James Thomas Rook Jr.

Don't be so hard on yourself TTH ....
You should show your dog some of MY posts.
       *coff*

Witness, I don't remember ever giving you an upvote before on any topic, but I can tell from the way you took this issue seriously, and from how well you wrote the entire last response, that you are sincerely concerned about handling the word of God aright, and thinking deeply about the issue here.
Naturally, I don't agree with everything you say --especially the degree to which you take exception to WT practices-- but I was surprised at how closely your response matched the way I was about to respond to Tom on this same topic. Your first point was to make clear that the way in which DFing is handled among JWs has caused serious problems among us, and serious harm to former associates, spiritual damage to both the expelled and those perpetrating the type of DFing that we practice. The way we treat families has become evidence to others that we are not a group of people known for love among ourselves, and that we often show "no natural affection."
Of course we dismiss the way we treat the dismissed and point to how much love we have among those of us who remain faithful to the organization. But this always reminds me of these verses:
(Matthew 5:46-47) 46 For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing? You are aware of the recent push to encourage us to have even less natural affection among family members by encouraging total emotional blackmail through the DFing process. This has started up again in the last couple years from videos shown at meetings and assemblies, and similar counsel. We should immediately think of how Paul told Timothy about the kinds of things Timothy should expect in congregations of the first century because it had been predicted that in those last days Timothy would see persons "having no natural affection." But there is an interesting point Paul made in this context that is usually overlooked:
(2 Timothy 2:23-3:5) 23 Further, reject foolish and ignorant debates, knowing that they produce fights. 24 For a slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all, qualified to teach, showing restraint when wronged, 25 instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed. Perhaps God may give them repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the Devil, seeing that they have been caught alive by him to do his will. 3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, . . , 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, . . . puffed up with pride, . . .  5 having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. What is missed is that Paul told Timothy to reject foolish and ignorant debates, but also to turn away from these people who showed "no natural affection" in those last days. This is the way that the principle of DFing actually works among Christians. It's about turning away from the people, even brothers, who show no natural affection. It's not about a congregation always being in total agreement about the exact rule by which someone is greeted and another person is not greeted, or someone can eat with us and another person cannot. In fact, this doesn't ever mean that we reject the chance to speak about spiritual things with such persons, it's just that we don't share in their conduct. We avoid their influence on us, and we avoid associating in such a way that we could give others the impression that we have joined in their conduct or support their conduct. We don't become influenced by their wrong, and show restraint in engaging with them when we are the ones personally wronged.
In other words (I think it's rare, but) if we do witness a misuse of the DFing process that promotes "having no natural affection" then it is up to us to disengage and disassociate from that kind of behavior even when it is being promoted by elders in our congregation or in the worldwide congregation. We can't completely disfellowship our elders from their responsibility, but we can avoid giving the impression that we agree with these practices. Just as we avoid joining in association with a person who calls himself a brother who is a known drunkard, reviler, fornicator, etc. We should be willing to speak out against the kind of videos we have seen recently which praise a person for avoiding familial contact with their own brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers. Of course, when it comes to those who no longer call themselves a brother (or sister) in the congregation we can treat them just as we would any other sinner or tax collector; we are in no danger of giving the impression that we support their conduct, because they are not even claiming to be related to us in the faith. 
In fact, in the other place in the NWT where the expression "no natural affection" is used, we have an additional idea in the context:
(Romans 1:28-2:2) . . .God gave them over to a disapproved mental state, to do the things not fitting. 29 And they were filled with all unrighteousness, . . . . disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, false to agreements, having no natural affection, and merciless. 32 Although these know full well the righteous decree of God—that those practicing such things are deserving of death—they not only keep on doing them but also approve of those practicing them. 2 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are, if you judge; for when you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in harmony with truth, against those who practice such things.

I wore a beard for about 30 years, and endured 30 years of castigation and discrimination from the Brotherhood because of it.
Absolutely NOBODY on the outside cared one way or another.  Thinking otherwise is a complete and deeply ingrained total FANTASY.
That's OK ... I am a grown man, and try not to think like a child .... so I mostly ignored it, even with being called into "Room 101" for interrogation and "persuasion" at least six times, which I also politely ignored, and having my service privileges revoked for years at a time, multiple times.
Jehovah God designed it that I should have a beard.
How would the Sisters feel if the custom was to have a double radical mastectomy for fashion's sake, because some Brothers were bothered that women have breasts?
.... remember ... the custom of being "clean shaven" was a ROMAN ARMY custom.
If God wanted men to have a clean shaven face, he would have invented razor blades.
 

