Jehovah's Witnesses certainly do NOT ignore those who have been disfellowshipped. Congregation elders routinely invite such ones to qualify for reinstatement, and every Witness would be happy to perform social niceties such as holding the door or giving up a bus seat to a disfellowshipped person in need.
A person is *NOT* expelled from Jehovah's Witnesses for personal misgivings or confusion regarding some teaching. In the matter of doctrine, it is only those who ADVOCATE unscriptural teachings who disqualify themselves from continuous spiritual fellowship with the congregation.
Jehovah's Witnesses do practice the Scriptural practice of disfellowshipping for unrepentance of such serious sins as fornication, drug abuse, stealing, and apostasy. Baptized Witnesses who join the military or publicly engage in worship with another religion are considered to have disassociated themselves from Jehovah's Witnesses.
Contrary to the misinformation of anti-Witnesses, it is quite possible to become inactive in the JW religion without becoming disfellowshipped. As long as one's lifestyle does not bring reproach upon the congregation, and as long as one does not advocate one's disagreements with the religion, the congregation has no interest in "investigating", exposing, and disfellowshipping an inactive former Jehovah's Witness.
For those who are disfellowshipped or disassociated, a primary goal is to shock the person into recognizing the serious of their wrong so that they rejoin the congregation in pure worship. Since the primary bonds that are broken involve friendship and spiritual fellowship, it is well understood that family bonds remain intact. Parents, siblings, and grown children of disfellowshipped and disassociated ones sometimes choose to limit what they may feel is discouraging or "bad association" but that is a personal decision and is not required by their religion.
Former Witnesses who are disfellowshipped or disassociated are typically treated in accord with the Scriptural pattern explained in these Scriptures:
(1 Corinthians 5:11-13) Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. ...Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
(Titus 3:10) As for a man that promotes a sect, reject him after a first and a second admonition
(Romans 16:17) Now I exhort you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.
(2 Thessalonians 3:6) Now we are giving you orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition you received from us.
(2 Thessalonians 3:14) But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed.
(2 John 10) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.
(Matthew 18:17) If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations
Becoming baptized as a Jehovah's Witnesses is not a trivial step. At a minimum, a student must demonstrate months of regular meeting attendance and public ministry, then must himself express the desire to be baptized. The candidate then spends hours answering hundreds of bible questions wherein he expresses both a clear understanding and personal conviction regarding Jehovah's Witness teachings in at least three separate interviews with three different elders. The candidate must vocally agree to be baptized in front of hundreds or thousands of eyewitnesses, and must be publicly immersed in water. This is not a momentary emotional decision by an unreasoning child. Dedication as a Witness required hard work and determination at the time.
Source: This is the chosen Best Answer by Achtung_Heiss to a question from Yahoo! Answers.
For more concerning this see:
DISFELLOWSHIPPING - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)
EXPELLING (Insight-1 pp. 787-788; Watchtower Online Library)
Always Accept Jehovah’s Discipline (THE WATCHTOWER (STUDY EDITION) 2006-11-15; JW.ORG)
What is expelling (disfellowshiping) and why is/was it used in the Christian congregation? (Defending Jehovah's Witnesses)
Is the practice of disfellowshipping (expelling) found in the Bible? (Defending Jehovah's Witnesses)
"Disfellowshipping is not done out of spite or hatred for that individual. Rather, it may have the effect of having that person demonstrate their sincere repentance." (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
Child discipline illustration (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
To what extent should Christians avoid fellowship with disfellowshipped ones? (Defending Jehovah's Witnesses)
What About Christians Living In The Same Household With a Disfellowshipped Family Member? (Defending Jehovah's Witnesses)
What about Christians living in the same household with a disfellowshipped family member and family Bible study? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
Can someone be reinstated back to the congregation after being Disfellowshipped / Expelled? (Search For Bible Truths)
If a situation occurs which requires the assistance of law enforcement, should a Christian consult the police or the elders? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
Is someone to be disfellowshipped for marrying an unbeliever? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers, #3 in list)
Is it possible to be disfellowshiped even if the sinner regrets his faults? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
Are repentant wrongdoers "placed" or "put on" public or private reproof as if placed on probation? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACK TO HOME PAGE INDEX
A person is *NOT* expelled from Jehovah's Witnesses for personal misgivings or confusion regarding some teaching. In the matter of doctrine, it is only those who ADVOCATE unscriptural teachings who disqualify themselves from continuous spiritual fellowship with the congregation.
