs can read.