Past History of WT Instructions Regarding the Disfellowshipped
One major way of keeping the adhearants of the Watchtower Society in line is through the shunning policy of Jehovahs Witnesses. JWs live under "theocratic control, "i.e., under organizational leadership exercised by the local congregation Elders.
"Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock", 1981,p. 137 states:
"Holiness" includes cleanness, purity, separateness.
Involves also love of justice and mercy. (Ps. 33:5; Jas. 2:13; 3:17)
As Statute-Giver, Jehovah sets righteous standards and delegates authority to enforce them. (Isa. 33:22)
His laws are stated in our guidebook, the Bible. (2 Tim. 3:16)
Why must we recognize this form of theocratic governance? (Isa. 2:3)
Administration of laws entrusted to his anointed king. (Isa. 32.1)
Enthroned since 1914, ruling in midst of enemies. (Ps. 110:2, Dan. 7:14)
Invisible control exercised from heaven. Uses earthly visible agency.
Evidenced by over two million subjects submitting to Christs kingship. (Phil. 2:9-11)
Such invisible administration requires visible representatives.
Visible anointed remnant entrusted with all Masters belongings. (Luke 12:42-44)
"Steward" class faithful in dispensing "food."
Overseers serve as earthly representatives, under direction of the "steward" class. (Isa. 32:1,2)
Theocratic control requires recognition of this orderly arrangement. (Zech. 8:23)
There are many quotes and much material written by the WT Society over the years about shunning and disfellowshipping members. Although this list is quite lengthy, only a few examples will be taken into consideration. There is no such thing as leaving the WT Society or the JW congregation comfortably. As you read on, the facts speak for themselves.
Disfellowshipping Family Members
Shunning: No JW is allowed to greet a disfellowshipped person at a public meeting (the person is isolated publicly); the person is not invited into JW homes.
"A disfellowshipped person is not prohibited from attending meetings in the Kingdom Hall open to the general public as long as he conducts himself properly. None will greet him, of course, and he may not attend any meetings held in private homes. The congregation will not assign him any territory nor accept field service reports from him. He may obtain copies of the Societys publications for personal use. Perhaps what he reads will help to correct his thinking, soften his heart and move him to turn back to Jehovah."
(Organization for Kingdom-Preaching and Disciple-Making, 1972, p. 174)
When parents get disfellowshipped their children "might sometimes visit the JW grandparents; but that is difficult because Dad and Mom are not allowed to visit Grandpa and Grandma.
"Another sort of loss may be felt by loyal Christian grandparents whose children have been disfellowshipped. They may have been accustomed to visiting regularly with children, giving them occasion to enjoy their grandchildren. Now the parents are disfellowshipped because of rejecting Jehovahs standards and ways. So, things are not the same in the family. Of course, the grandparents have to determine if some necessary family matters require limited contact with the disfellowshiped children. And they might sometimes have the grandchildren visit them. How sad, though, that by their unchristian course the children intefere with the normal pleasure that such grandparents enjoyed!"
(WT 1/1/1983, p. 31)
JW parents must refuse to listen to the disfellowshipped childs viewpoint regarding the reason for being expelled.
"But in any case, there is no reason to listen to a disfellowshipped child or mate if such one attempts to justify himself or endeavors to sway the faithful one to his way of thinking and acting. Nor should he be listened to regarding objections as to the handling of his case by the judicial committee. If he wants to appeal his case he should go to them, not try to appeal by pleading his case with those not elders."
(Organization for Kingdom-Preaching and Disciple-Making, 1972, p. 173)
Children should want to leave the home of disfellowshipped parents when they are old enough even if it means financial hardship to them.
"Of course, if the children are of age, then there can be a departing and breaking of family ties in a physical way, because the spiritual ties have already snapped.
If children are of age and continue to associate with a disfellowshipped parent because of receiving material support from him or her, then they must consider how far their spiritual interests are being endangered by continuing under this unequal arrangement, and whether they can arrange to support themselves, living apart from the fallen-away parent. Their continuing to receive material support should not make them compromise so as to ignore the disfellowshipped state of the parent. If, because of acting according to the disfellowship order of the company of Gods people, they become threatened with a withdrawal of parental support, then they must be willing to take such consequences."
(WT 11/15/52, p. 703-Questions from Readers)
Do not support your relatives, parents, or children even if you believe them to be right. Support the organization over family members. This is a test of loyalty to God.
"At times action must be taken by a judicial committee of a congregation against a person in the congregation. Although that person may be a close friend or relative, do not resist Jehovahs arrangement by taking sides with that one against the organization. The action is necessary, and it is taken for the good of all the congregation. Such unpleasant happenings test your love for Jehovah and his organization. You fail to show love and loyalty to Jehovahs organization when you side with persons against whom it is obliged to act.-1Cor. 5:9-13.
