Jehovah's Witnesses practices: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 07:10, 23 October 2005

Revision as of 07:49, 23 October 2005

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All members are expected to abide by Bible requirements as understood by Jehovah's Witnesses, and serious violations of these requirements can result in ''disfellowshipping'', or excommunication.

There are number of ScripturalyScripturally based offenses, which can result in disfellowshipping. These include:

*[[abortion]]

*[[adultery]]

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*use of [[tobacco]]

No individual arbitrarily determines that the practice of a particular sin requires disfellowshipping. Rather, this action is Scripturally required only when a member of the congregation ''unrepentantly'' engages in gross sins, such as those enumerated in the 5th chapter of First Corinthians. Thus, while a Christian ''may be'' disfellowshipped for practicing fornication, this occurs only if the individual ''refuses'' to accept the spiritual assistance of the elders and repent (evidenced by discontinuing the wrong conduct or their attitude toward it). A judicial committee (usually 3 elders) meets with the alleged offender, assesses whether a serious sin has been committed, and then decides whether the individual seems genuinely repentant. Elders are directed to take into account the personality of the individual rather than applying rigid determining factors for repentance.

Some reasons for disfellowshipping are not explicitly listed in the Bible, and are the Governing Body's interpretation of Bible-based principles (not rules or laws) for Christians. Gambling is one such area. The Bible does not contain an explicit condemnation of gambling even though it was a common practice in Christian times; however there are principles that apply for those who claim to worship him. For example, the prophet Isaiah wrote about those who are "setting in order a table for the god of Good Luck" as something as something detestable to Jehovah. (Isaiah 65:11) Such conduct is equivalent in the Governing Body's eyes to idolatry, something that is explicitly prohibited in the Bible. Therefore, the Witnesses believe that God hates practices that "promote a superstitious belief in luck" [http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2002/7/22/article_03.htm], or greediness, though it is difficult to see how many forms of forbidden gambling fall under these categories, such as using a free lottery ticket. Many Witnesses will nevertheless 'err on the side of caution,' choosing not to appear to approve of any practice which tacitly or actively promotes, or fails to condemn, gambling.

If a baptised Witness teaches doctrines contrary to the Organisation's interpretation of the Bible it is grounds for disfellowshipping for [[apostasy]]. According to a letter dated 1 September 1980 from the Watchtower Society to all Circuit and District overseers, anyone who "merely disagrees in thought with any of the Watch Tower Society's teachings is committing apostasy and is liable for disfellowshipping (excommunication)." (See [[Raymond Franz#Leaving New York and starting a new life| Raymond Franz]])

One needs to make oneself familiar with the Witnesses' application of Bible principles to understand whether or not they aremay inbe dangersubject ofto being disfellowshippeddisfellowshipping or reprovedreproval. As the understanding changes over time things that have been reasons at one time are no longer reasons at another time, such as organ transplants. The congregation [[Organizational structure of Jehovah's Witnesses#Elders and ministerial servants| elders]] try to help erring ones be restored to spiritual health. They recognize that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23). Repentant wrongdoers can often remain in the congregation and benefit from God's forgiveness. Elders also believe they have a scriptural obligation to uphold Jehovah's reputation and keep the congregation clean of wrong conduct. Individuals that continue to practice such things show by their conduct that they do not really want to be a part of the congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Disfellowshipping is not automatic, even when a person is accused of one of the above transgressions. In serious judicial matters, Jehovah's Witnesses apply the biblical principle from Deuteronomy 17:6 that accusations must be substantiated by at least two witnesses (unless the person confesses voluntarily). In these cases, a committee of elders examines the evidence and seeks to determine whether the person has ceased the questionable activity and repented. If that is not the case, the person is likely to be disfellowshipped. This requirement of 'two witnesses' has sometimes created serious difficulties in regards to cases involving child abuse and has been a cause for negative publicity globally. If found guilty by the judicial committee, the offender has a seven-day right to appeal the decision in writing.

Sometimes Jehovah's Witnesses will class someone as "disassociated" if they have practiced the conduct mentioned and a judicial hearing is not possible.

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===Reinstatement after disfellowshipping===

Disfellowshipping is not necessarily permanent. If a disfellowshipped person repents of his former conduct, he may be reinstated into the congregation. No specific period of time is prescribed before this can happen; in most cases, at least six months pass, in many cases, considerably longer. Statistics would appear to show that about one third of those disfellowshipped eventually return to the group.

Note that if Witness policy changes result in previously forbidden acts no longer being cause for disfellowshipping, those individuals disfellowshipped for the act are not automatically reinstated. An individual is disfellowshipped because his or her actions and/or attitude demonstrate that he or she is unrepentant, not simply because the individual has been found by the congregation to have committed a serious sin. Their repentance (or the lack thereof) is the real issue, not a change in policy. Because of the intangibleness of this stance, members must acquiesce with any rule about any particular act being classed as a 'serious sin' or face a judicial committee.

===Legal opinion of the practice===