A question to Jehovah Witnesses?

Question

I read in a quotation of the watchtower that...


“Mary works as a medical assistant at a hospital. One requirement she has to abide by in her work is confidentiality. She must keep documents and information pertaining to her work form going to unauthorized persons. Law codes in her state also regulate the disclosure of confidential information on patients. One day Mary faced a dilemma. In processing medical records, she came upon information indicating that a patient, a fellow Christian, had submitted to an abortion. Did she have a Scriptural responsibility to expose this information to elders in the congregation, even though it might lead to her losing her job, to her being sued, or to her employer’s having legal problems? …Hence, there may be times when a Christian is obligated to bring a matter to the attention of the elders. True, it is illegal in many countries to disclose to unauthorized ones what is found in private records. But if a Christian feels, after prayerful consideration, that he is facing a situation where the law of God required him to report what he knew despite the demands of lesser authorities, then that is a responsibility he accepts before Jehovah. There are times when a Christian ‘must obey God as ruler rather than men.’—Acts 5:29. …All who become part of the Christian congregation put themselves under ‘oath’ to keep the congregation clean, both by what they do personally and by the way they help others to remain clean.”


My question is, How is that biblical? The bible says to obey man's law (as long as it doesn't go against God) but here this woman is being taught that its right to violate that other woman's privacy and rights, also Mary would be breaking the law. Where in the bible does it say to bring a matter like that up to an elder? Anyone who answers please leave scripture to back up your point...

Answer 1

Hey Listen,



I think the question has been adequately covered, I would also however like to point out that your extensive research should lead you to appreciate the time it takes to answer and it was a serious oversight on your part to quote an article and require a competent reply but to NOT site your source.



I know that when you return to this question and review the answers as part of your in depth enquiry you will ACKNOWLEDGE that this was an oversight. There is no need to apologise but it is of course something I'm sure you'll try to avoid in future.



Best Regards, and keep up the good work, its clear you're getting closer to the truth,



SUNSHINE

Answer 2

You answered your own question with Acts 5:29. The Witness who would have gotten an abortion broke God's law. God's law is superior to that of man. Man's law, including an individuals rights, are subordinate and subject to divine law. All have the right and obligation to obey God. The Witness who would be the nurse would have to obey God and approach the alleged guilty Witness to verify that such an act has been committed. If she admits it the Witness would first encourage the guilty one to pray to Jehovah for forgiveness and approach the elders to confess her sin in order for her to receive spiritual help. If the guilty Witness does not approach the elders within a reasonable amount of time then the Witness who is the nurse would be under obligation to reveal what she knows of the situation to the elders. The elders would then investigate the situation within reason.



If the Witness who seemingly has had an abortion, based upon a document (a document alone is not necessarily proof that something has taken place, for documents can be falsified and contain unintentional errors), denies the allogations the other Witness should inform the local elders where the suspect Witness is part of a congregation. The alleged guilty Witness can be encouraged to approach the elders to resolve the matter is indeed in error. For her sister who is the nurse could be stumbled by the incident. In order for any violation of God's law to be established as actually committed there has to be two or three witnesses of the violation.



If the matter cannot be resolved through investigations, the matter will be left up to Jehovah to handle in his own due time, but the sister who is in question may receive some disciplinary actions because of this incident which can tarnish her character and standing within the Christian congregation.



P.S. There is at least one extentuating circumstance where an abortion would not violate divine law. One such case is if the birth of the child, from a professional doctors assessment would kill the mother or the child. In such a case, the parents or the mother would have to decide who would live, her or the child. She would base her decision upon her conscience. This could very well be the case in your senario. In such a case the Witness would not be considered guilty nor should she be judged. What she needs is comfort and loving support. She should be encouraged that due to her faithful course to the end, that Jehovah God promises to resurrect those that we have loved in the very near future.

Answer 3

This same article adds the following:



True, it is illegal in many countries to disclose to unauthorized ones what is found in private records. But if a Christian feels, after prayerful consideration, that he is facing a situation where the law of God required him to report what he knew despite the demands of lesser authorities, then that is a responsibility he accepts before Jehovah. There are times when a Christian “must obey God as ruler rather than men.”—Acts 5:29.



While oaths or solemn promises should never be taken lightly, there may be times when promises required by men are in conflict with the requirement that we render exclusive devotion to our God. When someone commits a serious sin, he, in effect, comes under a ‘public curse’ from the One wronged, Jehovah God. (Deuteronomy 27:26; Proverbs 3:33) All who become part of the Christian congregation put themselves under “oath” to keep the congregation clean, both by what they do personally and by the way they help others to remain clean.



Now Mary faced an additional question: To whom should she speak, and how could she do so discreetly? She could go directly to the elders, but she decided to go first privately to the sister. This was a loving approach. Mary reasoned that this one under some suspicion might welcome the opportunity to clarify matters or, if guilty, confirm the suspicion. If the sister had already spoken to the elders about the matter, likely she would say so, and Mary would not need to pursue matters further. Mary reasoned that if the sister had submitted to an abortion and had not confessed to this serious transgression of God’s law, she would encourage her to do this. Then the elders could help her in accord with James 5:13-20. Happily, this is how matters worked out. Mary found that the sister had submitted to an abortion under much pressure and because of being spiritually weak. Shame and fear had moved her to conceal her sin, but she was glad to get help from the elders toward spiritual recovery.



If Mary had reported first to the body of elders, they would have been faced with a similar decision. How would they handle confidential information coming into their possession?



****************



In a loving environment, there is no problem in confronting a person in the congregation who has done something wrong. Of course the person may be seriously weak spiritually but most of the time when a person follows Bible counsel ie talking to the person first and giving a period of time for them to talk to spiritually mature elders, then things are resolved as was the case with Mary and this sister.



In this case Mary didn't violate the sister's (she was baptized) privacy and rights. In Jehovah's eyes abortion is not a right, it is a serious sin. Mary spoke to the sister, she didn't make it public to anybody else. This showed love for all involved.

Answer 4

You just can't take a person's confidential medical information and tell everybody or anybody. When you take a medical job and have access to these records, you are required to agree to and give your word that you will not divulge any of the private records to anybody. So unless you are willing to hold all records in total confidentiality, you won't get hired. And if you do tell the anybody then you have lied and brought disgrace because of breaking your word and could cause your employer to be sued for really big bucks -- thousands and thousands of dollars, plus you will permanently lose your job and doubtless nobody in the medical field would ever hire you again.(My husband is a department head in a hospital, and privacy laws are a really big issue) If God wants the person to be exposed he could do it some other way. If somebody had committed a sin such as having an abortion, they might have already repented of it anyway. Are JW's required to confess all their sins to the elders??

Answer 5

Anyone who kills a child, unborn or already born (no difference) is spiritually sick and needs help to restore their relationship with God. James 5:14-16 says:



"Is there anyone sick among YOU? Let him call the older men of the congregation to [him], and let them pray over him, greasing [him] with oil in the name of Jehovah. 15 And the prayer of faith will make the indisposed one well, and Jehovah will raise him up. Also, if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him.

16 Therefore openly confess YOUR sins to one another and pray for one another, that YOU may get healed. A righteous man’s supplication, when it is at work, has much force."



Abortion is a serious sin (check out the consequences to someone who harmed an unborn child in the book of Exodus 21:22, 23 says

“And in case men should struggle with each other and they really hurt a pregnant woman and her children do come out but no fatal accident occurs, he is to have damages imposed upon him without fail according to what the owner of the woman may lay upon him; and he must give it through the justices. 23 But if a fatal accident should occur, then you must give soul for soul".



Even though true Christians do not live by the Mosaic law today, we can still learn God's view from the principles it was based on. It shows the seriousness of preserving life whether born or yet unborn.



As far as Mary's individual decision to reveal the private medical information of someone else, it's really her decision as an individual. Jehovah's Witnesses organization does not ever say that it is necessary to do such. But again if someone does reveal such a sin to those who can provide spiritual assistance to the woman who got an abortion, the motive would be to help the aborter.



