Divorce Policy of JWs

Ray Skyhorse

Greetings. I have a general question about the policy of divorce. I'm a not a JW. My wife has been a JW for over 10 years and was previously married to a JW. I don't know much about her divorce from her ex and was wondering if anyone can help fill in the blanks. Do JWs have rules governing who can get divorced in their congregation? Does a person need to get permission from an elder first? Can anybody get a divorce? Do there have to be grounds for divorce? Can you be Df'd for getting a divorce?

Thanks for taking the time to answer.

larc

The only grounds for divorce in the Witness world is adultry. So, your wife's exhusband could beat the crap out of her that is not acceptable grounds for divorce. Since you have been married for ten years now, maybe it would be a good time to ask her why they got divorced, don't ya think?

Ray Skyhorse

Thanks for the reply Larc. Are you sure that adultery is the only grounds? It's hard for me to believe since they are both such good JWs.

BTW, I've only been married a year and a half.

larc

Ray,

Yes, that is the only reason for a "Christian" divorce. Others will be here to tell you the same thing. Son, don't question a man who has lived it and knows it inside and out.

Ray Skyhorse

Larc, does that mean they could have gotten a civil divorce and still be in good standing within the JWs?

rollercoaster

Actually, JWs can divorce, they just can't remarry unless the other has committed adultery. When my X divorced me, he did not suffer any consequences and I was stuck not free to remarry!!! So I got married anyway. (after my X told me he had spent the weekend with another woman). The whole thing is stupid. My X is a JW in good standing still.
He never supported me or helped me financially except for one check he wrote which stated "bitch support" in the memo portion. I made a copy of the check and showed it to the elders, they didn't even care.
I think the elders make up a few rules as they go along.
RC

Ray Skyhorse

Ok, I'm getting confused. Let's use a hypothetical. A JW couple gets a civl divorce. Neither party committed adultery. How would the Borg treat them? Would they be Df'd if either of them get remarried?

rollercoaster

No, they would not be df'd. They would not be free to remarry until the other commited adultery or remarried. So, a JW can seperate or divorce but cannot remarry.
I know, I have been through it twice!!!!
RC

Ray Skyhorse

That's interesting, RC. My wife and her ex are both JWs and I'm pretty damn sure that neither committed adultery. They did get a civil divorce and she married me in a civil ceremony a year and a half ago. How do the Witnesses view her and our marriage? Could she get in trouble with the elders for marrying me?

expatbrit

As my understanding has it, the grounds for acceptable separation or divorce are adultery, serious physical abuse, or (the great catch-all for when they want to frame you up) "spiritual endangerment".

Consequently, if a JW couple separated, and adultery was not involved, neither would be free to contemplate remarriage. Pursuing a course leading to remarriage would lead to disfellowshipment.

Six months of penance would probably be good enough for reinstatement, though. After all, the numbers are dropping.

Expatbrit

Divorce Policy of JWs

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