Jehovah's Witnesses do practice the Scriptural practice of disfellowshipping for unrepentance of such serious sins as fornication, drug abuse, stealing, and apostasy. Baptized Witnesses who join the military or publicly engage in worship with another religion are considered to have disassociated themselves from Jehovah's Witnesses.
Contrary to the misinformation of anti-Witnesses, it is quite possible to become inactive in the JW religion without becoming disfellowshipped. As long as one's lifestyle does not bring reproach upon the congregation, and as long as one does not advocate one's disagreements with the religion, the congregation has no interest in "investigating", exposing, and disfellowshipping an inactive former Jehovah's Witness.
For those who are disfellowshipped or disassociated, a primary goal is to shock the person into recognizing the serious of their wrong so that they rejoin the congregation in pure worship. Since the primary bonds that are broken involve friendship and spiritual fellowship, it is well understood that family bonds remain intact. Parents, siblings, and grown children of disfellowshipped and disassociated ones sometimes choose to limit what they may feel is discouraging or "bad association" but that is a personal decision and is not required by their religion.
Former Witnesses who are disfellowshipped or disassociated are typically treated in accord with the Scriptural pattern explained in these Scriptures:
(1 Corinthians 5:11-13) Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. ...Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
(Titus 3:10) As for a man that promotes a sect, reject him after a first and a second admonition
(Romans 16:17) Now I exhort you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.
(2 Thessalonians 3:6) Now we are giving you orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition you received from us.
(2 Thessalonians 3:14) But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed.
(2 John 10) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.
(Matthew 18:17) If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations
Becoming baptized as a Jehovah's Witnesses is not a trivial step. At a minimum, a student must demonstrate months of regular meeting attendance and public ministry, then must himself express the desire to be baptized. The candidate then spends hours answering hundreds of bible questions wherein he expresses both a clear understanding and personal conviction regarding Jehovah's Witness teachings in at least three separate interviews with three different elders. The candidate must vocally agree to be baptized in front of hundreds or thousands of eyewitnesses, and must be publicly immersed in water. This is not a momentary emotional decision by an unreasoning child. Dedication as a Witness required hard work and determination at the time.
Source: This is the chosen Best Answer by Achtung_Heiss to a question from Yahoo! Answers.
For more concerning this see:
DISFELLOWSHIPPING - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)
EXPELLING (Insight-1 pp. 787-788; Watchtower Online Library)
Always Accept Jehovah’s Discipline (THE WATCHTOWER (STUDY EDITION) 2006-11-15; JW.ORG)
What is expelling (disfellowshiping) and why is/was it used in the Christian congregation? (Defending Jehovah's Witnesses)
Is the practice of disfellowshipping (expelling) found in the Bible? (Defending Jehovah's Witnesses)
"Disfellowshipping is not done out of spite or hatred for that individual. Rather, it may have the effect of having that person demonstrate their sincere repentance." (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
Child discipline illustration (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
To what extent should Christians avoid fellowship with disfellowshipped ones? (Defending Jehovah's Witnesses)
What About Christians Living In The Same Household With a Disfellowshipped Family Member? (Defending Jehovah's Witnesses)
What about Christians living in the same household with a disfellowshipped family member and family Bible study? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
Can someone be reinstated back to the congregation after being Disfellowshipped / Expelled? (Search For Bible Truths)
If a situation occurs which requires the assistance of law enforcement, should a Christian consult the police or the elders? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
Is someone to be disfellowshipped for marrying an unbeliever? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers, #3 in list)
Is it possible to be disfellowshiped even if the sinner regrets his faults? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
Are repentant wrongdoers "placed" or "put on" public or private reproof as if placed on probation? (Jehovah's Witnesses Questions and Answers)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACK TO HOME PAGE INDEX
