2024 Governing Body Update #2: What You Should Know

Written by Lester Somrah - March 17, 2024

Editor’s Note – This article has been written for and directed to former believing Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Jehovah’s Witnesses – Ravenous Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

On March 15, 2024, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses released “2024 Governing Body Update #2” (‘Update #2’) in which “Jehovah, demonstrates that he “desires all to attain to repentance” and “adjustments to our standard of dress at theocratic events.”

Following the release of Update #2, a lot of former Jehovah Witnesses who were disfellowshipped and shunned, were contacted by their ‘family and friends’ who are active Jehovah Witnesses. Some received ‘I love you’ messages and an invitation to the 2024 Memorial on Sunday 24^thMarch 2024, all in a desperate bid to have the disfellowshipped person rejoin the Jehovah Witnesses community that has rejected them for years and in some cases decades.

Below is a brief summary of Update #2 followed by some advice from the Editor.

If you are a reader who has never been one of Jehovah Witnesses and are not familiar with their beliefs and practices, please see my article 2023 Convention – Saturday Afternoon Review for a comprehensive definition of shunning.

The Changes – Disfellowshipped Persons

A committee of elders will correct and instruct a wrongdoer with the goal of leading him to repentance.
As outlined at 1 Corinthians 5:13, a person who refuses to repent must be removed from the congregation.
However, the committee will still try to help him see the need to repent and return and will arrange for a follow-up meeting in a few months.
2 John 9-11, which we learned applies specifically to apostates and others who actively promote wrong conduct, not to all those who have been removed from the congregation.

The Changes – Dress Code for Religious Activities and Events

Sisters may choose to wear slacks when participating in the ministry and when attending Christian meetings, assemblies, and conventions. If a sister chooses to wear slacks on such occasions, they should not be casual but dignified, modest, and appropriate.
Brothers may choose not to wear a tie or a jacket when participating in the ministry and when attending Christian meetings, assemblies, and conventions. If a brother chooses not to wear a tie or a jacket on such occasions, he should dress in a manner that is appropriate, modest, and dignified —not casual.
When a sister has a part on the program, she should wear a skirt or a dress if that is the standard of dress in that land.
When a brother has a part on the program, he should wear a tie and a jacket if that is the standard of dress in that land.

Adjustments to Handling Serious Wrongdoing in the Congregation

An unrepentant wrongdoer must be removed from the congregation. If the individual is not an apostate or actively promoting wrongdoing, they will also inform him that they would like to meet with him again in three months to determine if he has had a change of heart. In some cases, but not all, the committee may determine that there is a basis for reinstating the individual at that time. On the other hand, if he has not had a change of heart or if additional time is needed (see the special caution in paragraph 16), the elders will endeavor to reach out to him every six months if he is agreeable, unless he requests reinstatement before that time.
Although a repentant individual should be reinstated without delay, such sins as child abuse, apostasy, and scheming to end a marriage require special caution.
As explained and demonstrated in the 2024 Governing Body Update #2, if the person attends congregation meetings, a publisher can use his Bible-trained conscience to decide if he will give a simple greeting and welcome the disfellowshipped person to the meeting or not.
A Christian may also choose to invite a disfellowshipped person—perhaps a relative, a former Bible student, or someone he was close to in the past—to attend a congregation meeting.

Adjustments to Handling Serious Wrongdoing in the Congregation involving Baptized Minors

When a baptized minor becomes involved in serious wrongdoing, two elders (not a committee) will meet with him along with his Christian parent(s) or legal guardian(s). The elders will exercise patience as they work with the parents to understand the minor’s attitude. They will also find out what steps the parents have taken to assist their child.
If the minor persists in a wrong course despite the assistance offered by two elders and his Christian parent(s) or legal guardian(s), a committee will meet with the minor and his Christian parent(s) or legal guardian(s). If the minor is unrepentant, he would be removed from the congregation.
If the minor is an apostate or is promoting serious wrongdoing, the committee would not meet with the minor and his Christian parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

Adjustments to Handling Serious Wrongdoing in the Congregation – Apostasy

Second John 9-11 warns us of a contaminating influence, saying: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.” Who are Christians instructed to avoid? The context indicates that this refers to “everyone who pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching,” and therefore it applies to apostates and those who actively promote wrong conduct. Such ones should not be greeted by individual Christians, visited by the elders, or invited to attend Christian meetings.

