Jim Moon is webmaster of
A Common Bond, an international support group for ex-Jehovah's Witnesses who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered.
1 Their web site states that:
"The Jehovah's Witness religion teaches its membership to believe that homosexuality is 'detestable', 'an abomination', 'abhorrent', and is caused by demon possession. Because of this, thousands of gay Witnesses are living lives of deeply closeted guilt, and fear of destruction by God. Those who choose to leave, or are expelled from the Witnesses face immediate isolation and shunning from family and friends. It is for this reason that 'A Common Bond' was created - to offer support and comfort to those who once thought they were alone and condemned...Gays and lesbians who have been kicked out of the JWs are in a special need for all the emotional and spiritual support they can get. If JWs don't conform completely to the sect's doctrines and practices, including a strict prohibition against merely being gay, they are disfellowshipped, which is a severe punishment. It amounts to total ostracism."
If detected, gays and lesbians who refuse to remain celibate are expected to repent of their actions and to refrain from same-sex behavior in the future. Those who refuse are almost inevitably disfellowshipped. The WTS expects all of its members to agree with and follow all of the requirements of the organization, which are based on the WTS' interpretation of the Bible.
While disfellowshipped, fellow members are required to shun him/her completely, avoiding all contact. If the disfellowshiped person is a family member, then they are treated normally within the family, except that they are made to understand that their actions are disapproved of. There is no discussion about church matters in their presence. This can have a devastating effect on a person whose entire religious, family and social life were grounded in the Society.
As in most large religious organizations, official policies must be administered by junior officials within the local congregation. Some consider even celibate gays and lesbians as unsuitable for membership.
The Society publishes a confidential Kingdom Ministry School Textbook which is titled
"Pay Attention to Yourselves and to all the flock." The name comes from Acts 20:28. It is used by congregation elders and traveling overseers.
Pages 92 to 94 deal with "
wrongdoing", which they regard as increasing
"in frequency and depravity..." in society. In the area of sexual misconduct, they differentiate among three escalating levels of seriousness
- Uncleanness (e.g. momentary touching of another person's sexual parts outside of marriage). This does not require a judicial hearing.
- Loose conduct (e.g. heavy petting outside of marriage). This requires judicial action
- "Pornei'a" which:
"... involves immoral use of the genitals of at least one human (whether in a natural or a perverted way), and there must have been another party to the immorality: a human of either sex or a beast...It includes oral and anal sex or mutual masturbation between persons not married to each other, homosexuality, lesbianism, [sic] fornication, adultery, incest, and bestiality."
Any person who engages in such activity must be handled through judicial action. Neither actual penetration or orgasm need be involved.
It seems that this text defines "homosexuality" in terms of actual behavior. This is common among religious conservatives. Most others define "homosexuality" in terms of sexual orientation.
The reference to "lesbianism" appears to be redundant because homosexuality includes both male and female same-sex behavior.
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ReligiousTolerance.org