by zound 17 Replies latest jw friends
I have heard assembly experiences where the general theme was that an indivudal was disfellowshipped and because of the shunning policy realized that they needed to come back to the congregation.
The disfellowshippings were never apostacy, usually some kind of sexual non-compliance.
These experiences were set up to justify family shunning of the wrongoer, and not about finding the way back from apostacy.
Sometimes the WT conjuresup an expereince, or uses one from 30 or 40 years ago about de Df-ed person coming back for reason of being shunned. Usually, it involves transgression of a sexual nature. Nothing about being apostate ( which is actually disagreeing with the WTS for good reason)
Cheers
Borgia
Nope, never heard anything along those lines. I guess the reason is it's impossible to "unknow" what you learn as an apostate unless, of course, you are just pretending for sake of family.
Cedars
Even if an "apostate" XJW did sincerely want to go back (for whatever reason), I'm pretty sure the WT heirarchy would instruct his local BOE to find some reason not to reinstate him.
They wouldn't want to run the risk of having him around knowing what he knows.
Phizzy: I guess once you know the truth about the WT's false teaching, lies and corruption there can be no going back.
And yet we know from many posters here that "apostates" can and do get reinstated just for the sake of family. I guess Holy Spirit is OK with that and figures the elders don't need to know.
In the Walsh Case, F.W. Franz spoke about sin against the flesh vis-à-vis sin against the holy spirit. Whereas you can repent and be forgiven for sin against the flesh (which would include immorality, greed, and other things due to the imperfect nature of the flesh), you can never be forgiven for sins against the holy spirit. Presumably that would include apostacy. I would say that it would depend on the level of the apostacy involved. If you got DFed for believing in other doctrines and later recanted your views, you might have a path back. But if you disseminated your 'apostate' views via mediums such as books or online media, you possibly have 'deceived' many and you carry the bloodguilt of them listening to you, falling away from the JW's, and are ultimately responsible for their deaths.
Desirous of Change. ....you have hit very close to home for me.
I was visited recently by an 80+ yr old Brother. He was genuinely concerned about me. I told him that I was very upset about all the people I taught things to, while I was pioneering, serving where need greater and as an. Elder, that we no longer believe is truth.
One time I was asked by the Org to represent our Circuit as the News Service Overseer to go on TV and give short presentation of our beliefs. I based my comments on Luke 21. I told this Brother that everything I said on that program WE NO LONGER BELIEVE! That really bothers me.
I went a little further and even asked: "Doesn't it bother you that we told people so many things that were not true?
He said: "You are just more sensitive than I am I guess."
It is hard for me to get over the anger. However, this Brother is very sincere and he walks the walk of a zealous JW. It would probably crush him if, at this point in his life he were to learn TTATT.
bildad: He said: "You are just more sensitive than I am I guess."
What a second! As JWs, we made/make a very big deal of the "fact" that we had/have the truth and no other religion does!"
Sensitivity has nothing to do with it.
