Living as Christians at the C.L.A.M this week

by Truthexplorer 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Fisherman

  I get the whole idea about repentance and works befitting repentance, and obviously keeping the Congregation clean; but what I don't get is why an individual continues to be shunned having sincerely expressed their heartfelt desire to return to God?

  Only God can read hearts and the therefore only He knows with certainty when a person is truly repentant. You are mistaken about the parable of the prodigal son. It is about God's forgiveness and how He rejoices and takes you back and prepared the fattened cow, and you know and experience his affection and approval. That is what repentance is all about.That related illustration It is not about how "God's organization" handles your case. Your conduct affected other people and you have to be handled and besides there consequences of sin that you have to face. Sometimes a committee errs and shows a sinner that is not repentant mercy. But since elders do not read hearts, they do not know whether you have repented or not however, as the WT sees it they have a duty to try to help you and according to the WT and what you subscribed to at your baptism. They have the authority to determine whether you have repented or not in connection with and as it relates to God's organization. It is not for you to decide that. I am not persuaded by claims of sincerity or female tears or show of emotions, sincere or not. There are several forms of repentance, sadly and godly. A person may be remorseful or sincerely sadly repentant as Esau was when faced with consequences or he may be godly repentant as David was when he realized the enormity of his sin. It is none of your business to adjudicate your own judicial case or any WT case. You are free to disagree with a JC findings and you can appeal a JC decision. Buit you do not have the authority to declare yourself repentant or some one else.
  
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  Fisherman

  Oh, Really? Not according to.....

  Is that what you think? The book you refer to was not meant for you to read, not because it is hiding something secret but because there is more to what you think it says. And the text has an explanation. Let me put it to you like this. An elder that commits a gross sin while he is serving is no longer ireprehensible and is disqualified. That is the rule. On the other hand, lets say Joe Pub also comitted a gross sin in the past many years ago and it came to light. Depending on the circumstances of his case, he may be shown mercy. But you do not have the authority to decide what is just in connection with WT judicial matters.
  
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  ToesUp

  It was not meant for me to read? OH....I am shaking in my boots.

  Ok, all my buddies on here... help me repeat it.

  I WILL NOT FEED THE TROLLS, I WILL NOT FEED THE TROLLS, I WILL NOT FEED THE TROLLS! LOL
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  ToesUp

  For all of you lurkers. (Every active Jehovah's Witness has a right to know all the rules they are under!)

  My copy of the Elders Book a.k.a. Shepard the Flock of God book was obtained legally.

  It is an exhibit provided from the Watchtower lawyers to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The book is available for the public to review and is the latest copy directly from the Watchtower.

  This is not from apostates, so you can feel confident the copy is genuine.

  Here is the link to the exhibit page. Once you get to the page scroll down until you find:

  Marked-up copy of Shepherd the Flock of God. The PDF is to your right.

  
  Royal Commission Exhibits - Shepard the Flock of God Book
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  Truthexplorer

  Fisherman- you say I subscribed to wt rules around repentence at baptism. Having bought into wt and baptised in under a year. I had absolutely no ideas about many of watchtowers rules, particularly the whole shunning policy and all that entails. It was only after a few years later I learned such things and about a decade later about the secret elder book with all its rules. In fact, I didnt find out until 12 years later after my baptism that Jesus wasnt my mediator. I only discovered that when reading tge book 'Crisis of Conscience' by an ex GB member.
  
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  ToesUp

  "the secret elder book with all its rules"

  We are under many rules and laws in my country but at least I can find the rules and regulations. They are not hidden.

  We are happified that WT has now made those hidden laws/rules available to the public via the ARC. I will be posting these on a separate link later today. Thank you WT!
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  johnna colins

  The congregation I originally submitted my d/a letter to has changed considerably in faces but not attitude. They are still gossipers, back biters, snobs, and extremely cruel to those df'd and d/a'd. Even though 25 yrs passed they wanted a min of 24 months to go by before reinstating could occur. I should say there were some loving sis and bro but by far majority are as above. Cong I now go to wanted me back at 6 mo., then at 10 months. Orig elders kept playing games. Refused to answer phone calls, didn't return calls. Lied to elders. When they had me for their meeting, they interrigated for 3 hrs each time, you can only imagine how it felt. There were multiple times they told my elders they came to decision they were ready to send letter and no letter would come. Finally it came last week. And yes its for personal reasons. We all know my relationship with our Heavenly Father and his Son is not dependent on them. Now I walk a very fine line for reasons known by Him.