More AGM News-- Spiritual matters continue!

YKnot, so are they saying do not be extreme as inn 'lighten up', or as in do not go crazy looking to create necessary family business?  Or will they leave it murky and it be a read between the lines for witnesses?

Same here IA...I am a bit confused. It may be the run on paragraph, which is my issue since it is harder to comprehend long paragraphs.

Isaacaustin--I had this discussion with Jamie recently.  What it really means is absolutely nothing for apostates, as these have no apparent desire to 'repent'.  It's really the same understanding as they've had for some time about praying [privately] for DF'd ones--it should really only be done if they are taking steps to repent.  (Though I've heard some pray for DF'd ones as a group from the platform at the convention, so I assume that's okay.  Eye-roll...)  It's kind of a meaningless statement because most parents were probably going by that rule on their own anyway.

-sd-7

Talk (older ones) of regretting not pursuing higher education, career or not saving toward retirement. Those who whisper these 'woes' are likened to those murmurers of Israel during the Exodus from Egypt!      

That is complete horse caca. The WTS seeing a trend of people actually realizing they need to look out for themselves while the WTS has a gazillon dollars and are sitting pretty?

SD-7, your analysis makes sense.  If one is not coming back then the org would go hardline on necessary family business.  Basically, if read between the lines, this is saying that if one is taking steps to come back parents can give a little but keepit limited and hopefully that will draw the person back.

Thanks, yknot.  While the discussion related to DF'd family members is a bit murky, I think the Society is trying to say "don't make excuses for unnecessary association with DF'd relatives."  This becomes more clear when you look at the context in which it's addressed--right after an admonition to accept "scriptural counsel" regarding your personal lifestyle even if it differs from your personal opinion.

From the earlier thread (http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/200064/1/More-AGM-News):

Self-evaluation: …Ask yourself how you would react to counsel regarding personal lifestyle?  What if the scriptural counsel differs from personal opinion? Will you be obedient in molding?

 

Example: An adult child who lives outside of the household is DFd? While the term ‘Necessary family business’ is a term familiar with those in this circumstance; the GB wants to stress there is no need to push this to the extreme! ….Basically to shorten the example and to get to the heart of the matter….. there must be incentive for the DFd person to want to return. Parents are encouraged to give a little but to leave the DFd child desiring for more while promoting their actions as motivate by their love for Jah. The end result is hope that the DFd child in wanting full access to the abundant love of his parents willl also begin to see his losses in not having a relationship with Jehovah and seek reinstatement.

The example given in this thread is a bit difficult to understand.  In particular, I'm not sure what the sentence in bold is trying to say.  The part about "necessary family business" not being in the Bible doesn't sound like something that would come from the WTS...

New 'spin' on the DFd parent-child which was previouslly mention in my first AGM thread. In this scenario the DFd adult-only-child is an atheist. The email draws out that perhaps the Adult-child privately became of atheist mindset before DFing (DFing apparently was due to speaking out on behalf of the FSM or apostasy) Faithful JWParents are encouraged to discern that 'Necessary Family Business' isn't actual in the Bible and thus we should not push it to an extreme. The hope is that the Adult-child will begin to feel a sense of loss and yearning over not receiving the full measure of his parents love and devotion and associate this loss and yearning too with not having a relationship (ie believing)Jehovah. 

Some of the snares that will continue as the GT nears are leading many of of the 'TRUTH'. Talk (older ones) of regretting not pursuing higher education, career or not saving toward retirement. Those who whisper these 'woes' are likened to those murmurers of Israel during the Exodus from Egypt!   

Wait, so they're saying that the snares of the GT will be in part self-induced through our own poor planning and life choices??

THAT'S why I contribute to my 401k.  If "the end" happens to come in my lifetime, let's face it, worrying about what happens to my 401k is far down the list.  It's JUST MONEY!!

yknot, where are the paragraphs?

Sorry yall about formating.... it had paragraphs and spaces when I hit send.

Unfortunately I was also walking out the door to get kids to school and elsewhere ( sidenote- where is Elswhere these days too?).

I just got back and needless to say it is past the 30 minute editing period.

Isaacaustin--you have a PM.

I am going to 'repost with paragraphs'.....

Everyone else consider this thread 'dead'!

Mods if you want you can even delete it!!

I would say that the intent here is to re-inforce in the JWs mind that loyalty to the Df arrangement = listening to Jehovah himself.  I see the whole context here as saying that although the Bible does not speak of necessary family business we should not be extreme about it, by creating necessary family business...the person needs to feel a loss over the Df situation, otherwise they won't come back.  That's how I see it.

another thought that just came to me- The Wt acknowledged that the term 'necessary family business' is their term, not a Bible term.  THAT is what they are saying not to take to the extreme (what they consider extreme) and reason that since it is not in the Bible it does not need to be followed.