Realize that selfish interests and friendships can blind you to what is right in Jehovahs eyes. No matter what you conclude from your own reasoning, follow Jehovahs directions."
(WT 7/15/1965 p. 435)
Can JWs associate with close relatives who have been disfellowshipped? IT DEPENDS on the "Latest" WT Instructions.
"Very often the one seeking counsel could have found it in the publications of the Watch Tower Society, such as the Watchtower magazine. For example, a Christian may ask if he and his family are Scripturally free to have any kind of association with close relatives that has been disfellowshipped. The counselor should give him a clear answer and make sure the principle is understood. Then encourage the inquirer to take the Watch Tower Publications Index and look under the main heading "Disfellowshiping." There he will find an entry, "association with disfellowshiped," followed by references to certain issues of the Watchtower. Supplements to the Index should always be checked for latest information."
(WT 3/1/1963, p. 151)
More Watchtower Instructions Regarding Association With Disfellowshipped Relatives
The July 15 th 1963 WT magazine entitled:
"Family responsibilities In Keeping Jehovahs Worship Pure" emphasizes that limited contact with Ex-JW relatives or curtailing such contact completely is acceptable with the members of the WT organization.
"The disfellowshiping of a relative does not cancel out natural blood ties. However, it would be well to appreciate that only the contacts absolutely necessary in matters pertaining to family interests should be carried on with one who is disfellowshiped and who lives outside the family circle."
"In the case of the disfellowshiped relative who does not live in the same home, contact with him is also kept to what is absolutely necessary. As with secular employment, this contact is limited and even curtailed completely if at all possible."
WT 7/15/63, p. 443
"What if a person cut off from Gods congregation unexpectedly visits dedicated relatives? What should the Christian do then? If this is the first occurrence of such visits, the dedicated Christian can, if his conscience permits, carry on family courtesies on that particular occasion. However, if his conscience does not permit this, he is under no obligation to do so. If courtesies are extended, though the Christian should make it clear that this will not be made a regular practice. If it becomes habitual, it is no different from associating with any other disfellowshiped person, and it violates the spirit of the disfellowshiping decree. The excommunicated relative should be made to realize that his visits are not now welcomed as they were previously when he was walking correctly with Jehovah.-2 John 9-11
WT 7/15/63, p. 443-444
In 1974, a change in policy led to a more compassionate but still stern view for those that followed the dictates of the WT Society.
"As to disfellowshiped family members (not minor sons of daughters) living outside the home, each family must decide to what extent they will have association with such ones. This is not something that the congregational elders can decide for them. What the elders are concerned with is that "leaven" is not reintroduced into the congregation through spiritual fellowshiping with those who had to be removed as such "leaven." Thus, if a disfellowshiped parent goes to visit a son or daughter or to see grandchildren and is allowed to enter the Christian home, this is not the concern of the elders. Such a one has a natural right to visit his blood relatives and his offspring. Similarly, when sons or daughters render honor to a parent, though disfellowshiped, by calling to see how such a ones physical health is or what needs he or she may have, this act in itself is not a spiritual fellowshiping."
WT 8/1/1974, p. 471
In 1981, any compassion for JWs and their disfellowshipped Ex-JW family was CANCELLED. Anyoneleaving the WT was to essentially be considered dead by his or her relatives who remained in the Organization. Those who disassociate themselves are to be treated the same as disfellowshipped wrongdoers.
"Persons who make themselves "not of our sort" by deliberately rejecting the faith and beliefs of Jehovahs Witnesses should appropriately be viewed and treated as are those who have been disfellowshiped for wrongdoing."WT 9/15/81, p. 23
Parents or children wanting to leave the WT organization must now realize that to do so, they will be considered as a fornicator or a greedy person and seen as a sinner in the eyes of the JW.
DISFELLOWSHIPED RELATIVES NOT LIVING AT HOME"The second situation that we need to consider is that involving a disfellowshiped or disassociated relative who is not in the immediate family circle or living at ones home. Such a person is still related by blood or marriage, and so there may be some limited need to care for necessary family matters. Nonetheless, it is not as if he were living in the same home where contact and conversation could be avoided. We should keep clearly in mind the Bibles inspired direction: "Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person, not even eating with such a man."-1 Cor. 5:11
Consequently, Christians related to such a disfellowshiped person living outside the home should strive to avoid needless association, even keeping business dealings to a minimum."WT 9/15/1981, p. 29
Jehovahs Witnesses should hate EX-JWs and those who oppose Gods organizationJWs are told that "in order to hate what is bad a Christian must hate the person with whom the badness is inseparably linked." The JW is told to hate in the truest sense and to consider those who oppose Jehovah as poisonous snakes.
