Jehovah's Witness?

Question

Why are they so intolerent if a member sins and when they put them out of their church they shun them?
This is hypocrital as Jesus said 'he who is without sin,
let him cast the first stone'. There is a report in our local newspaper today about this, and the people are distraught because their daughter who is also a JW will not speak to them.

BROWN SKI- Jesus ate with publicans and sinners and was condemmed by the 'self righteous'. I believe JW's use of the Bible is abusive, also they are 'brainwashed'. It's quite easy to become brainwashed if you love Jehovah and only choose the parts of Scripture that suits you. I am not condemming you , but your version of religion was invented by a man. So I would be careful if I were you. Because most of the JH's are lovely people this can be a comfort to those who are in need of solace. But the doctrine is a wolf in sheep's clothing, and is wrong.

It's quite easy to say 'get off your high horse' but I feel compassion for anyone who is 'sent to coventry' I did a Theology Degree and know the' use and abuse 'of the Bible, many do not. I'm no saint. and all who followed Jesus were not either!! We just try daily to be like him.
, and it also says in the Bible so do not

It's quite easy to say 'get off your high horse' but I feel compassion for anyone who is 'sent to coventry' I did a Theology Degree and know the' use and abuse 'of the Bible, many do not. I'm no saint. and all who followed Jesus were not either!! We just try daily to be like him.

The people in question who were disciplined had not committed any grevious sin such as adultery, theft, murder etc. So why the diciplining? In our church if we have a grevious or serious sin we go to confession, no one only the priest and God knows what the person has done. They certainly would not be disciplined, otherwise the church would be empty! As we are all human I can't see how the JW's are all so 'holy' It's impossible!

There is such a thing as Galatians 1:9 If the cap fits-wear it!

That was a nasty one PAPPA BEA!

If you want a link to my question it is:-
www.EDP24.co.uk/news
Date of story 12/4/07

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witness is a cult. A false religion and one that distorts the bible. They have a manner of control that keeps their members ignorant. Google a lot of testimonies against this group. Those shunned by a former co-member even if they are neighbors or relatives. Sad thing is they still thrive.

Answer 2

"The people in question who were disciplined had not committed any grevious sin such as adultery, theft, murder etc."

How do you know what they were discipline for? Are you one of the elders. Those records are not released to the public, so the person can claim anything. How do you know they are disfellowshipped at all, were you at the meeting announcement?

I was disfellowshipped, for cause, from the Corning, CA Congregation in 1982. The elders traveled 200 miles to give me their decision, and inform me that I could appeal. I didn't.

The Apostle Paul said to keep the congregation clean, so are you saying that he is also wrong in this? Yes, we forgive sinners, when they is what they desire, but when they put themselves on a high horse and say it not anyone's business, than that affects the congregation as a whole. It allows immorality to crept in and take hold. Look what affect that has had on so many other churches. Look as Jesse Jackson, who had an affair for years, had a child, yet that's okay. He still makes his big money to make appearances.

As for your article in your local newspaper, why no link to the article so that we can see what it says for ourselves, and not get it second from someone with a vice.

Answer 3

First I'd like to emphasize the fact that my brother right now is also disfellowshipped. And we are dealing with it accordingly.

"No discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness."
(Hebrews 12:11)

"Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man." (1 Corinthians 5:11-13)

Excommunication—What Effect?
English historian Edward Gibbon wrote about the propriety and effect of disfellowshipping nearer the time of the apostles:

"It is the undoubted right of every society to exclude from its communion and benefits such among its members as reject or violate those regulations which have been established by general consent. . . . The consequences of excommunication were of a temporal [earthly] as well as a spiritual nature. The Christian against whom it was pronounced was deprived of any part in the oblations of the faithful. The ties both of religious and of private friendship were dissolved."



*Edit - You say "only the Priest and God would know." In a matter like that, when it is something simple or not a grave gross sin, It can be handled privately. But if it's something that other's know about, then they should be disciplined and others should hear of it.
Would not a congregation become full of sinners who say, "Oh it's ok, all I have to do is confess, and do it again next Saturday night," if they did not publicly discipline those who have committed gross sins? Of course.
Like I said, my brother is disfellowshipped now, and he is progressing cause he knows what he did was wrong. My mom was herself disfellowshipped years ago. And of all people, she knows what he is going through. But does she think it's unjust or unecessary? No, she understands the importance of accepting discipline.
- Proverbs 4:13; 13:1,18; Hebrews 12:5,6; 2 Timothy 3:16

Answer 4

Your focus is entirely negative -

Disfellowshiping is a loving thing - both for the congregation & for the person involved. It is a correction & reminder to the wrongdoer. If the person was to continue without correction then they would be on the wrong path - Matthew 7:13
Incidently, disfellowshiping is a LAST resort & administered when the person is unrepentant.

