Jehovah's Witnesses, is this an example of imitating God's love?

Q. Is this how you would treat your former friend in the same situation?

A. No it is not. I would love my friend, reach out to them and do everything I could to help them sort out and come to a logical conclusion to help them no longer have their doubts, or at least to feel better about you are while having these doubts.

Q. I mean, is this loving behaviour?

A. No it is not. It is hateful and spiteful and only being used to hurt. This person obviously has some serious issues she needs professional help with.

Q. Is this how God wants you to treat your former brother and sisters, speaking to them like dirt and acting as if they have a disease?

A. Jesus said that His true followers would be recognized by the “love” they have among themselves (John 13:34-35). Although the Bible allows for the act of expelling a Christian believer from church affiliation if they practice immoral behavior, this discipline is to be administered in humility and love for the sake of the sinful believer’s eternal destiny (Romans 14:1; Galatians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 5:4-5). It was not done in the scornful, “hateful” way that the Jehovah’s Witness elders interrogate spiritually “weak” followers to force confession to acts they deem as disfellowshipping offenses and compel Jehovah’s Witness friends and relatives to “shun” by completely cutting off all unnecessary communication with them.

Should the policy of “shunning” be considered a “loving” form of spiritual discipline? We read in the Bible that spiritual discipline is always to be accompanied by loving attempts of reconciliation (Matthew 18:15-17; 2 Corinthians 2:6-8). The communication lines are to be kept open at all times (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15) and the repentant sinner is to be welcomed back immediately without a long-trial period of performance (Luke 15:18-23).

Edit: Magpie of Eden I am ssorry to see Witnesses turning their back on you and attacking you now. Sadly, this shows their lack of character, or their lack of proper Biblical teaching. In most cases I would state it's the latter, but with at least one case t's clearly a lack of character.

Witnesses, if this behavior she is getting from you causes her to never return, is that something you can live with and that you honestly believe Yahweh would approve of?

Maybe I can help a little, I returned to the JW's to finish a study I did not finish a long time ago. I was in a stressful time in life, and got afraid of their being a cult. But I never forgot them, and as time went by I thought that I should decide this year, either in or out and not on the doorsteps --too afraid to ring the bell.

I am sorry you met such condescending and judgmental people. I will say something to defend their point of view, but please know that I feel that what your friend texted you was very wrong and damaging.

I think their point of view is that by the fact that you desire some time alone to get it together, it tells them that there are problems. They have put their whole eternity in this road and you...by leaving... are making them wonder about it.

If I were you (and I am not you, I am just a restarted study and do not know the insides), I'd tell the elders that you have been slandered, that you just need a little time, and would like a little understanding.

and from there, I'd pray to God to help you. It is him we live for everyday, and to him we must answer. Eternity is a long time to be wrong, we got to work on it.

Dont go into groups were people just try to knock down the watchtower or anything. Go into spiritual places that will build you up and learn. Carm.org and equip.org are good sites, yet I saw what they say about JW's and I still want to hear it from them.

my prayers for you, I am sorry this is such a time of hurting.

"However, because he did not receive even the slightest communication from any of his family, the burning desire to be with them became one motivating factor in his restoring his relationship with Jehovah. Think of that if you are ever tempted to violate God’s command not to associate with your disfellowshipped relatives". What was the motivating factory of his return?! To be with his family again. His number one desire to return SHOULD HAVE BEEN his love for Jah. Instead he wanted to simply please his family and not be alone or apart from them. This is more of a psychological issue (mind control) than a spiritual compromise with Jah. The mind game is on and the threats are real. No Jehovah's Witnesses, no family. "Love thy neighbor as thyself". No matter the circumstances Jesus did not walk away from someone who needed His help. So if you walk away and no longer want to be a part of this Org., you are shunned and not accepted by family members anymore. Would Jesus do this to one of his close brothers? Didn't the apostles pretend not to know him before Jesus was crucified? Did Jesus return to them after the Crucifixion and shun them for their denial? Did Jesus play such mind games with his disciples? •2 John 10 says not to greet the Antichrist. The Watchtower uses this single scripture to support not saying hello to a disfellowshipped person. •At Scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 5, Paul outlined limiting association with Christians that practice wrongdoing, not strict shunning.

The same thing happened to me when I stopped going to a bible study run by Jehovah's Witnesses. I lost all of my friends and became extremely depressed. Eventually I found love and acceptance in a Presbyterian church. There are so many loving Christians out there; don't give up on God just because a few of his followers have treated you badly. A woman I know was disfellowshipped for divorcing her abusive husband. Is this love?

I am a former JW too.

I am sorry you are going through this. Is it not amazing how even if you do not break the actual rules just by the facts that you have stated here. You have a different opinion of some things or questions and you suddenly become "APOSTATE!!!!" Like you said Hypocrites.

They are surely no better. How could they say they are and still act as Jesus' followers humble and with humility and kindness?

Only by stating your doubts and different viewpoint on certain things you are a "Satan" or another I like a Tool of Satan.

JW's wonder why EX JW's tend to sound angry it's because we believed and trusted. We quite literally gave everything we had and were. But when in doubt or searching or even if we do drift away- even though breaking none of the JW commandments we are condemned. They will shun even though they cannot actually disfellowship you. Which actually goes against what they say the will do. Yes your friend can do whatever she wants in regards to speaking to you. But lying? Why has she not been brought to the back room with the Elders and spoken too about her lies? Should she not be under reproof for this? According to the rules , well yes.