Adjustments to Handling Serious Wrongdoing in the Congregation – Individuals removed in the Past

Individuals who were disfellowshipped as minors but who are now adults can be visited as the elders reach out to disfellowshipped ones.
If an individual is neither a known apostate nor is actively promoting wrongdoing, the elders may visit him. At such visits, the elders would offer to pray with the disfellowshipped person and make a warm appeal to him to repent and return to the congregation.

For full details on the above ‘adjustment’, please go to “Adjustments to Handling Serious Wrongdoing in the Congregation”.

How you choose to respond can either send a good or bad message to Jehovah’s Witnesses.

There must be personal accountability and responsibility for shunning.

Please keep in mind that this rebranding of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion, does not change the fact that they still remain classified as a cult/destructive sect according to the BITE Model.

Regardless of their reasons for this 'change of heart', it is not from a place of good intentions as Jehovah’s Witnesses remains a religion that takes your time, energy and resources and only gives in return a bag of empty promises.

"Behind the facade of neatly dressed, smiling people who go door to door to win souls, a dark world lies hidden. Anyone who delves into the Jehovah's Witnesses knows that the religious community has very nasty sides. People suffer lifelong trauma from it." - Abuse, fear and exclusion among Jehovah’s Witnesses: revealing documentary by director from Musselkanaal on Videoland by Daniëlle Molenaar.

The fact that your Jehovah’s Witnesses parents, relatives and friends are now reaching out to you bearing a "love message" and a 2024 Memorial invitation, is evident that they value the foolish religious advice of eight old men in New York more than their relationship with you; and its also evident that this will not change in the foreseeable future.

If you do have access to professional counseling, please discuss this issue with your therapist.

Factors that you should seriously weigh and consider when contacted by your family and friends who are active Jehovah’s Witnesses; as well as any subsequent response you may choose to make.

The list below is by no means exhaustive:

The harm and damage shunning caused to you.
The harm and damage shunning caused to other former Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The suicides of former Jehovah’s Witnesses as a result of shunning.
The number of families and marriages destroyed by shunning.
What you have learned about Jehovah’s Witnesses after you were disfellowshipped.
The treatment given to you by Jehovah’s Witnesses after you were disfellowshipped.
The treatment given to other former Jehovah’s Witness by active Jehovah’s Witnesses after they were disfellowshipped.
The effect of shunning on your mental health.
The effect of shunning on the mental health of other former Jehovah’s Witnesses.
As a result of the mental health issues created by shunning, Jehovah’s Witnesses never lent a helping hand for professional counselling.
The availability and affordability for professional counselling varies according to the country and circumstances of each former Jehovah’s Witness.
No apology was given in Governing Body Update #2 for the damage caused by shunning.
Jehovah's Witnesses still infringe on the individual rights and freedoms of their members, penalizing those who use their freedom of speech to criticize their religious beliefs and practices.
Jehovah's Witnesses still infringe on the individual rights and freedoms of their members, as they can still be shunned.
Jehovah's Witnesses still infringe on the individual rights and freedoms of the child (‘baptized minors’) as they can still be shunned.
Relationships is not something to be switched on and off like some lightbulb.
The damage done by shunning is lasting and permanent. Nothing can bring back “lost time” or reverse the damage caused.

"The Witnesses are a desperate organization that will keep changing its policies to dodge the legal consequences of court cases and frantically hold on to its members during changing times. This is not the first or last step in changing policies; expect more changes as they work to satisfy an upcoming generation that cannot be led with fear like the older ones.

Jehovah's Witnesses will continue to try to make it a more comfortable place for people to stay [in their religious community]; in short, they will do what they must. Use this time as a great time to practice, responding to it all from a place of strength. Also, use it to see where you may still need to heal.

We only have so much time; the JWs already took too much of it; wait to give them any more. We only have so much bandwidth, which we use to attain our dreams; don't waste it on the Jehovah's Witnesses. Trust me when I say their madness is just beginning; don't get swept up! Live your life!." - Rodney Allgood.

Lester Somrah

Lester Somrah writes about the beliefs and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses on his social media platforms and was baptized as a member in 1998.