Forever Friend

"Even if mother and father forsake me, the LORD will hold me close."Psalms 27:10.

Being disfellowshipped at the age of 19 has been one of the most painful experiences that I've ever had to live through. In twenty-four hours, I lost my mother, father, sister and hundreds of my closest friends whom I had known all of my life.

The day after the disfellowhipping I didn't know what to do, or where to turn. I had strictly been warned my entire life not to associate with "worldly" people. Anyone who wasn't one of Jehovah's Witnesses was bad and would only lead to my destruction. After all, they didn't serve the one true God. So, I was lonely, paranoid and scared. I had absolutely no one, or so I thought.

It has taken me over ten years to realize that Jehovah does not disfellowship people. He's in the business of forgiving. "But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." 1 John 1:9. If we have sinned against Jehovah we need to go to Him and confess our sin and ask for His forgiveness. After we do this; He will forgive us. That is what the scriptures say, and that's what I believe.

The truth is; the watchtower leaders use adverse disciplinary procedures to keep their members in line and to establish control. When a member steps out of line, they get punished, even if that member is sorry for the wrong behavior that they have committed. I think that one of the major reasons that the Witness organization uses disfellowshiping is because it works. Chances are a person will modify behavior and reconform to the rules after they suddenly lose all of their family and friends.

I can't tell you the times that I've heard elders say, "We only disfellowship people because we love them." OK, argument noticed, but why give an announcement for the entire congregation to hear. Why not counsel that person in private and offer to pray with them. Why does one of the elders get up on the platform, step up to the microphone and inform the entire congregation that; Kim Stevens McVicker is being disfellowhipped for wrong doing, and that the others are to stay away from her, not even speaking to her. Then the other members know that if they break the rule and talk to her, they are subject to getting disciplined themselves. The watchtower leaders want total conformity and they will slit up families, and friendships to get it. Where there is control, there is power.

I can assure that no matter what the leaders of the watchtower may have told you; Jehovah still loves you, and will not turn His back on you. He sent His Son to pay the price for your sin. So, just remember the next time you feel totally alone and and believe that you have no one,you do. Jehovah is right now, and for always a Heavenly Father who promises to adopt you if your family and friends forsake you. I can honestly say that when; Jehovah is all you have, you soon find out that He's all you'll ever need. He is a true forever friend.