I have seen several times here that people have said that the official Borg website mentions that people are free to leave the organization without being shunned.
Can anyone tell me specifically where on the website it mentions that?
***** Rub a Dub
Society's Website re: Shunning
by RubaDub 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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freedom96
What the WTS may or may not saying regarding shunning to the public is a far cry from the reality of what is practised.
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hooberus
I recently looked for this in the WT site and could not find it, perhaps they have removed it. I originally saw the quote in an adition of the freeminds newsletter.
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Gopher
Here's the link to that information. As freedom96 implies, this information seems to be for public consumption and is different than what is disseminated internally amongst the elders.
http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/beliefsfaq.htm
Do you shun former members?
Those who simply leave the faith are not shunned. If, however, someone unrepentantly practices serious sins, such as drunkenness, stealing, or adultery, he will be disfellowshipped and such an individual is avoided by former fellow-worshipers. Every effort is made to help wrongdoers. But if they are unrepentant, the congregation needs to be protected from their influence. The Bible clearly directs: "Remove the wicked man from among yourselves." (1 Corinthians 5:13) What of a man who is disfellowshipped but whose wife and children are still Jehovah's Witnesses? The spiritual ties he had with his family change, but blood ties remain. The marriage relationship and normal family affections and dealings can continue. As for disfellowshipped relatives not living in the same household, Jehovah's Witnesses apply the Bible's counsel: "Quit mixing with them." (1 Corinthians 5:11) Disfellowshipped individuals may continue to attend religious services and, if they wish, they may receive spiritual counsel from the elders with a view to their being restored. They are always welcome to return to the faith if they reject the improper course of conduct for which they were disfellowshipped.
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RubaDub
Gopher
Thank you. The FAQ part appears to be gone now on the official website.
***** Rub a Dub
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Joyzabel
Nope, its still there, just checked!
If you don't go with Gopher's web line thingy, you have to go a round about way to get to it.
At the home page, up under their name on a small bar, go to "beliefs"
when on beliefs go to FAQ
Scroll down to
Do you shun former members?
that's where the info is.
j2bf
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ballistic
Someone did post some usefull info about the wording of that quote changing; you would have to do a search of this site to find that post, but it was an interesting change they made after it was questioned on this site. It used to be clear from their site that they don't shun ex-members, when we know they do.
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amac
Rub, don't forget that they have two websites, one at www.jw-media.org and www.watchtower.org. You won't find it at watchtower.org which is their main site for internet traffic.
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Latte
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1988/4/15/article_01.htm
Discipline That Can Yield Peaceable Fruit
In the apostle John's writings, we find similar counsel that emphasizes how thoroughly Christians are to avoid such ones: "Everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God . . . If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him. For he that says a greeting [Greek, khai'ro] to him is a sharer in his wicked works." * —2 John 9-11.
Why is such a firm stand appropriate even today? Well, reflect on the severe cutting off mandated in God's Law to Israel. In various serious matters, willful violators were executed. (Leviticus 20:10; Numbers 15:30, 31) When that happened, others, even relatives, could no longer speak with the dead lawbreaker. (Leviticus 19:1-4; Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 17:1-7) Though loyal Israelites back then were normal humans with emotions like ours, they knew that God is just and loving and that his Law protected their moral and spiritual cleanness. So they could accept that his arrangement to cut off wrongdoers was fundamentally a good and right thing.—Job 34:10-12.
We can be just as sure that God's arrangement that Christians refuse to fellowship with someone who has been expelled for unrepentant sin is a wise protection for us. "Clear away the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, according as you are free from ferment." (1 Corinthians 5:7) By also avoiding persons who have deliberately disassociated themselves, Christians are protected from possible critical, unappreciative, or even apostate views.
—Hebrews 12:15, 16. -
Latte
SPOT THE ERROR!
Well, reflect on the severe cutting off mandated in God's Law to Israel
. LOL
In various serious matters, willful violators were executed. (Leviticus 20:10; Numbers 15:30, 31) When that happened, others, even relatives, could no longer speak with the dead lawbreaker. (Leviticus 19:1-4; Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 17:1-7)
SOREEE...but JW's are NOT the nation of Israel. Should we do ALL that they did back then??