by thedepressedsoul 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
From reading Crisis of a Conscience and members here, I have gathered that DF was originally a means to cleanse Bethel and stop apostates from spreading their own thinking inside the organization.
When did it also branch over to sinners that were struggling with an issue that relapsed on multiple occasions?
As I recall, there was a WT article, or series of them, in 1952 which pretty much laid the groundwork for DFing as a congregation practice.
Many details have changed since then, but the core principle ("treat them as if they were dead") was outlined there and remains the central tenet to today.
I don't have the WT-CD handy, but again, as I recall, the article was written in the typically stilted prose of Fred Franz. I suspect it was his "baby".
Poopie, I get that and thank you for the explanation. From what I understand that was mainly put in place to stop members from spreading their own ideas and thinking. It seemed like shunning/df was mainly to stop apostates.
What made them also use shunning/df for fornication etc... Was it at the same time or did that branch over to "sins" at a later time?
My understanding was that disfellowshiping among other reasons was used to prevent any kind of criticism back in Rutherford's era. As well as keeping the organization clean if some one sinned.
Shunning someone who disassociated themselves however didn't start until 1980.
On September 1, 1980, the Governing Body distributed a letter to all Circuit and District overseers stating that apostates need not be promoting doctrines to be disfellowshipped. The letter stated that individuals who persisted in "believing other doctrine despite scriptural reproof" were also apostatizing and therefore warranted "appropriate judicial action".[18][24]
On March 18, 1981 Franz' employer in Alabama submitted a letter of disassociation from Jehovah's Witnesses. The September 15, 1981 issue of The Watchtower announced a change of policy on disassociation, directing that those who formally withdrew from the religion were to be shunned by Witnesses in the same manner as those who have been disfellowshipped.[25] Franz, who continued to socialize with his employer, was summoned to a judicial hearing on November 25 and disfellowshipped for disobeying the edict.[2][26][27] Determined to present his point of view, not only with respect to his having been disfellowshipped, but with respect to broader doctrinal issues, in 1982 he sent Heather and Gary Botting proofs of his book Crisis of Conscience so that they could chronicle the more widespread discord within the Watch Tower Society.[28
They were going after ray Franz at bethel they wanted him to be shunnef. Prior to 1980 they did not shun sinners like they do post 1980
Actually the chance instituted because of Franz (and others at that time) was that anyone who willingly "disassociated" would now be treated (shunned) like those who were "disfellowshiopped" for unrepentant sins. Prior to this, anyone who "disassociated" was simply treated as any other "man of the world" (no shunning).
There also was a short period of time (late 70s/early 80s) when you could "greet" DFd persons who had quit their sinning and were attempting to be reinstated.
Everything changed and went more "hardline" with that 1982 WT.
Doc
I simply Googled it and found this article :
This quote from C T Russell is worth pasting here
“We are not of those who disfellowship Christian brethren on account of some differences of opinion; but when it comes to the point of denying the very foundation of all christianity we must speak out and withstand all such to the face, for they become the enemies of the cross of Christ.” Watchtower 1882 Dec p.423
Hi,
I don't know the history of DF'ing, but what I do know is that it doesn't cleanse anything, it's a form of control. Witnesses use DF'ing for control & other religions use Hell as control. No matter how you slice it, man is always holding something over mankinds head to control & put fear in them.
How is it that JW's don't think the judging someone isn't taking God's job. God sees the whole picture. What right has man to judge another man ? NONE....
I noticed this scripture was removed from the NWT: where they brought a woman to Jesus & said she committed adultery & the crowd wanted her to get her come upp'ins....Jesus leaned down, drew a line in the sand/dirt & said, whoever has not sinned cross this line....Nobody stepped over also, they all left without a word...or as we say now..."Crickets". This scripture is in the old NWT. Why ? Because if you get called in, a person could use that as a defense....I know I would...I would make a copy for all of the brothers at my JC meeting...when they say, do you have anything to say...I'd give out a copy of that scripture to all of them with silence....& leave...or maybe break the silence & say....Oh by the way, this scripture was in our NWT before they revised it...No doubt they would go look it up...& Viola, there it is in black & white....even if I did get DF'd. I'd leave them with something to think about....for a long time...
The more the org. goes mainstream & people hear about DF'ing via internet, no matter how much the org. tries to say how loving DF'ing is....not too many folks are going to sign up for that...& the thing that slows down bible studies & interested person....AIN'T NOBODY STANDING IN LINE TO BE CELEBATE... Most folks still want to have sex, so they feel why join a religion that will shun you because of a natural feeling so they already know the deal...so why sign up, they know what will happen...what's the point.
Tor
