Brazen Conduct

by EmptyInside 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  DesirousOfChange

  From the Shepherd the Flock book:

  Brazen conduct, loose conduct: (Gal. 5:19)

  The Greek word translated “brazen conduct,” or

  “loose conduct,” is a-sel’gei-a. Strong’s Greek Dictio-

  nary uses very forceful terms to define it: “Licentious-

  ess; filth(iness), lasciviousness, wantonness.” The

  New Thayer’s Gree English Lexicon adds to the list

  “unbridled lust, . . . outrageousness, shamelessness,

  insolence.” Another lexicon defines a-sel’gei-a as con-

  duct that “violtes all bounds of what is socially ac-

  ceptable” Rather than relating to bad conduct of a

  somewhat petty or minor nature, “brazen conduct”

  describes acts that reflect an attitude that betrays dis-

  respct, disregard, or even contempt for divine stan-

  dards, law, and authority. Therefore, two elements

  are involved in brazen conduct: (1) The conduct itself is

  a serious violation of Jehovah’s laws, and (2) the at-

  tude os the wrongdoer toward God’s laws is disre-

  spectful, insolent. – w06 7/15 p. 30; w83 3/15 p. 31;

  w73 pp. 574-576

  10. Though this is not an exhaustive list, brazen

  Conduct may be involved in the following if the

  wrongdoer has an insolent, contemptuous atti-

  tude made evident by a practice of these things:

  • Willful, continued, unnecessary association

  with disfellowshipped norelatives despite

  repeated counsel. – Matt. 18:17b; 1 Cor. 5:11,13;

  2 John 10,11; w81 9/15 pp. 25-26

  · Child sexual abuse: This would include fon-

  dling breasts, an explicitly immoral proposal,

  showing pornography to a shild, voyeurism, in-

  decent exposure, and so forth.

  · Continuing to date or pursue a romantic

  relationship with a person though not le-

  gally or Scripturally free to marry, despite re-

  peated counsel and generally after a warning

  talk to the congregation. – Gal. 5:19; 2 Thess. 3:6,

  14,15.

  Yep, it's a "catch all".

  Doc
• 

  konceptual99

  They've slipped this one in. As per the info above it seems to have been first been used with the elders as a way of defining non compliance to the org. It's since started to be used in publications, this weeks WT being a good example. I seem to recall it was refered to in the DC programme as well. Of course you will not find the full definition outside of the Flock book thereby providing the elders with a stick that the R&F don't really know about.
• 

  straightshooter

  "Brazen conduct" replaced the term "loose conduct". In this way the expression points to the seriousness of the offense that they make up.
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  konceptual99

  I agree it is replacing usage of the term loose conduct but there has been no openly published reasoning for this change. I don't know enough about Greek to know if the two are interchangeable in the original language but there is a different slant on the definition both in the English and in the intent to define and categorise conduct of Witnesses by the society. For example, as far as I know marrying out of the lord was not considered loose conduct nor were acts that could be seen as wilful disobedience to a rule. The use and WT definition of the word "brazen" expands the scope of the scripture and what could potentially be brought in as a DF or marking offence. It's usage makes it much easier for elders to discipline one who previously might have escaped sanction as they were just on the right side of the line. The line has shifted sideways.