Disfellowshipping

=== Disfellowshipping ===
All members are expected to abide by the beliefs and moral standards of Jehovah's Witnesses. Serious violations of these requirements can result in disfellowshipping (similar to excommunication) and subsequent shunning if not deemed repentant. When a judicial committee decides that a baptized Witness has committed a serious sin and is unrepentant, the person is disfellowshipped. A person who believes that a serious error in judgment has been made may appeal the decision. Requests for appeal must be made in writing and within seven days of the decision of the judicial committee. At such time, they may use other local elders or elders from nearby congregations. Their shunning policy is based on their interpretation of scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 5:11–13; [[Matthew 18:15–17]; and 2 John 9–11. Witness literature states that avoiding interaction with disfellowshipped former adherents helps to:
* avoid reproach on God's name and organization by indicating that violations of the Bible's standards in their ranks are not tolerated;
* keep the congregation free of possible corrosive influences; and
* convince the disfellowshipped individual to re-evaluate their course of action, repent and rejoin the group.
Shunning is also practiced when a member formally resigns membership or is deemed to indicate by their actions—such as accepting a blood transfusion or association with another religion or military organization—that they do not wish to be known as a Witness. Such individuals are said to have disassociated, and are described by the Watch Tower Society as "lawless".
When a person is disfellowshipped or is deemed to have disassociated, an announcement is made at the next midweek meeting that the named individual "is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses". Congregation members are not informed whether a person is being shunned due to "disfellowshipping" or "disassociation", or on what grounds. Shunning starts immediately after the announcement is made. A notification form is sent to the local branch office and records of the disfellowshipping are saved in the congregational records. Both are kept until at least five years after reinstatement.
Failure to adhere to the directions on shunning is itself considered a serious offense. Members who continue to speak to or associate with a disfellowshipped or disassociated person are said to be sharing in their "wicked works" and may themselves be disfellowshipped. Exceptions are made in some cases, such as business relations and immediate family household situations. If a disfellowshipped person is living in the same home with other baptized family members, religious matters are not discussed, with the exception of minors, for whose training parents are still responsible. Disfellowshipped family members outside the home are shunned. Members are instructed to not even greet shunned individuals. Disfellowshipped individuals can continue attending public meetings held at the Kingdom Hall, but are shunned by the congregation.
Category:Disfellowshipping
[Category:Serious Sins]]