Q:
In the
Watchtower study article for 5/1, disfellowshipped and disassociated were
used many times in the paragraphs. I don’t quite understand how
disassociated can be used in harmony with disfellowship. Isn’t there a big
difference?
_________________________
A: According
to the Watchtower Society,
the difference between "disfellowshipping" and "disassociation"
is merely terminology. The textbook for elders, "Shepherd the Flock of God,"
which provides detailed instructions for every "theocratic procedure"
within their "spiritual government" (see
Footnote), explains under
the heading "Implications of Disassociation": "Whereas disfellowshipping is an action taken by a judicial committee
against an unrepentant wrongdoer, disassociation is an action taken by an
individual who no longer desires to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses. (1 John 2:19)
The body of elders should appoint a committee of three elders to consider the
facts. . . Since disassociation is an action taken by
the publisher rather than the committee, there is no arrangement for an appeal.
Therefore, the announcement of disassociation can be made on the occasion of the
next Service Meeting without waiting seven days. A report of the disassociation
should promptly be sent to the branch office, using the appropriate forms.—See
7:33-34." ("Shepherd the Flock of God," Chapter 9, pages 110-112)
Disfellowshipped and disassociated persons are treated the same. The above
book says in this regard: "If members of the congregation are known to
have undue association with disfellowshipped or disassociated relatives who are
not in the household, elders should counsel and reason with those members of the
congregation from the Scriptures. Review with them information from the 'God’s
Love' book, pages 207-208; The Watchtower of April 15, 1988, pages 26-30; or the
article 'Display Christian Loyalty When a Relative Is Disfellowshipped' in the
August 2002 Our Kingdom Ministry. If it is clear that a Christian is violating
the spirit of the disfellowshipping decree in this regard and does not respond
to counsel, it may be that he would not qualify for congregation privileges,
which require one to be exemplary. He would not be dealt with judicially unless
there is persistent spiritual association or he openly criticizes the
disfellowshipping decision." (Shepherd the Flock of God, Chapter 10, page
116)
The following reasons are given as to how or why a person may disassociate
(disfellowship) himself:
• Making known a firm decision to be known no longer
as one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
• Joining another religious organization and making known his intention to
remain
• Willingly and unrepentantly taking blood.
• Taking a course contrary to the neutral position of the Christian
congregation.
The above stated reasons indicate that the term
"disassociation" is used by the Society to protect itself against lawsuits. In
democratic countries, such as the United States, the rights of citizens are
protected by Law. A legal corporation cannot implement its own laws which
restrict the rights guaranteed to all citizens. This prevents them from taking
disciplinary action against a person who no longer wishes to be a member of
their organization; or who leaves to join another; or a person who accepts
certain medical treatments such as a blood transfusion. It is also unlawful to
deny or restrict anyone from belonging to or supporting a recognized and legal
association, religion, organization, or political party. Although God may have
certain restrictions when it comes to worship that is acceptable to him, such as
"to keep oneself without spot from the world," he has not empowered his
shepherds to enforce them. (James 1:26,27; 4:4)
Regarding the last point of "taking a course contrary to the neutral position of
the Christian congregation," it further states: "If he joins a nonneutral
organization, he has disassociated himself. If his employment makes him a
clear accomplice in nonneutral activities, he should generally be allowed a
period of time up to six months to make an adjustment. If he does not, he has
disassociated himself.—km
9/76 pp.3-6." According to their own law,
the leaders of the Society disassociated themselves when they joined the U.N. as
an N.G.O., from 1992 to 2001; and are self-condemned when they still attend and
address the members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation
in Europe (OSCE) at their conventions. (compare Jesus' words at Matthew 23:2-4;
see
http://perimeno.ca/Letters_1107_OSCE.htm)
Shockingly, God's sheep who are suffering and are dispersed or lost are treated the same as
unrepentant sinners. (1 Peter 5:2,3; Acts 15:10,11; Gal. 4:9; 5:1) Why are many
of them, whom the apostle
Peter fondly refers to as "God's inheritance," leaving the fold and no
longer want to be known as one of Jehovah's Witnesses? The answer may surprise
you, for Jehovah himself tells us:
“This is what the Sovereign
Lord Jehovah has said: 'Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who have become feeders
of themselves! Is it not the flock that the shepherds ought to feed?
3 The
fat is what YOU eat, and with the wool YOU clothe your own selves. The plump
animal is what YOU slaughter. The flock itself YOU do not feed.
4 The
sickened ones YOU have not strengthened, and the ailing one YOU have not healed,
and the broken one YOU have not bandaged, and the dispersed one YOU have not
brought back, and the lost one YOU have not sought to find, but with
harshness YOU have had them in subjection, even with tyranny.
5 And
they were gradually scattered because of there being no shepherd, so that they
became food for every wild beast of the field, and they continued to be
scattered. 6 My
sheep kept straying on all the mountains and on every high hill; and on all the
surface of the earth my sheep were scattered, with no one making a search and
with no one seeking to find.
7 “‘“Therefore, YOU shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah, 8 ‘“As I am alive,” is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, “surely for the reason that my sheep became something for plunder and my sheep continued to be food for every wild beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, and my shepherds did not search for my sheep, but the shepherds kept feeding themselves, and my own sheep they did not feed,”’ 9 therefore, YOU shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah. 10 This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘Here I am against the shepherds, and I shall certainly ask back my sheep from their hand and make them cease from feeding [my] sheep, and the shepherds will no longer feed themselves; and I will deliver my sheep out of their mouth, and they will not become food for them.’”
11 “‘For
this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: “Here I am, I myself, and I
will search for my sheep and care for them.
