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DISASSOCIATION BY JOINING ANOTHER RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION

By 29. June 2021January 6th, 2023The eleven disfellowshipping offenses

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Resigning from Jehovah’s Witnesses can be done by a formal request, oral or in writing, according to jw.org. In addition to that, Jehovah’s Witnesses view three kinds of actions as evidence that a person has resigned or disassociated himself from the congregation, 1) a violation of neutrality, 2) accepting blood without repentance, and 3) joining another religious organization.

The way the elders treat a brother who has joined a religious organization, according to the Shepherd book, is strange. They are not advised to ask him whether his actions are meant to be an indication of his intention to resign from his congregation—that would have been the natural thing to ask. But they are advised to find out if he intends to remain in the other religious organization.

During the 44 years from 1942 to 1986, a person who joined another religious organization was disfellowshipped. But in 1986, the view changed. A person who had joined another religion, had by this action disassociated himself from his congregation.

Nevertheless, the outcome of the situation, both before and after 1986, is the same—the Witness is thrown out of the congregation. And therefore, disfellowshipping and disassociation are the same thing, even though the designations are different.

The Bible has three expressions that signify that an action is a disfellowshipping offense, 1) actions that are said to be wicked, 2) actions where it is said that a person is handed over to Satan, and 3) actions where it is said that we must avoid or reject a person. Titus 3:10 speaks of making a sect, and point 3) is applied to his action. First Timothy 1:20 and 2 Timothy 2:17,18 speaks about spreading false teachings, and point 2) is applied to this action. Thus joining a religious organization is the same as joining a sect that spreads false teachings. Thus, joining a religious organization is a disfellowshipping offense authorized by the Scriptures and not an action showing that he has disassociated himself from his congregation.

THE WHOLE ARTICLE IS FOUND IN THE CATEGORY “DISASSOCIATION.”

Rolf Furuli

Author Rolf Furuli

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