Hi,
I am not a Witness, however my life has been greatly affected by the religion. My mother was disfellowshipped before i was born, and therefore has no contact with any family members. I on the other hand have occaisional contact to my other witness family members and i love all dearly. The problem i have is that i can see the pain my mother has been put through and i can't understand why disfellowshipping has to be like this. It is too late for my family but i wonder about the future.
The point is i am a student in my early thirties living in the UK and i am making a short documentary about my journey finding out about the why disfellowshipping happens. I would love to hear from anybody if they would be kind enough to talk to me about this issue that affects me greatly and has me torn between my family that i love so much, i don't want to get the wrong idea, so instead of asking my mothr i also want to talk to a Witness and have their side of things, as it is only fair.
Please help me
yours faithfully
Confused Boy
Very confused, please help!
by confused boy 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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confused boy
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OldSoul
You have come to the right place. There is tons of information here on the subject.
Disfellowshipping is taught as an act of love. It is supposed to be a means of correcting someone who has sinned "grossly" after being taught God's moral code.
However, in practice it is used to do more than correct. It is also used to punish an offender and frighten the flock into conformity. The circumstances under which one can be disfellowshipped now encompass far more than the Scriptures allow for, and the congregation (families, etc.) rarely even know what the person was disfellowshipped for. Especially would that be the case when the family member lives in another congregations territory (as is often the case).
Ostensibly, the purpose of secrecy over what the wrong actually was has to do with protecting the one who sinned, but the effect is that no one knows why the person was disfellowshipped, so no one can determine whether they agree with the disfellowshipping. It is an excellent case of this Organization controlling the thinking of its adherents in a way that is strikingly contrary to Scripture. Nothing in the Scripture indicates that elders have authority to disfellowship/excommunicate anyone.
I hope this kicks off the discussion nicely.
Respectfully,
OldSoul -
garybuss
If you associate with the people who are shunning your mother, you are twisting the knife if her back.
I can't love someone who is mean to my mother. That's terrible! -
Gerard
Quotes on Disfellowshiping & Disassociating http://quotes.watchtower.ca/DF_DA.htm
Shunning is a "Test of Loyalty to God"
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1988/4/15/article_01.htm
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Hellrider
Confused Boy, it`s good to hear you`re not a JW. By the way, this is a forum for ex-witnesses, people who grew up in JW-ism, and things like that, you probably won`t find anyone defending the disfellowshipping and shunning-practice on this forum. But you can learn a lot here. Welcome.
(and the moral of the story is: Take your mothers side. Shun all those who shun here. And if you see a witness, run Forest, run! And I mean that literally!)
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RevFrank
Hi confused........
Funny thing about D'fd is basically scriptural...meaning to remove the unbeliever and for those who minister another gospel. But that's not what the watchtower does.
Oh I'm sure the watchtower makes one think they are doing right, but it destroyed many families and so much more in our near future. You do things their way, or it's the "Hi-way."
There are many christian churches all across the land and many, I'm sure, may disagree from one another, yet they embrace each other because thier disagreements are not on the main theme.
People who try to gain into the watchtower are taught that they must think, speak, act, sleep, dream their way(watchtower). You must believe everything they believe or you're not to become a JW.
Now if you're a JW and you begin to question some of those teachings...the commettee comes a runnin. And they tell you, you better believe their way or to be disfellowshipped..
Many who are in a have doubts of the watchtower way, they remain silent, especially if the family is many. They know what can happen.
And if you ever had a private bible study, you wonder..it's not a true bible study, it's a study of how the watchtower runs.
You need to come to them, watchtower for all needs and that's the salvation issue too. You don't go to Christ for salvation, you go to the Watchtower Society....
Here are a few quotes that the Watchtower emplies on Salvation........
Salvation by Christ is different then WT salvation....................
km 11/90 Page . 1 Directing Bible Students to Jehovah's Organization
1 Bible students need to get acquainted with the organization of the "one flock" Jesus spoke about at John 10:16. They must appreciate that identifying themselves with Jehovah's organization is essential to their salvation. (Rev. 7:9, 10, 15) Therefore, we should start directing our Bible students to the organization as soon as a Bible study is established.
One needn't need an organization..........
Watchtower 9/15/1993 Page. 22
They Compassionately Shepherd the Little Sheep
(4) Like sheep that get injured, some Christians have been hurt by what they perceive to be offensive conduct. Yet, if we are forgiving toward others, our heavenly Father will grant us needed forgiveness. (Colossians 3:12-14; 1 Peter 4:8) Some brothers or sisters may have received counsel or discipline that they felt was unjust. However, all of us can benefit from spiritual counsel and discipline, and it is comforting to know that Jehovah disciplines those for whom he has love. (Hebrews 12:4-11) Because they have not been given privileges of service for which they feel qualified, others have allowed resentment to create a rift between them and the congregation. But if we were to draw away from Jehovah's organization, there would be no place else to go for salvation and true joy.
There's always Christ to go too............
The Watchtower says:
"show our respect for Jehovah's organization, for she is our mother and the beloved wife of our heavenly Father, Jehovah God." (The Watchtower - May 1, 1957)
"Put faith in a victorious organization." (The Watchtower - March 1, 1979)
"come to Jehovah's organization for salvation." (The Watchtower - November 15, 1981)
"...stay by the faithful organization. How else can one get Jehovah's favor and blessing." (The Watchtower - July 15, 1996)
"gratitude for each and every blessing that we undeservedly receive from Jehovah and his organization." (The Watchtower - February 15, 1997
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bible teaching is different.....................
"Neither is there salvation in any other;for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."(Acts 4:12}
"Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name,That are the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven,and things in the earth,and things under the earth.And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father."(Philippians 2:9-11)
Romans 10:8-12,is good too.So the Watchtower has no authority to save..................
Peace
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Flash
There is a very good disection of the erroneous applications concerning the biblical rules for Disfellowshipping at this site:
http://jwfacts.com/index_files/Page805.htm
Best Wishes