Our God who requires that an unrepentant wrongdoer be expelled from the congregation also lovingly shows that a sinner can be reinstated in the congregation if he repents and turns around. (A disassociated person can similarly request to become part of the congregation again.)
Thereafter he can be comforted by Christians who will confirm their love for him.
(2 Corinthians 2:5-11; 7:8-13)
Truly, it is just as Paul wrote: “No discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.”—Hebrews 12:11.

If the unrepentant wrongdoer was not disciplined in this way then the congregations would suffer because of the potentially bad influence but also the person themselves would ultimately suffer by not being corrected of their wrong course.

Btw - many who are disfellowshiped are eventually reinstated & thankful of the loving scriptural discipline
.....................
If you are now disfellowshipped, why not take steps toward reinstatement?
God wants all who have made a dedication to him to worship him faithfully and with “joy of heart.” (Deuteronomy 28:47)
You can do so forever if you always accept Jehovah’s discipline.—Psalm 100:2.

http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1988/4/15/article_01.htm

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Answer 5

Certain sins bring reproach on God's good name and can stumble other people from turning to Christ. For example, when religious persons commit homosexuality, or other immoral acts (especially against children) their violation of their position of sacred trust demands that they should be expelled. Likewise with any false prophet who declares things in God's name that are proven to be false. Also for those who apostasize from the Christian faith. The Bible is perfectly clear about those situations. It's nowhere near as clear with the JWs, however.

There are allegations of people molested by JW leaders being put out because they complained at the molestation! (And that might well be the case in other denominations). JWs 'caught' smoking, or accepting a frowned-upon blood product can be disfellowshipped. Leaders who have made false prophecies are defended and adored as if they were God's anointed. JWs blindly accept any statement from their elders saying so-and-so has been disfellowshipped, believing they MUST have committed some heinious sin and not repented of it. They make no enquiry. Well, the Bible is crystal clear: "Judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment... Let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judment. For we all stumble in many things... He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law... There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?" (James chaps 2 & 4).

Answer 6

My mom is a JW (i am not) and they only disfellowship another member if they sin and continue to sin. They want to keep their organization clean (for the most part) and it would be hypocritical to not practice what they preach. If they want the benefits of being in that religious community then they better follow the rules.

This disfellowshipped member still has a chance to get back in with them by attending meetings and cleaning up their acts, but in the meantime many Jehovah's Witnesses will not speak to them. It's always been like that, so get over it.

A disfellowshipped family member can still talk to their jehovahs witness family though. my mother never stopped talking to my sister who is disfellowshipped, but some people can be more extreme.

Answer 7

It is the one thing I could not understand. I grew up with witness and I have probably been to 30 meetings over the years. As for the practices in the church it is very tight knit and nothing out of the ordinary about it.

I have about 5 friends who where discommunicated. One of them got married a couple of years ago and I was telling a member of the church about it, her response was "He is not with us anymore". I sh!t you not.

All in all however they are great people just a little to into the bible.

As for the people saying that they do not follow the bible. They read much of it litteraly the dont pick and choose as much as other christian. So get off you high horse.

Answer 8

Glad to say I only know 3 JW's, funny thing is all 3 have either taken or are currently being prescribed Anti-Psychotics and Anti-Depressants.

Remember - when Jesus said the cast the first stone thing, he never threw a stone - this confirms that Jesus believed that he was not without sin...

Answer 9

Say no more. I think that of all belief systems, they are the absolute worst. Its actually quite scary the way they think. If i WAS to embrace christianity i would definately go elsewhere.
They turn up at your door in gangs, wearing frumpy clothes, with frumpy attitudes. Gives religion a bad name. I think maybe i could have been 'converted' a long time ago if it wasn't for those people putting me off.

Answer 10

Without wishing to be overly critical of people I really do not understand, their entire idealogical stance on many things is more than a little unreasonable.

To have proclaimed the end of the world being nigh ..... for the last however many years I have always found a little amusing .... especially when a building for them was being built just down the road. Made me smile every time I walked past, wondering why they were bothering .... surely if the world is to end, why try to expand ?

But seriously, its a Cult, nothing more nothing less ... I know this will not be liked as a statement, but there we are.

And would people PLEASE stop quoting from a book that was written so long ago .... The world has moved on. Move on and understand its people, do not segregate you and those open to brain-washing with such nonsense. I may have to start quoting from Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy !