How Do You Spell DISFELLOWSHIPPING?

1. Disfellowshipping is a term primarily used within religious organizations, particularly among Jehovah's Witnesses, to describe a disciplinary action whereby a member is expelled or excluded from the fellowship and social interactions of the religious community.

   This process is typically implemented when an individual is found to have violated significant doctrinal or moral principles established by the organization. Examples of offenses that may result in disfellowshipping include engaging in behaviors considered immoral, such as adultery or fornication, apostasy or rejecting key teachings, drug abuse, and flagrant acts of violence. This action is seen as a means of maintaining the purity and integrity of the religious community and preserving the collective beliefs and values.

   When an individual is disfellowshipped, they are deemed to be "spiritually diseased" and lose access to various privileges and benefits of membership, including the ability to participate in religious services, public prayer, social gatherings, and receiving spiritual guidance from congregation members. It is believed that this form of discipline serves as a wake-up call for the disfellowshipped individual, prompting them to repent and seek reintegration into the religious community.

   The process of disfellowshipping generally involves a judicial committee appointed within the religious organization to investigate the allegations and determine if the disciplinary action is warranted. This committee consists of elders who evaluate the evidence and may conduct hearings before making a final decision. Disfellowshipping is considered a serious and solemn act taken with the intention of restoring both the individual's relationship with the religious community and their standing with their faith.

The word "disfellowshipping" is derived from the combination of the prefix "dis-" which indicates negation or reversal, and the word "fellowship". "Fellowship" is derived from Old English "feolagian", which means to hold communally or jointly. It originally referred to a partnership or friendly association among individuals. The term "disfellowshipping" came into usage within certain religious contexts, specifically the practice employed by some religious groups to expel or exclude individuals from their community or fellowship due to serious violations of rules or misconduct. The term emphasizes the removal or dissolution of the communal bond and association between individuals.

Conjugate verb Disfellowshipping