To the conscience of some of JW's this is where God's law would take precedence over man's law on confidentiality. But Mary must realize that whatever consequences come from revealing that information, she must be willing to accept the penalty of the law if it's imposed upon her.

Answer 6

That's right what you say, Jesus said, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's (meaning manmade laws), and give back to God what is God's." Mary needs to stay in the boundaries of the laws. What Mary should do is give back to God what is God's and that is obedience in this matter. When things like this happen and the person doesn't know what to do and fear kicks in because the person doesn't want to betray God in any way 'cause the person LOVE God; then God said, "Be still and know that I Am God." (sorry don't know the scripture but I can absolutely tell you it's there in the Holy Bible; somewhere.) God will take care of it from there as long as You *be still*.

Answer 7

Strange that you did not quote the year and date of the magazine, so that others could read the article in context. Is there something in the full article that renders your question irrelevant or biased? That is usually the case with the use of these disembodied quotes, often they are purposely misleading.



Anyway, what is stated is self-explanatory. I don't see any issue. A Christian must often make a conscientious decision on matters, utilizing the Bible and Bible principles (where there is no specific law).

Answer 8

Love for both Jehovah and the erring Witness would move Mary to help the witness restore their relationship with Jehovah.



There is no 'secret sin' from Jehovah.



James 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.



.

Answer 9

To understand the mind of one of Jehovah's Witnesses you must understand their whole premise for living. They believe that Jesus Christ personally made an inspection in 1919 and chose the Watchtower & Tract Society to be his and his father's personal representatives to the rest of humanity. (They weren't in the business of printing bibles then, hence the present-day "Watchtower, BIBLE & Tract Society.) In the mind of one of Jehovah's Witnesses the question is not "is this based on the bible." They take that for granted. The question on which every argument and debate is based is that of whether "this is God's organization." It's circular reasoning. It might go something like this between a young person born into the organization and their father:



Q. "Dad, how do you know this is God's organization?"

A. "Because Jesus Christ made an inspection in 1919 and the Society was the only religious organization on earth found to be doing his father's will."

Q. "How do we know Jesus made an inspection?"

A. "Because the brothers were arrested and sentenced to prison on trumped up charges of sedition. And the preaching work was stopped during the whole time they served their sentences. This is paralleled when the nation of Israel was taken into Babylonian captivity. When the brothers were set free, they resumed their activity and cleansed themselves from "Babylon the Great" by purging the organization of lingering influences from false religion."

Q. "Oh. So how do we know that all of that means that Jesus made an inspection?"

A. "Because it was the only time in the history of the Society that the preaching work was halted and it aligns itself with bible prophecy. Matthew 24:45 identifies the "faithful and discreet slave" as those who would be providing spiritual food at the proper time. Who else on earth has exposed the falsehoods of the trinity? Hellfire? And the immortality of the soul?"

Q. "Well, no one."

A. "Right son. So we know that this has to be God's organization!"

Q. "Thanks for helping me understand that dad! I'm gonna go play XBox now!"



This is based on a true story.



I wanted to add that I'm not making a commentary on whether abortion is wrong or right. I agree that the bible's viewpoint should make it clear that it is wrong. That is not the issue. Paul also counseled Christ's followers not to be busybodies and gossipers. It's too difficult to leave a matter in Jehovah or Jesus' hands, but no, we must tell the "spirit-appointed elders." Go read Matthew 18:15-17. Jesus clearly laid out instructions on dealing with our brothers and sisters. Mary should go take it up with the supposed "offender." The Society is placing more and more emphasis on running to the elders. And the situation in 1 Corinthians 5 was rare and unique. Go read 1 Corinthians 3:1. Paul calls the entire congregation "fleshly." Corinth had lots of problems and Paul had to take drastic measures. The Society say's Matthew 18:15 applies to "personal sins" such as matters of property and fraud. I urge all of my fellow brothers to read THE BIBLE for what it says and leave the Watchtower Library software alone just once. Let God's word speak to you for what it say's.

Answer 10

i have something to add to that

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