they haven't taken a stand against jehovah UNLESS they have turned apostate. If they are disfellowshipped, they have sinned and not been repentant- hence, warranting their removal from the congregation. we would pray for them the way we might pray for a worldly person to have the right heart condition.
Remember the parable about the shephard who rejoices when he finds the ONE lost sheep, more than the other 99 he has??
actually - there is a watchtower article about this - Dec. 2001 Questions from Readers. I learned that it wouldn't be appropriate to publicly pray for such ones - but privately (once they've seen a repentant attitude) for the disfellowshipped one to act in harmony with God's will and requirements, and for Jehovah to treat the sinner according to his will.
Very interesting stuff.
i remember reading that!
Yes, but it would only be appropriate after they have shown signs of repentance, and even then I think it's only appropriate to pray that the elders notice those signs, and not specifically for the person to be reinstated.
actually, according to that article:
*** w71 6/15 p. 383 Questions from Readers ***
"Scripturally, it does not seem fitting and proper for a faithful Christian to pray for a disfellowshiped person...Jehovah’s law commands the Christian congregation to expel those who practice such things and who show no heartfelt repentance for their acts. The faithful members of the congregation should have no spiritual association with them."
check out the more updated Questions from Readers in 2001. I think this is an instance where the light has gotten brighter.....
hey, thx, Dan, you're right:
"Since the person is no longer in the congregation, any change in heart and attitude may be observed first by those close to him, such as a marriage mate or family members. Those observing such changes may conclude that the transgressor did not commit a sin that incurs death. They may be moved to pray that he may draw strength from God’s inspired Word and that Jehovah will act toward the sinner in harmony with His will.—Psalm 44:21; Ecclesiastes 12:14."
or if they disassociate themselves by writing a letter to the society.
and, Jehovah is a forgiving god. You remember how many times he forgave the nation of israel, despite their continuous wrong doing. The reason we have the disfellowshipping process isn't to cut people off and declare them wrong doers who have taken a stand against jehovah, because they havent, they've made a mistake...and disfellowshipping an excellent provision from jehovah that allows sinners to come to meetings still, but still be punished so that they'll understand their wrong doing...and most importantly, it's a provision that keeps the congregation clean. Anyway, point is...it's not your place to judge...only Jehovah's
If they had just made a mistake and were repentant they wouldn't have been disfellowshipped. They would have been reproved. Disfellowshipping is only for those who willfully go against Jehovah's laws.
That's not entirely true about not being disfellowshipped if they were repentant. I've talked to my dad about it (being that he's been on many committees involving disfellowshipping). Some people just have issues that need to be dealt with that a simple slap on the wrist isn't going to help. And if the person wasn't repentant, why would they be at every meeting in an effort to come back? I don't get it.
yea, i agree w/ jen and matt. its not always because they're not repentant. i know someone who had privliges taken away, then were reproved, then finally d/fed. and probly none of the things individually would have been enough to have them dfed but it was like, the last thing they could do. but she came back w/in 6months so that is good.
This isn't entirely true. Example: I know a person that got extremely depressed after one of his friends was killed in a car accident, he stopped going to meetings, began drinking, and smoking pot. After a while he came to his senses, and went to the elders and confessed what he had done. He was still disfellowshipped, probably because he had done these things over a period of several months. he started going to meetings again, and a few months later, was reinstated. so even if you are repentant, you can be disfellowshipped.
I'm not trying to say your friend wasn't repentant, or that the elders made a mistake, but if you read pages 145-8 of the OM book it makes it quite clear that only unrepentant wrongdoers are disfellowshipped.