12 According
to the care of one feeding his drove in the day of his coming to be in the midst
of his sheep that have been spread abroad, that is the way that I shall care for
my sheep; and I will deliver them out of all the places to which they have
been scattered in the day of clouds and thick gloom.
(this places
the prophecy in the time of the end; immediately before Jehovah’s day at
Armageddon—Zeph. 1:14,15)
13 And
I will bring them out from the peoples and collect them together from the lands
and bring them in onto their soil and feed them on the mountains of Israel, by
the streambeds and by all the dwelling places of the land.
14 In
a good pasturage I shall feed them, and on Israel’s high mountains their abiding
place will come to be. There they will lie down in a good abiding place, and on
a fat pasturage they will feed upon the mountains of Israel.”
15 “‘“I
myself shall feed my sheep, and I myself shall make them lie down,” is the
utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.
16 “The
lost one I shall search for, and the dispersed one I shall bring back, and the
broken one I shall bandage and the ailing one I shall strengthen, but the
fat one and the strong one I shall annihilate. I shall feed that one with
judgment.”
31 “‘And
as regards YOU my sheep, the sheep of my pasturing, YOU are earthling men. I am
YOUR God,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.”
(Ezekiel 34:1-16, 31)
Jehovah looks with
great concern upon his ailing and lost sheep who are scattered, many among them
becoming "food for every wild beast of the field." He is infuriated
with the good-for-nothing shepherds who are feeders only of themselves and are responsible
for the demise of his sheep. The shepherds have failed to strengthen the sickened one; to heal the ailing one; to bandage
the broken one; to bring back the dispersed one; and to look for the lost one.
Incredibly, not only are the "goatlike leaders" responsible for the suffering of God's
sheep, but to add to their wickedness they
disfellowship (disassociate) any who no longer want to submit to their
harsh and tyrannical rule, thus driving them away. (Zech. 10:3) I have
heard from brothers and sisters who have suffered such heart wrenching
maltreatment at the hands of some elders that I am sure Jesus would be moved to tears. (John 11:35)
Jehovah's appointed
day is fast approaching when he will ask back his sheep from the hands of the
self-serving shepherds, who are acting under the authority and direction
of the man of lawlessness. Upon the return of the Master, they will have
their portion assigned with the unbelievers.
(Matt. 24:48-51; Luke 12:45-48; 1 Cor. 3:16,17; 2 Thess. 1:6-10; 2:3, 8-10)
But Jehovah holds out hope to his "disassociated" sheep! "Be
courageous and strong. Do not suffer shock or be terrified, for Jehovah your God
is with you wherever you go." (Josh. 1:9) He has promised that he
will collect and "bring back" the lost and dispersed sheep into his fold, appointing new and caring
shepherds over them all.(*) Just because a sheep has "disassociated"
himself from the authoritarian rule of the man of lawlessness does not at all
mean that he no longer belongs to God! And neither does it mean that he has left
Jehovah! (2 Chron. 15:2; Rom. 8:34-39; 14:8; 2 Tim. 2:19) After
the man of lawlessness is done away with, immediately upon Christ's
return, we can then
once again expect to see God's spirit in action, just as it was in the first
century; but which had been stifled and grieved in our time by the "son of destruction" who
has been sitting in opposition. (Acts 13:2-4; Eph. 4:30; 2 Thess. 2:3,4, 8)
"The Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces. And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken it. And in that day one will certainly say: 'Look! This is our God. We have hoped in him, and he will save us. This is Jehovah. We have hoped in him. Let us be joyful and rejoice in the salvation by him.'" (Isaiah 25:8,9)
* God's promise to
"deliver [his sheep] out of
all the places to which they have been scattered," and to bring them back into
his fold, does not include the plump animal which had been slaughtered
at the hands of his shepherds;
nor the sheep that had become "food for every wild beast of the field." Their
death signifies that they no longer belong to God, either because of having
been stumbled on account of the shepherds, as was true of some disciples of
Jesus who "went off to the
things behind and would no longer walk with him"; or because of having fallen prey
to the many false prophets (every wild beast of the field) who were foretold would make their appearance in the
last days. Having been unjustly disfellowshipped, or disassociated, does not
mean one no longer belongs to God. (Ezek. 22:27; Matt. 24:24; John 6:66,67;
15:5-7; Phil. 3:18; Col. 2:8; 2 Tim. 4:10)
Footnote:
Regarding "theocratic procedure," the Watchtower said: "In contrast with many religious groups in
Christendom, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not decide for themselves the form of
spiritual government under which they operate. These sincere Christians
endeavor to stick to Jehovah’s standards. Overseers among them are not put into
office by some congregational, hierarchical, or presbyterian form of church
government. If elements of the world seek to interfere with these appointments,
Jehovah’s people refuse to compromise. Steadfastly, they maintain the position
so well expressed by the apostles in the first century when they said: 'We must
obey God as ruler rather than men.' (Acts 5:29) Thus, the Witnesses subject
themselves to God in all things. (Hebrews 12:9; James 4:7) Following
theocratic procedure brings divine approval.—w01 1/15 p. 13 par. 7
Overseers and Ministerial Servants Theocratically Appointed. (Bold added)
Every religion assumes that whatever they do in
God's name automatically has God's approval. That was also the attitude of the
Jews who persecuted Jesus and his disciples. Jesus pointed out that a person
might "imagine he has rendered a sacred service to God," while in reality he has
taken a stand against God by his action. Such people deceive themselves "because
they have not come to know either the Father or me."—John 16:1-3;
Acts 5:38,39; Ezek. 44:23; Matt. 15:8,9.
http://www.perimeno.ca/Index_A.htm