Talmudic law - made by and for people who are biblically not supposed to be rigidly Talmudic.
You will no longer be disfellowshipped for associating with a disfellowshipped person.
by shepherd 40 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Open mind
My wife would have been willing to hang out with my DFed brother about 6 months earlier in her awakening process if the new Elder Book had been in force back then.
While she was a still-believing JW, she was willing to look the other way on me associating with him since I had shown her what the old Flock Book said. She was quick to pick up on the key word that has since changed: "CLOSE" relative.
She said something along the lines of "Well, he's your brother, but I don't think the elders will consider a Brother-In-Law a "close" relative. They could still DF me for associating with him." And I think she was probably right.
om
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BabaYaga
Om said:
"Well, he's your brother, but I don't think the elders will consider a Brother-In-Law a "close" relative. They could still DF me for associating with him." And I think she was probably right.
How can any person of sound mind hear these words and not see that they are a deranged, mind control cult?
That being said, I think she was probably right, too.
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Gayle
I think this tidbit is more for the GB to deny that they have such a rule for JWs not talk to relatives DF'd. They are being exposed globally for this despicable shunning within JW families. Now they have many countries banning JWs for this behavior. They want to impress Russia, the European Union and NGOs of U.N. that they are not so bad that way. They will say, in their true historical nature, "we (GB) did not say that, 'some' members took that upon themselves." (As in their 1975 lie)
But I don't think that they clearly 'print' this out to their members in literature for the rank & file. They don't want their members to get this rule so clearly as they fear it would grow into a big problem for them. And it would!!
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Open mind
Baba Yaga:
"How can any person of sound mind hear these words and not see that they are a deranged, mind control cult."
The cult messed with all of our heads. Especially born-ins like my wife and I.
The opening line of Star Wars springs to mind:
A long time ago, in a galaxy, far, far away...
It's only been about a year since my wife fully awakened, but looking back at what we did as JWs seems like we're observing bizarre strangers.
So glad we've moved on.
Gayle makes an excellent point. For the most part, nothing has changed with the JW shunning policy. The message the R&F hear is still as ruthless as its ever been.
om
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undercover
"If members of the congregation are known to
have undue association with disfellowshipped
or disassociated relatives 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 italic theirs)
If you read this straight from the book, the bold, italic is as shown above. I think this paragraph is aimed at family that continue to associate. I don't think it really changes the rules for the entire congregation.
It will be interesting to see what notes get added in the margins after the elder's schools take place, though.
Hopefully someone will share that info...
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undercover
The old elder's book references elders to the WT magazine of September 15, 1981 on how DFd people are to be treated. Nothing stated in the new book trumps the 81 WT.
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Sam Whiskey
Same as Lady Lee said, Now I gotta worry about family trying to contact me?
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Scully
Careful.
The WTS is making more and more issues a matter of voluntary Disassociation™ by the person's actions.
Just like they don't DF you for accepting a blood transfusion anymore (or smoking, for that matter) - you will be announced as No Longer One Of Jehovah's Witnesses™. No Judicial Committee™, no meeting with the Elders™ - just wham bam thank you ma'am, you are Disassociated™. They don't even have to let you know that they announced it.
I'm pretty sure it was announced that I am No Longer One of Jehovah's Witnesses™ within the last couple of years. I was seen at a grocery store by a hard-ass JW couple around this time two years ago. My crime? I was wearing a poppy on my coat.
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aquagirl
Oh,Cool!!!!!Now Ill be able to hang out with all of those amazing,brilliant,kind,interesting Jehovahs Witnesses that I know,without them getting in trouble.Let the party begin!!!!Oh,wait.No.I must know SOMEone like that,right?Huh.Guess not.So I guess it really does not affect me that much.Dang,too bad they waited till after my Dad died.I think they used to love trying to bully him around for his association w/me.They suck.I hate the witnesses,and from now,I wont even give them a second more of my time,except to slam the door,or veer onto the sidewalk.opps! Did I just say that?lol
