For Jehovah's Witnesses: If someone is disfellowshipped, do you assume it is for "immorality?"?

Question

Disfellowshipping announcements made at JW meetings are supposed to be phrased just, "So-and-so is disfellowshipped." No reason given. When someone decides to "just quit" the JWs, sometimes they just quietly leave. If no one knew how they felt, they could effectively disappear. But if someone voiced some questions first and didn't feel the answers were satisfactory, they might make it known to the elders, who could disfellowship them so no one else talks to them. There've been cases of witness abuse victims who have been disfellowshipped for speaking out to warn other possible victims of their abusers when nothing was done to the abuser because of the "two witness" rule. A friend of mine didn't know she was raped by a "brother" using the "date rape" drug til another one told her because this guy had bragged to him. SHE was disfellowshipped for about a month for being a "loose woman" until an appeal had her reinstated. Nothing was done to him. She had to take being shunned for no reason

Answer 1

An elder in the congregation I grew up in was disphellowshipped. The rumour went around that he had, had a blood transfusion. In fact it was for adultery with my mother.

A friend of mine was disphellowshipped for warning sisters in the congregation of a brother who had sexually assualted her child and was getting close to theirs.

I dont' know if it is still the practice, bu we used to be able to work out pretty easily why someone had been publicy reproved or disphellowshipped from the next local needs talk.

Answer 2

Why did you use quotation marks " " on the word brother? Was he an actual baptized brother or just someone that is attending the congregation? But still doesn't mean that he can do no harm. It's a two sided story and maybe we'll never know what the story was based on what you declared. No one is here to judge.

Jehovah knows what goes on in HIS ORGANIZATION and he will "clean out" or will take care of those who are in their crooked ways; elder or not. The stories and some comments here just don't make sense and there's always another side of the story. Elder's make sound judgment based on facts. Elders seek answers in the Bible. And foremost, seeks guidance through prayer to Jehovah.

And plus, It's not just one elder that will decide the final decision but other elders are involved as well. So when you are DF (disfellowship), that means that you have done something wrong that's unclean. Based on the "wrong" that the person did will be determine by a body of elders. If indeed the elders were wrong by not applying the decision based on the Bible, then Jehovah will correct by means necessary.

Answer 3

How do you know there were cases, or how many, if any? Were you a witness to the actions?

I was disfellowshipped by the Corning, Ca congregation in 1982 for cause. I could have appealed it, but didn't. I've been told numerous times over the years that I could make money selling my story about why I was disfellowshipped. Not the actual reason, but one a ghost writer would come up with that would be believable and sell-able.

The question to ask is what is there to gain from an elder lying. These are not power positions. Unlike other religions, they are not life time positions. They don't get paid, they have to put in extra time, and many of the people they may be lying to will be elders in a few years when the congregation next splits and a new one is formed.

Five new congregations get formed a week. That's 50+ new elders a week. You keep secrets by doing what Christendom does. You let the congregation get overly large, retaining the power with the elite, and not teaching the membership how to be preachers and teachers when when they take your place in a few years.

Answer 4

I would not assume anything. However, when you say "immorality", what exactly do you mean? Immoral is the opposite of moral. So any wrongdoing according to bible standards would fit the term "immorality".

If I go by your example, it seems you may be talking about fornication. If it's a younger one being disfellowshipped, my experiences will probably lead me to the conclusion that yes, it was most likely for fornication or loose conduct. However, all the congregations that I have been a part of, everyone was close and the congregation had a family like atmosphere, so most of the younger ones knew what was going on with each other.

In response to some other posts: There has never been a time that the Watchtower Society have made any prophecies regarding future events. If you have examples, please elaborate.

Yes, we do believe that the congregation is led by Jehovah's Holy Spirit. However, each congregation is made up of imperfect humans. To think that every action or decision will be perfect goes contrary to that. People are imperfect and make mistakes. Remember that King David also made mistakes and it cost him dearly, yet Jehovah forgave him. Would you say that anybody making a mistake is beyond forgiveness? So let's try to remember that Jesus wanted us to always forgive each other. The reason humans find it hard to forgive is because, again, we are imperfect.

Answer 5

why do we expect so much from Jehovah's witnesses? is it because they have the truth? so, we expect them to be perfect? right?

i am not saying that your story and Carol D's are not true. i have no doubt that you have had bad experiences with the jehovah's witnesses.

but filled with holy spirit or not, these elders are still human and imperfect. ok, so they get carried away with tears. doesn't that show they have a heart? it may not be the right place for it but hey, they have a heart and feelings.

I do not know much about disfellowshipping within their congregation as i am not a jehovah's witness but we see a lot worse outside the organization Jehovah's Witnesses are in. I really mean it... a lot worse!

I am sure the elders will do a lot of investigating when a case is brought to their attention and any information they get i assume will be kept private and it is not to be announced to the congregation so what does the congregation as a whole really know?

