Becoming a soldier, can the Organization disfellowship you??

by orangefatcat 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  orangefatcat

  Many years ago, I was told that if a person decided to leave the organization for military service, the Society could not disfellowship you. Has anyone else ever heard of this? Perhaps the Society woulld be tried for treason if they excommunicated a person because he wanted to fight for his country and its freedoms.

  Any thought???

  Orangefatcat.

  No I am not going to join the military, I wish I could though as a younger person I always wanted to be a soldier just like my grandpa. He was the coolest, he didn't see action rather he was a medic. in the field. Thats my grandpa. Too bad I never knew him he died 4month before I was born. Grandma gave me his soldier hat, my parents through it out when they became witnesses...hate them for that. grrrrrrrrrr
  
  
  
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  Nathan Natas

  The way the society gets around this now is by announcing that BY HIS ACTIONS, so-and-so has DISASSOCIATED himself from the congregations.

  The effect is exactly the same as if it was announced that he was disfellowshipped, without all those messy legal entanglements.

  As the Governing Body draws itself more and more into its own anus, this sort of thing will become increasingly common.
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  onacruse

  How about this for hypocrisy:

  *** w66 10/1 p. 587 Mock Trial of Christians?The Shame of Portugal! ***

  Evidence was presented by the defense to prove that Jehovah?s witnesses do not advise or encourage anyone to break a law or regulation of any government! In fact, their publications explain that it is wrong for a person to instruct another to refuse military service, salute the flag or perform any other duty that a government may require.
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  onacruse

  Here's one of the "official" versions:

  *** w72 2/15 pp. 123-124 Living a Dedicated Life ***

  Jehovah?s allowing the individual to take whatever course he chooses is actually part of the test of integrity. The person has his freedom of will. If he takes a course violating his Christian neutrality, he is denying God as his Master, and he is walking out on God and his congregation. He is certainly not leading a dedicated life. The congregation is not the one that publicly disfellowshiped him. He takes himself out, dissociates himself. He was once saved from this "crooked generation," but now he prefers to go back with it, doing as it does.
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  orangefatcat

  Thanks Nathan and Onacruse.

  I appreciate the imformation very much. I have right now beside me that Watchtower you are talking about and I am looking it up. Lucky I have all the bound volumes for research. I also have the CDs but it it good to see it in their own literature.

  Thanks again guys.

  Love Orangefatcat
  
  
  
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  Larry

  An except from my stroy:

  During the time I was in Basic Training at Fort Sills, Oklahoma, I wrote my mother a letter telling her I was OK and I gave her an address to write me. She never wrote me back - I expected that, especially since I also sent her a picture of me in my Army uniform with a U.S. flag in the background. When I got back home I saw her while visiting my sister and she said "I gave your letter along with your Army picture to the Brothers (Elders)." Puzzled after that statement I asked "Why did you do that?" She replied "they (Elders) needed proof that you were in the Army, and the letter and picture was enough proof to disassociate you." I blew up at this point, not because of the weak evidence, but because the whole thing was done underhandedly. I wasn't hiding the fact that I went into the Army, in fact, I sent an E-mail to all my family members telling them I was going into the military before I left for Fort Sills. If the Elders (from my mother's KH in Manhattan and from my former KH in Staten Island) really wanted proof, I would have gladly given them a copy of my official military transcripts. I resent the fact that the personal letter I sent to my mother is in the congregational files instead of my legitimate Army records. I was so upset during that conversation with my mother I had to leave. While I was exiting the scene, she said "Well, isn't that what you wanted?" I blurted out "Yeah, but I didn't want it to be done in such a cowardly and sneaky manner." I don't even know if she volunteered that information or if she was asked - I doubt I'll ever know the whole story. Anyway, I guess the Elders made an announcement from the stage at some point saying I disassociated myself from the Organization (I was never notified.)

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  - Larry
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  Doubtfully Yours

  They can and they sure do.

  DY
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  i am a good soul

  What are the steps to disfellowshipment? What happens during the trial?