Who's choice is disfellowshipping really?

by barbar 1 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  barbar

  Often JWs say that it is a person who made the decision to stop talking to friends and family by their actions. It was not the fault of the religion as they were left with no choice because the person had deliberatly decided to turn agaianst Jehovah and they took a decision to cut their friends and family off.

  So consider this scenario.

  A JW is disfellowshipped and never reinstated, 10 years later his family become JWs. At this point his family cannot speak to him becuase they are told not to by the elders.

  Was there any decision on his part to not speak to his family? NO!

  It was "the society" (what kind of title is that for a religion or a caring organisation?) who have dictated who can and cannot speak to each other it was never a deliberate action on the person's part.

  Barbar
• 

  peacefulpete

  Shunning is a violent response to both try to extort into recanting and conforming and a wall of isolation to prevent rational inquiry of the congregation. By far the majority of victims of shunning have no desire to harm or emotionally abuse the members who turn upon them. They have not asked for this abuse nor have they done anything worthy of psychological violence. The JW justification to abuse a dissenter is much like an abusive husband who blames his wife for his having to beat her. "You made me do this!!"