I suspect there are more women of the Anointed of God, than men ... as a general rule in the general population, they seem to be more spiritual, than men .....
.... We TRY to be spiritual ....  but we also try to be as cool as Clint Eastwood.

I suspect there are more women of the Anointed of God, than men ... as a general rule in the general population, they seem to be more spiritual, than men .....
.... We TRY to be spiritual ....  but we also try to be as cool as Clint Eastwood.

Perhaps the Russians are compiling a database of all the Jehovah's Witnesses internationally who wrote them 11 train boxcars LOADED with what is essentially firewood flakes ... and who got $56 MILLION DOLLARS IN CASH FROM THE BROTHERHOOD  to deliver all that mail from the Universal Postal Union as Terminal Duty of 70% of the face value of the postage affixed ....  to return all that free money.
Ya think?
They are probably still using all that paper in their stoves and furnaces for a second winter now, having been supplied by the Governing Body with abundant "fuel at the proper time".
... and that 56 Million Dollars would supply the Russkies with free Vodka for at least a decade.
Now THAT'S being "spiritually prepared"!

Not exactly .... in Star Trek, the Impulse drive is an incredibly strong magnetic coil that accelerates a fusion plasma ( waste product of  completed fusion process) rearward at near relativistic speeds, to propel the space craft  up to speeds approaching 1/4 the speed of light.
It has a TREMENDOUS PUNCH when they push "the pedal to the metal".
An Ion engine or drive is a weak, slow, steady push that away from a gravity well, can do the same thing ... but it may take centuries to get up to 1/4 the speed of light. 
Its like the difference between pushing something with a missile, or your finger.
The aircraft mentioned above essentially ionizes the air with ions, and uses the air as reaction mass, and expelling it rearward.  In Space, that can be done with electricity alone, assuming you have a power supply that will produce sufficient electrons.
The way the fictional "Warp Drive" works is that it shortens Space in front of the Star Ship, and makes Space longer behind the Star Ship, and the ship travels in a bubble that is essentially moving faster than the speed of light, by warping Space, itself.
An interesting effect is that .... just as you view light from our nearest extra-solar Centauri star system, you are seeing it as it was 4-1/2 years ago .... not now .... from Earth, , travel there in a day or so, by warp drive, would send you 4-1/2 years into THEIR apparent  past.
Fortunately, the Universe was designed so all time is LOCAL, and each atom runs on it's own clock, depending on velocity, and the gravity field it is in at any particular moment.

I would get it checked if I were you. About 3850 very strange and nonsensical posts have come out of it.

Yeah ....
My allegiance is only to God ... but I will fight with anyone who believes as I do about Freedom and Justice.
It is quite obvious that for the time being, we are on our own .... and we have to do the best we know how.
The only thing necessary for evil to prevail, is Good Men to do nothing.
At least if I screw up, and make a mistake ... it will not cost the Brotherhood 56 MILLION dollars.
 

Doctor said I have the dreaded "Forkinmouth Disease" ... being overweight is NOT MY FAULT !
It's those nasty forks !
..... and, be it material food, or spiritual food .... you have to consider the credibility and reputation of the person providing it., if you are going to eat without examining it closely.
I have absolute faith in a gallon of Butter Pecan Ice Cream.
...advice from Caleb, Sophia, and other Loony Tunes ... not so much.
As Elmer Fudd used to say " .... be vewwy, vewwy careful ... hehehehehe."

I think this one is the same one you had in mind, Jack.
 
 
.and here is the file which you can download, from here.
 
JW UK Branch Update 2018-Follow the White Elephant.mp4

I love Windows 7 because I have it overlain "Classic Shell", which makes it look like XP, but will work like a 64 bit computer. I use it 6 hours a day, and it is a real work horse!
I have a Windows 10 computer which I keep updated  with all my Windows 7 software, but never use it.
Windows 10 seems to have been designed by someone with a Doctorate Degree in Medieval French Literature.

