I would assume that some or a good number of us here as normal humans in this society - consider " lawless " actions to include murder , robbery, extortion, rape, child abuse, war , terrorism, etc. The WT society has their OWN definition of what's considered " lawless ". Anything that's considered a disfellowshipping offense in the Jehovah's Witnesses is now considered " lawless ".
In the Feb. 15th WT once again the WT society uses a word " lawless " and proceeds to beat rank and file Jehovah's Witnesses over the head with it through guilt and fear tactics to convince JW's NOT to associate with allegedly " lawless " DFed ones. On pg. 31 paragraph 15 it states, " Do we share Jesus' view of those who have become set in their LAWLESS course ? We need to give thought to these questions : ' Would I choose to associate regularly with someone who has been disfellowshipped or who has dissassociated himself from the Christian congregation ? What if that one is a close relative who no longer lives at home ? ' Such a situation can be a real test of our love of righteousness and of our loyalty to God. " So initially here - WT society is laying the groundwork saying NOT to socialize with DFed or DAed ones as they are " lawless ".
Next- they make it more personal. It continues in the next paragraph, " Consider the experience of a sister whose adult son at one time had love for Jehovah . Later in life, however, he unrepentantly chose to practice LAWLESSNESS . Hence, he was disfellowshipped from the congregation. Our sister loved Jehovah, but she also loved her son and found it extremely difficult to apply the scriptural command to avoid associating with him. An elder helped her to realize that Jehovah understood the pain she felt. The brother invited her to think about the pain Jehovah must have experienced when some of his ANGELIC SONS rebelled. The elder reasoned with her that even though Jehovah knows how painful such a circumstance can be, he REQUIRES that unrepentant sinners be disfellowshipped. She took the reminders to heart and loyally upheld the disfellowshipping arrangement. " O.K. It's important to note here that this elder used mind control tactics to INFLUENCE the mother to not associate with her DFed son. By comparing a DFed person to an " angelic son of God ( or demon ) " that rebelled - the elder is using FEAR and GUILT to impress upon the mother the alleged seriousness of NOT associating with her DFed son. It's an insidious , manipulative way to control the JW mother. Sick, in my opinion.
In finality the next paragraph drives the point home to other JW's. It states, " By cutting off contact with the disfellowshipped or dissassociated one, you are showing that you hate the attitudes and actions that led to that outcome. However, you are also showing that you love the wrongdoer enough to do what is best for him or her . Huh ? Your loyalty to Jehovah ( i.e. WT society ) may increase the likelihood that the disciplined one will repent and return to Jehovah. " Translation : If you kick a person enough when he or she is down and they lose ALL their friends - they will have no OTHER alternative than to return to Jehovah's Witnesses and tow the line under WT society control !
So I find in this that the WT society is doing what ALL cults do by requiring members to NOT have contact with former members of their cult by use of fear and guilt tactics . Bottom line is the WT society doesn't want JW's being influenced by TRUTHFUL information that DFed or DAed people may bring to them. so they scare rank and file JW's $hitless thinking these DFed ones are " lawless " or " evil". In reality JW's or DFed or DAed ones should probably shun WT governing body members who allow lawlessness INSIDE their organization by failing to DF child molesters or turn them into police as child abuse is considered a " lawless " offense in our normal society. But NOT inside the Witnesses. The things the WT society considers priorities are very unacceptable and skewed.
Nuff said. As always I look forward to your takes and observations on this mind controlling information assaulting Jehovah's Witnesses today. Thanks. Peace out to all, Mr. Flipper
