While the right of a particular religious group to have a shunning policy should be protected under the U.S. Constitution, along with those in the group desiring to adhere to that policy, the rights of individuals to disagree should also be protected. An individual should have the right to choose to become a member of […]
True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but it is painful; yet afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11) This verse is not talking about accepting discipline meted out by congregation elders. In the previous chapter Paul lists various pre-Christian servants […]
In a recent morning worship broadcast, governing body helper Leonard Myers gave an example that illustrated the need for Christians to avoid showing misplaced compassion. However, I thought it odd that the example he chooses is from the Mosaic Law. This is a common practice of those on the teaching committee of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The […]
There are perhaps millions of people that sincerely believe they are happy while living in a high control religious system. At the same time there are possibly an equal amount of persons that are unhappy and feel confined. I myself remember a time while serving as an elder in Jehovah’s Witnesses being approached by a […]
…“Remove the wicked person from among yourselves.” (1 Corinthians 5:13) Perhaps second only to the refusal of blood transfusions, the most controversial practice of the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses is that of disfellowshipping with its associated shunning of wrongdoers. Presently, all in the disfellowshipped state, whether repentant or not, as well as those voluntarily disassociating […]
“Everyone who pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God. The one who does remain in this teaching is the one who has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your homes […]
At the conclusion of part 3 the question was raised: “Was Jesus encouraging his disciples to adopt toward the sinner the attitude the Scribes and Pharisees had toward tax collectors? The Watchtower continues: “‘But,’ someone might ask, ‘did not Jesus associate with tax collectors?’ Well, let us examine the facts. As “the Lamb of God […]
Spiritual Fellowship Part 2 of this series concluded with an important question, just what is to be considered spiritual fellowship? The expression appears in the book of Philippians: “If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any spiritual fellowship, if any tender affection and compassion, make my joy full […]
Was there truly a difference in the way the fornicator in Corinth and the lazy meddlers in Thessalonica were to be treated? But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked and stop associating with him, so that he may become ashamed. And yet do not consider him […]
A Difference Between Marking and Disfellowshipping? The scripture most often referred to as support for disfellowshipping is 1 Corinthians 5:9-13. However, the Watchtower society views the situation in Corinth as being much worse than what needed to be dealt with in Thessalonica, a situation which called for a lesser form of discipline they call marking. […]