Carol D, just one question. How did your neighbor, your fellow sister then get in to your house? let alone in the bedroom where your husband was? Did she have a key? Did she let herself in? Didn't he lock your doors? Ok that's more like 5 questions.

Sorry. i'm not saying your husband had some part in it, ok maybe i am because it is just so odd that she got into your house without the owner's permission. Or did i read your story incorrectly?

Answer 6

You are only repeating what someone else told you.You were not there.There are always two sides to any story.
Elders are appointed by Jehovahs Holy Spirit and take the matter of disfellowshiping someone extremely seriously.
Even if she had been wrongly accused and ousted as you claim,we can all be assurred that Jehovah will sort out any wrongdoing in his due time.Sometimes,he may allow a matter to continue,to test our faith,our loyality.As you said,she was reinstated.
My question to you is how or why did she allow herself to be a situation that would threaten her safety in the first place?
As Jehovah's Witnesses we lean on and rely on Jehovah to settle all matters,even if we dont agree with the final decisions.Jehovah sees everything.Nothing gets by him.So even if we feel things werent handled corrrectly,we can rest assured Jehovah knows and will 'make matters straight'

Answer 7

Dear Suzanne,

I'm not a jw so I cannot give you a direct answer.
However I would like to give you an interesting comparison from a question I recently answered.

Jeff B asked "Why do people assume beliefs about Jehovahs Witnesses without asking one of them if it is true or not?"

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070427051026AAbimRP&r=w#F80sW2O_VDHv2gI3WpYW2ePsvDRgzkLaaBgkX2Ijm5n.7ts_YLGa

Compare the answers on that question to the answers you receive. It might make you shake your head in amazement.

For His glory,
JOYfilled

Answer 8

There are 2 sides to every issue. Only the elders know the whole situation.

If that sister was raped, there is no way she would be disfellowshipped. For what reason? You are just providing a lot of half trues.

Characters like Mark 101112 below really don't have a clue about what goes on with Jehovah's Witnesses. That explains his remarks. When one of Jehovah's Witnesses is expelled, it is NOT for violating JW "doctrine and policies." Why? Because apart from Bible guidlines, we have no "doctrine and policies." When I was small, my older brother and I studied the Bible with an older Witness. He was later disfellowshipped. Why? Because he was a homosexual. He violated Bible standards, not JW "doctrine and policies."

All your statement is doing is providing fodder for those who do not like us because of our Bible stand for Christian morals. Are you happy now?

Answer 9

I make no assumption unless I know why they were disfellowshipped. I simply wait for them to return.

Answer 10

No, Jehovah's Witnesses do not make assumptions about their former 'brothers'.

Some Jehovah's Witnesses become inactive because they feel unable to continue preaching or certain other Christian obligations for a few months or even years. These are not counted in any JW statistics, but they are considered "brothers" and "sisters" by active Witnesses. Their standing is entirely different from those who are disfellowshipped or disassociated.


Jehovah's Witnesses practice the Scriptural practice of disfellowshipping for unrepentance of such serious sins as fornication, drug abuse, stealing, and apostasy. Baptized Witnesses who join the military or publicly engage in worship with another religion are considered to have disassociated themselves from Jehovah's Witnesses.

Contrary to the misinformation of anti-Witnesses, it is quite possible to become inactive in the JW religion without becoming disfellowshipped. As long as one's lifestyle does not bring reproach upon the congregation, and as long as one does not advocate one's disagreements with the religion, the congregation has no interest in "investigating", exposing, and disfellowshipping an inactive former Jehovah's Witness.

For those who are disfellowshipped or disassociated, a primary goal is to shock the person into recognizing the serious of their wrong so that they rejoin the congregation in pure worship. Since the primary bonds that are broken involve friendship and spiritual fellowship, it is well understood that family bonds remain intact. Parents, siblings, and grown children of disfellowshipped and disassociated ones sometimes choose to limit what they may feel is discouraging or "bad association" but that is a personal decision and is not required by their religion.

Former Witnesses who are disfellowshipped or disassociated are typically treated in accord with the Scriptural pattern explained in these Scriptures:

(1 Corinthians 5:11-13) 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. ...Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

(Titus 3:10) As for a man that promotes a sect, reject him after a first and a second admonition

(Romans 16:17) Now I exhort you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.

(2 Thessalonians 3:6) Now we are giving you orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition you received from us.

(2 Thessalonians 3:14) But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed.

(2 John 10) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.

(Matthew 18:17) If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations

Becoming baptized as a Jehovah's Witnesses is not a trivial step. At a minimum, a student must demonstrate months of regular meeting attendance and public ministry, then must himself express the desire to be baptized. The candidate then spends hours answering hundreds of bible questions wherein he expresses both a clear understanding and personal conviction regarding Jehovah's Witness teachings in at least three separate interviews with three different elders. The candidate must vocally agree to be baptized in front of hundreds or thousands of eyewitnesses, and must be publicly immersed in water. This is not a momentary emotional decision by an unreasoning child. Dedication as a Witness required hard work and determination at the time.

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