You should not be being "shunned under the rules either as you have done nothing to actually be disfellowshipped for at least according to what you wrote. Even those who drift/inactive are in the "Truth" so to speak I suppose so they are the Hypocrites. Same thing happened to my family we drifted mainly because we worked 24/7. We were encouraged to let our family business fold in order to go door to door more. Right and apparently lose our home and live welfare? Nice.

Yeah there are angry former JW's and secretly angry JW's who are scared because look what happened to you. You had doubts and did not go to meeting or out in service-inactive because of no time card filled out in turned in. You finally turned to a friend and spoke the truth when she directly asked you. Before you can finish you are apostate and an evil tool of Satan to be shunned and you are.She lies and is allowed too. Have any Elders approached you (they know where you are or will just ask your friend) Elders in the area will visit if your old Elders cannot. Yet they have not but you are shunned anyway as though disfellowshipped?

Nice.

I don't doubt this question all ready been reported by certain ahemm...people that don't like the way it looks. Truthfully.

She is sadly not your friend. She is one of them we all once were if former JW's for different reasons. Sadly too we were condescending as that at one time too. I was. Thought we were right JW's and everyone was wrong and Jehovah would get everyone in the end.

however we were the least Godly like followers of Jesus. Reading the condescension within those posts of those who say they are indeed JW's is sad. They only hurt their own "TRUTH."

You are not alone Honey, and it will get better. All of us were treated this way. Most as in your case unjustly.

It does get easier with time, honest.

All my Care and Best Wishes.

people r so stupid on this thing...especially with JW's

listen ur not the only Jw whos treated that way...U KNOW they do it to all of those who go the "wrong " path.

ur so called friends in the "truth" are not ur friends.

theres only 2 laws that jesus us to do

and that was 1. love god all mighty (jehovah)

2. love thy neighboor (everyone)

now ask urself. do they really folow those 2 laws???? NO!

mayb the first one....

but the second is like if it doesnt exist.

dude go on with ur life....doing the things u like.

dont look back into religion. ALL religions r full of it.

john lennon was a smart man who we should all think like him.

unfortunatley no one does.

thats all i gotta say....

live this life as great as u can...its the only one ur getting.

:D

I had to read all answers twice.

Please do this yourself and note that mostly the non JWs have responded in kindness whereas the majority of "JW's" have spat venom at you.

Move on girl, drop the weirdo friend and run, as fast as you can...and dont look back.

I hope (not pray as Im non religious) that you make it. It would be nice for your friend to make it too, but she's clearly not considering it and sees you as a threat. Poor her, how sad that you could be her most genuine friend.

As I say I am non religious but I know that the bible said Jesus ate with the sinners and washed feet with the taxmen and didn't he leave all 99 sheep to find one missing one?

Whats going on with these lot??

Hold your head up high and move on, Good Luck.

The issue is that you have turned against Jehovah. If you are happy with that, quit whining.

Since Our bond and loyalty is with those that love Jehovah, you have stated that you don't, that means the relationship between Us and You are ended.

If you make the statement that you love Jehovah, just not his organization, then that is like saying to Noah, "Yes, I know that God is going to destroy the world, but I don't like the looks of that Ark you built." You have rejected the provisions Jehovah has given and that is why your viewpoint is "dangerous".

If your heart is speaking, why isn't it talking to Jehovah rather than to all the "loving" apostates that have just "adopted" you as a long lost daughter?

I have family that decided too that Jehovah's organization wasn't important enough for them to listen to and they are separated from my 'friendship'. It is hard when it is your children but my first love is God. If they have stopped loving God, am I too going to join them in that? No.

You never mentioned what you found that gave you more comfort and hope than the message we share. Christendom tells you is that you are predestined to Heaven or Hell, and nothing you can do can change that. Which God do you serve now?

If you ever leave, they say that you have gone back out into the world. They cannot accept the fact that someone saw the truth for what it is. They have no one to blame it on, so they blame it on the person who left. They cannot see that they have faults. I have a family member who is one.

Wow! All anyone needs to do is read the responses here from JW's.

"By their fruits ye shall know them." Their fruit is hatred and disdain for anyone who has the audacity to disagree with them or the Watch Tower. I don't remember hatred being one of the fruits of the spirit. The arrogance they have shown on this board is shameful by anyone's standards.

You were quite frank about not wanting to be a Witness, what's your problem, you walked out now you want to cry on someones shoulder?

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jehovah is the one and only true God, this being the case you have turned our back to our God & you want to still associate with us, "no way". I told my daughter when she was having problems with some of the people that claim to be Witnesses, you don't walk away from Jehovah because you are having problems with imperfect man. I don't know why you left & I do not wish to know why, I have [NOTHING] to do with ones that have turned their back to God, If you are not baptized, I would mark you as [BAD] association, this does not mean you are a bad person, it means I do not want to hear your views, I only except what the Bible says for it is the word of God.

You stand on your own two feet, you chose what path you are taking, why do you want to still be part of something that you disagree with, your thinking is warped, this is probably why you left in the first place.

You will get all kinds of support from those that have the same mind set as you, you won't get any support from true Witnesses.