The 1975 debacle was meant for former witnesses and those that hold the Watchtower responsible for their conspiracy theories. What did happen with the aid of some overenthusiastic Canadians that probably drank the same kind of tea back then, the Watchtower had to mention a clarification since not everyone got the correct understanding about the 6000 years ending in 1975 that it ended up having to explain it in 1976 once again but with simpler words in order to quail this mass hysteria nonsense, and disappointment for those that didn’t understand the signs. ?
That doesn’t stop people from having to speculate every time a person that attends a kingdom hall goes crazy. Somewhere in societies mind, all witnesses are perfect, and therefore can’t be affected by lunacy. A condition that got a person to jump of the Watchtower building, instead of the more fable, the Watchtower drove him to it. There are plenty of bethel eyewitnesses that saw someone push that poor soul off the ledge, according to some Bethel family. ?

Yes. Very unfortunate move.
How many cases of Carpal Tunnel syndrome has he caused?
How much has he slowed down the entire world by stealing 2 seconds from every living typing person worldwide since the dawn of the PC?
How can we collectively tax Microsoft for this lost time and productivity? 

...from Popeye. to the Genie in Aladdin, and everything on both sides and in the middle ... he was an inspiration to me ... and he had the courage to take his own life, while he was still Robin Williams.

I anticipated your wish, even before you asked .... see red text, above.

When I was growing up .... it was not like that in the TRUTH.
It is my understanding that Disfellowshipping was instituted for the first time in 1945 (?) ... and weaponized after 1975.

For those in Rio Linda ....
It all boils down to this ONE, singular issue:
The way disfellowshipping is done today by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, is for the singular purpose of consolidating political power in the hands of the Governing Body, through fear and terror ... by with premeditated cruelty disguised as a "loving provision", destroying WHOLE FAMILIES and EXTENDED FAMILIES .... for the sins of ONE person.

As I have stated many times before ... the more words a person uses to put forth his viewpoint, the less probable it is that that viewpoint reflects reality where "the rubber meets the road".
It all boils down to this ONE, singular issue:
The way disfellowshipping is done today by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, is for the singular purpose of consolidating political power in the hands of the Governing Body, through fear and terror ... by with premeditated cruelty disguised as a "loving provision", destroying WHOLE FAMILIES and EXTENDED FAMILIES .... for the sins of ONE person.
A very rough analogy of cutting off a babies head, when it cries.

I anticipated your wish, even before you asked .... see red text, above.

As I have stated many times before ... the more words a person uses to put forth his viewpoint, the less probable it is that that viewpoint reflects reality where "the rubber meets the road".
It all boils down to this ONE, singular issue:
The way disfellowshipping is done today by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, is for the singular purpose of consolidating political power in the hands of the Governing Body, through fear and terror ... by with premeditated cruelty disguised as a "loving provision", destroying WHOLE FAMILIES and EXTENDED FAMILIES .... for the sins of ONE person.
A very rough analogy of cutting off a babies head, when it cries.

If you are referring strictly to Bible-based discipline, the WT leaders still have no clue how to do so in love, since they are more concerned at protecting an image than the individual.    They fall far short of the examples we have in Jesus Christ.   Yet, how do you account for the thousands who have not sinned, that have been disfellowshipped? Who is it, that is expressing core moral values?  The individuals who leave knowing they can't tolerate another lie or submit to the rule of unrighteous men, or those who disfellowship them?  
Core moral values should be dependent on Christ's teachings and practiced by the individual no matter what the "group" may decide.  

For those in Rio Linda ....
It all boils down to this ONE, singular issue:
The way disfellowshipping is done today by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, is for the singular purpose of consolidating political power in the hands of the Governing Body, through fear and terror ... by with premeditated cruelty disguised as a "loving provision", destroying WHOLE FAMILIES and EXTENDED FAMILIES .... for the sins of ONE person.

... no prophecy of Scripture, or parables or moral lessons comes from someone’s own interpretation.....
I don't mind you asking me. But my understanding of this or that has a certain, temporary value only for me in fact. In this moment i do not see what importance, about this issue, my interpretation would bring to you S.M. You are Bible scholar of sort, and Jesus and his teachings leaves its influence on every person in a specific way, as well on You too. Let put this to/on Him (not to me) to make interpretation for your spiritual need. :))  

JUST IN ... FROM THE TELEPATHIC NEWS NETWORK:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS | Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Celebrate Certain Holidays?
Reasons vary by individual person, WTB&TS policy, and what particular holiday you are asking about
A survey of approximately 6 million Jehovah's Witnesses said 58% do not celebrate  Halloween because they find it very, very irritating to have uninvited people knocking on their doors when they are trying to take a nap.