"Jesus encouraged his followers to love their enemies, but Gods Word also says to "hate what is bad." When a person persists in a way of badness after knowing what is right, when the bad becomes so ingrained that it is an inseparable part of his make-up, then in order to hate what is bad a Christian must hate the person with whom the badness is inseparably linked. Indicating that Jesus did not mean for us to love the hardened enemies of Jehovah, David expressed this God-approved attitude: "Do I not hate those who are intensely hating you, O Jehovah, and do I not feel a loathing for those revolting against you? With a complete hatred I do hate them. They have become to me real enemies."-Matt. 5:44; Amos 5:15; Ps. 139:21,22.
WT 7/15/61, p. 420
" Haters of God and his people are to be hated, but this does not mean that we will take any opportunity of bringing physical hurt to them in a spirit of malice or spite, for both malice and spite belong to the Devil, whereas pure hatred does not. We must hate in the truest sense, which is to regard with extreme and active aversion, to consider as loathsome, odious, filthy, to detest. Surely any haters of God are not fit to live on his beautiful earth. The earth will be rid of the wicked and we shall not need to lift a finger to cause physical harm to come to them, for God will attend to that, but we must have a proper perspective of these enemies. His name signifies recompense to the enemies.
What do you do with anything loathsome or repugnant that you detest and abhor? The answer is simple. You get away from it or remove it from your presence. You do not want to have anything at all to do with it. This must be exactly our attitude toward the haters of Jehovah."
WT 10/1/52, p. 599."More than that, we want to hate those who willfully show themselves haters of Jehovah, haters of what is good. As David of old expressed it: "Do I not hate those who are intensely hating you, O Jehovah, and do I not feel a loathing for those revolting against you? With a complete hatred I do hate them. They have become to me real enemies." (Ps.139:21, 22) We hate them, not in the sense of wanting to do them harm or wishing them hurt but in the sense of avoiding them as we would poison or a poisonous snake, for they can poison us spiritually. That is why we are warned: "Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits."- Cor.15:33.
WT 6/15/1980, p. 8
The year 2003 is approaching and there seems to be little change if any with the disfellowshipping practice of the Jehovahs Witnesses since the above articles were written. For example, the August 2002 "Our Kingdom Ministry" under the Topic of:
"Displaying Christian Loyalty When a Relative is Disfellowshipped" sets guide lines for those adhearing to Watchtower policy.Page 3 states:
2. How to treat Expelled Ones: Gods word commands Christians not to keep company or fellowship with a person who has been expelled from the congregation" Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an extortioner, not even eating with such a manRemove the wicked man from among yourselves." (1 Cor: 5:11,13
3. This means that loyal Christians do not have spiritual fellowship with anyone who has been expelled from the congregation. But more is involved. Gods word states that we should not even eat with such a man. (1 Cor. 5:11) Hence, we also avoid social fellowship with an expelled person. This would rule out joining him in a picnic, party, or a trip to shops or theatre or sitting down to a meal with him either in home or at a restaurant.
12. Benefits of Being Loyal to Jehovah: Cooperating with the Sriptural arrangements to disfellowship and shun unrepentant wrongdoers is beneficial. It preserves the cleaness of the congregation and distinguishes us as upholders of the Bibles high moral standards. (1Pet. 1:14-16) It protects us from corrupting influences. (Gal 5:7-9) It also affords the wrongdoer an opportunity to benefit fully from the discipline received, which can help him to produce "peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness."-Heb. 12:11.
14. Loyally upholding the disfellowshipping arrangement outlined in the Scriptures demonstrates our love for Jehovah and provides an answer to the one that is taunting Him.
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The policy of disfellowshipping and shunning in many ways is nothing more than a self-serving policy for the WT leadership to control and emotionally blackmail its followers into mindless obedience.
Those who oppose the WT are considered haters of Jehovah and haters of what is right, even though many that oppose the WT still deeply love God and do their best to serve him. What is right about serving and following an organization claiming to be Gods true religion when those inside cannot express the truth in matters that adversely affect peoples lives?
With recent developments within the Watchtower Organization as far as the pedophile cover-ups ( www.silentlambs.org ) and the on going blood issue ( http://www.ajwrb.org/newindex.shtml )
One must sincerely ask themselves, if such ones who now oppose the WTBTS in good conscience and with Scriptural grounds and who were once supporters of the WTBTS are deserving of such hatred and shunning by Jehovahs Witnesses.
Stan Covell (Scorpion)