Is there a better way than disfellowshipping? (page 2)

Amazing

Former Adventists have told me that their DFing is very much the same as the JW style, especially when it comes to apostasy. Although it is a little more difficult to get DF'd and not everyone is as rigid about total shunning. I think it is good that the Canadian Adventists are changing this, but what about the USA where they are headquartered?

barry

Blondie I have a URL for you its quite a big page and its 3/4 down the page. http://www.tagnet.org/adventist.fm/news1.htm All this stoning, I preferr a small bag of gravel myself makes the stoning last longer. Adventists dont practice shunning of removed members they are treated with respect the whole point of the resolution at the General conference was to remove all negative implications. In fact Ive only seen someone disfellowshiped once for fornication and the person asked for their membership to be dropped but many members felt she should not be disfellowshiped and wanted to refuse her request. After all arent we all sinners every day and didnt Jesus forgive the woman who commited adultry. Adventists have dissidents as big as Ray Franz who cant be disfellowshiped because the local church they belong to wont disfellowship them and they are seen as true christians even though they dont follow the company line. I actually respect people like that more because they take a stand .
Barry

Edited by - barry on 25 July 2002 10:32:48

barry

Ray Franz sorry

barry

Dear Amazing,
The meeting in Toronto Canada was the general conference of SDAs and is reconized by SDAs worldwide its a hirearcical system like the JWs. Shunning in the SDAs is news to me also in the churches Ive been a member there have allways been different groups Traditionals, Evangelicals, Brinsmeads [a group who follow Robert D Brinsmead an Australian} even groups that are Arian[beleive that Jesus was a created being the same as the witnesses} while most SDAs beleive in the trinity. So my question is who would be Apostate?
Barry

Mary

The Governing Body will NEVER get rid of Disfellowshipping......NEVER.

To them, it's THE most effective way to keep control of everyone's lives and there's no way they'll ever give that up. Think about it:

If you were no longer disfellowshipped for questioning them and alot of their ridiculous interpretations of the scriptures, then what could they possibly threaten you with? If you didn't have the threat of being cut off from all your family and friends if you decided to go public with your knowledge about pedophiles in the congregation, then probably even more Witnesses would be coming forth.

What I find interesting, is that they use the scripture that says: Let him be as a man of the nation, or as a tax-collector."

HEL-LOOOOO.........Jesus ATE with the tax collectors, he never shunned them!! Where the hell do they get that you're not supposed to speak to these people???

Gopher

Gumby,

I appreciate your post. When I was talking about "informing their consciences", I was not talking about referring to specific people, but rather about good teaching in general. If people should get anything from a religion, it should be reminders about general principles about love, generosity, etc.

I was just struggling with what role, if any, a religion could play. Since we're stuck with the fact that there are religions out there -- they're not going away any time soon. Too often they serve to control, confuse and divide people -- which is why after leaving JW's I prefere to remain unchurched personally.

Gopher

Mary,

You are absolutely right. The JW's rule through fear and guilt. Take away DF'ing and the associated enforced shunning, and they lose their major control tactic. (How loving a group!!)

gypsywildone

I agree with dedalus & Farkel, everyone should mind their own business & let God be the judge, not kangaroo court!

RandomTask

Of course there are some who argue that the act of "shunning" is unbiblical and believe that disfellowshipping should be just viewing someone as one of the nations, or a worldly person. Disfellowshipping as it is though is such an effective tool for the witnesses that I don't see them ever getting "new light" on the matter. I mean lets face it, the thing that every JW fears the most is the public embarassment among all of their friends plus not being able to have contact with them. I believe actually takes its toll on the psyche of most dubs but it definitely keeps them in a mental cage.

Is there a better way than disfellowshipping?

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