Jehovah's Witnesses...why is it that you 'disfellowship' people?

Question

I have known people to be abandoned by their congregation, and maybe even disowned by their parents, if they committ a sin that they view as so great the person can no longer stay among them, lest the others be somehow 'tainted.' Why are these people turned away? Isn't it times like that that they need you the most? Shouldn't you trust your other congregation members to know better than to follow their example? In my church, sinners are welcome. Forgive me, if I sound condescending. I just want to understand.

And please, do more than just give me a link to the watchtower site. I have seen it, i have read it, and i still have not understood.

Most of the answers so far have not been from JWs. It is their explanations that I seek.

For carpentershammerer: I do not refer to you. It appears that you truly have experienced these things.

Answer 1

First you must understand that this is done ONLY when the person involved has committed GRAVE sin against Gods Holy Spirit and that person is not REPENTANT and believe me I know I have been one of those ppl. The bible makes it very clear stating not to even eat with such a person. One thing is that as a family member (wife,child,husband) the family is to carry on as normal it is in spiritual matters that the immediate family is not to have any dealings with them in. As for the congregation it must be kept clean. Think of it this way If your had a child, sis or what ever meet a group of new friends that were doing some things that you knew would get him or her in trouble would u not try and tell her not to assosicate with them. This is why the bible states Bad association spoils useful habits...............They are allowed to go to congregation meetings and so forth, the ministers there do converse with them to some degree and make sure they are well, they are just not allowed to associate as close friends members etc.....If they have any family with them the family is still apart of the congregation in full. The real hope is not to shun the person but to hope and pray that they will seek forgiveness not to the Congregation but to God himself for their sins.

Hope this helps u really understand what it is for.........

Answer 2

The Apostle Paul..said “Let fornication and uncleanness of every kind or greediness not even be mentioned among you, just as it befits holy people, neither shameful conduct nor foolish talking nor obscene jesting, things which are not becoming. . . . For you know this, recognizing it for yourselves, that no fornicator or unclean person or greedy person—which means being an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and of God.” (Eph. 5:3-5) Surely you or others would not say that Paul did not know what he was talking about, or that times are changed. The sins commited back in Paul's time is different from this day and age...would you?
The Language is very clear, and although it may be viewed as Harsh, it is not. Can one say that God did not have to destroy the Wicked people of Sodom & Gomorah?..If one is to call themselves a christian, then they have to realise that there are rules that apply to them as well.
So if anyone in the organization after being washed clean would, as the proverbial dog, return to his own vomit, or, as a bathed sow, again roll in the mire, then it is necessary for the organization to disfellowship and cut off from its midst such a filthy person. (1 Cor. 6:11; 2 Pet. 2:22) “Quit mixing in company” with this kind, “not even eating with such a man,” but, rather, “remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” (1 Cor. 5:9-13) “Now we are giving you orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly.” “For we hear certain ones are walking disorderly among you.” “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 Thess. 3:6, 11, 14) Furthermore, “if anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say farewell [a greeting] to him. For he that says farewell to him is a sharer in his wicked works.” Thus by following this clear Scriptural procedure as regards unclean and rebellious ones, Jehovah’s witnesses certainly distinguish themselves from all the religious of Christendom. People of good will also see this tremendous difference and they are attracted to this clean organization, recognizing that here Jehovah’s spirit is dwelling.
Of course you are entitled to your own opinion, but it is what it is..

Answer 3

-----It comes from the Bible, and it has to be applied.

-----Paul was ahead of the Christian congregation, and he himself disfellowshipped membered of the congregation too.

-----He tells us how to treat them

1 Corinthians 5:11-13
“But now I am writing you to 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.

12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

Romans 16:17-18
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them

For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

-----Notice how apostates or disfellowshipped members of the congregation are named.

2 Timothy 1:15
You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

2 Timothy 2:17
Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

1 Timothy 1:19
holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.

1 Timothy 1:20
Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.



-----Paul often brought repentant serious sinners back into the congregation.

2 Corinthians 2:6-11
6The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

-----As you can see, it comes directly from the Bible.

Answer 4

Disfellowship is only done when the person is not regretful of their sinful actions. It's a form of protection for the congregation; we don’t want their bad conduct/attitude to spread. Think of it as a rudely child being put I time out. It gives the person time to realize what they have done and repent of their sin. The person is still part of the congregation; we just don’t associate with them until we’re sure they’re sorry for what they did. After they prove there are really remorseful they are welcomed back with love and open arms.

Answer 5

Cults hold that as a Sword of Damocles over the heads of their lemmings to scare them into compliance. The OPPOSITE of the compassion and acceptance that Jesus taught and commanded.

Some day, people in the JW, the Catholic Church, and the other cults should be wising up to that. And realize that if that should happen to them, they've just been done a **huge** FAVOR!

Answer 6

I was unaware that this practice was so rampant among the Jehovah's Witnesses. I figured (having been raised one myself, but have since abandoned the institution) only Roman Catholics exercised excommunication, which is what I gather disfellowshipping essentially comes to mean as well. But this is what I was able to glean from some sources online about disfellowshipping: "Jehovah's Witnesses practice disfellowshiping, not only for unrepentant sinners, but also for a number of other reasons. Since 1973, for instance, a member who smokes is subject to disfellowshiping. So would be those who work directly in defense departments or the military, or who are employed by any kind of religious organization. Walking into a church could merit this penalty, as could taking a blood transfusion, saluting the flag (or any act of patriotism), celebrating holidays, talking to a disfellowshiped person (including relatives), disagreeing with ANY doctrinal points, and the list of punishable offenses grows greater each year." (Watters)

Disfellowshipping sounds akin to excommunication which is what happened to many so-called heretics the Roman Catholic Church vigorously persecuted because of their contestation of church doctrine. As to why it occurs, the most basic explanation I can give is in the vein of George W. Bush's statement at the UN, "You're either with us or you're against us." No room for disagreement, and as is often the case, no room for questions either.

Answer 7

Ignorance. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Answer 8

Other cults follow this practice as well, such as the Mormons and the UPC. It's a form of controlling anyone who might want to express disagreement with the group and/or who might want to leave it, which is the worst sin any cult member can commit. Cults are only as strong as the control their leaders have over the followers, and as long as control is maintained the group will survive. Being in a cult is extremely stressful, and most people who leave a cult go on to lead happy, normal lives. If a former cult member were allowed to fellowship with current members, there is a chance that current members could be enticed away from the group. The leaders can't afford to let this happen.

Answer 9

I have seen it happen too.
It has torn this family apart. Literally. I can understand a minister being chastised by his people but this was just regular people in the congregation that didn't follow some rule. We are all sinners and come short of the glory of God. I don't understand why a group of people can boot you out of church (kingdom hall) and the JW's out of the new world. Its very sad. That's why its a cult. Great question. Mentally just ripped the whole family apart.

Answer 10

I have heard of this happening multiple times, but not only with Jehovah's Witnesses, but also with pretty much any congregation. Just recently I heard of a woman being turned away from a very conservative Christain church for filing for divorce. It is really sad that some congregations have come to this.