by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 18, 2020 | JW Doctrine, Videos |
In an effort to keep the congregation clean, Jehovah’s Witnesses disfellowship (shun) all unrepentant sinners. They base this policy on the words of Jesus as well as the apostles Paul and John. Many characterize this policy as cruel. Are Witnesses being unjustly maligned for simply obeying the commands of God, or are they using scripture as an excuse to practice wickedness? Only by strictly following the Bible’s direction can they truly claim that they have God’s approval, otherwise, their works could identify them as “workers of lawlessness”. (Matthew 7:23)
Which is it? This video and the next will attempt to answer those questions definitively.
by Meleti Vivlon | Jun 13, 2020 | Judicial Matters, Videos |
How the “Shunning” practiced by Jehovah’s Witnesses compares to the Hellfire doctrine. Years ago, when I was a full-fledged Jehovah’s Witness, serving as an elder, I met a fellow witness who had been a Muslim in Iran before converting. This was the first time I had...
by Meleti Vivlon | May 30, 2020 | Experiences |
Introduction: Felix’s wife discovers for herself that the elders are not the “loving shepherds” that they and the organization proclaim them to be. She finds herself involved in a sexual abuse case in which the offender is appointed a ministerial servant despite the accusation, and it is discovered that he had abused more young girls.
The congregation receives the “preventive order” via text message to stay away from Felix and his wife just before the “The Love Never Fails” regional convention. All these situations lead to a fight that the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses ignores, presuming its power, but which serves for both Felix and his wife to achieve freedom of conscience.
by Judá Ben-Hur | Apr 7, 2020 | James Penton |
Paul was looking for doctrinal uniformity when wrote to the Corinthians about to have same mind and same judgement in 1 For. 1:10?
by Meleti Vivlon | Dec 21, 2017 | JW Policies |
The two-witness rule (see De 17:6; 19:15; Mt 18:16; 1 Tim 5:19) was intended to protect the Israelites from being convicted based on false accusations. It was never intended to shield a criminal rapist from justice. Under the law of Moses, there were provisions to...
by Meleti Vivlon | Feb 24, 2016 | Judicial Matters |
Everything Jesus had to say about dealing with sinners within the congregation is encapsulated in Matthew 18:15-17. How can we apply those principles in the modern congregation?
by Meleti Vivlon | Jun 22, 2015 | Judicial Matters, Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/04 p. 22 for June 22-28] “Trust in him at all times, O people.” – Psalm 62:8 We trust in our friends; but friends, even very good friends, may abandon us in our time of greatest need. This happened to Paul as paragraph 2 of this week’s Watchtower...
by Meleti Vivlon | Feb 16, 2015 | JW Doctrine, The Anointed, Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the December 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 22] “We are members belonging to one another.”— Eph. 4:25 This article is yet another call for unity. This has become the dominant theme of the Organization of late. The January broadcast on tv.jw.org was...
by Meleti Vivlon | May 27, 2014 | Judicial Matters |
[This post is a follow-up to last week’s discussion: Are We Apostates?] “The night is well along; the day has drawn near. Let us therefore throw off the works belonging to darkness and let us put on the weapons of the light.” (Romans 13:12 NWT)...
by Meleti Vivlon | Mar 26, 2014 | Judicial Matters |
In preparing the last post on disfellowshipping, I spent a good deal of time working out how to apply the procedures Jesus gave us at Matthew 18:15-17 based on the rendering of the NWT,[1] specifically the opening words: “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin…” I...
by Meleti Vivlon | Mar 11, 2014 | Judicial Matters |
He has told you, O earthling man, what is good. And what is Jehovah asking back from you but to exercise justice and to love kindness and to be modest in walking with your God? – Micah 6:8 According to the Insight book, Modesty is “an awareness of one’s limitations;...
by Meleti Vivlon | Feb 6, 2014 | Judicial Matters |
He has told you, O earthling man, what is good. And what is Jehovah asking back from you but to exercise justice and to love kindness and to be modest in walking with your God? – Micah 6:8 Disassociation, Disfellowshipping, and the Love of Kindness What does the...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jan 9, 2014 | Judicial Matters |
He has told you, O earthling man, what is good. And what is Jehovah asking back from you but to exercise justice and to love kindness and to be modest in walking with your God? – Micah 6:8 There are few topics that will provoke stronger emotions among members and...
by Meleti Vivlon | Oct 20, 2012 | General |
This comes from one of the readers of this forum and involves correspondence with the branch office in his country about clarification on our position as regards whether it is right or not to applaud when someone is reinstated. (In an aside, I find it astonishing...
