shunning and its effect on the emotional fabric of families

by hurricane 6 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  hurricane

  I am very concerned as to what the long term effect of Df or Ds can be on young children who may be deprived of the love and care of close family members, such as grandparents who may still be loyal JWs but whose own married children are Dfd. The modern epidemic of youth rebellion is often traced back to dysfunctionality within the emotional fabric of societies. The organisation may very well be contributing to this breakdown.

  How many members of the GB are married with children and grandchildren who can fully empathise with what their policy is doing, has anybody written an article on this subject.
• 

  Gopher

  I'm a DF'd one whose parents shun their children and so have no contact with their grandchildren either. My parents will travel over 1,000 miles to this state from where they live and see their old friends, their remaining parent and yet won't contact us or ask about the grandchildren.

  The WT Society is very well aware that they are tearing families apart like this, and they don't give a damn. All they care about is influence and control over their members. I've held the door open to my parents for several years, and they refuse to walk through it. I hate what the WTS makes them do.

  It's all based on fear, and not love.

  The Bible says perfect love throws fear outside. The JW"s are a fear-based organization, and not one based on love as they claim.
• 

  unique1

  Long term effect? Like wondering why you only have one set of grandparents or why your parents are always trying to convert your grandparents because they are scared they will die at armageddon? Yeah one of those has happened to a lot of people here. I wouldn't call any of us super sane. But most of us did turn out well rounded.
• 

  winnie

  My kids have both sets of grandparents that don't have any contact with them because of our choices. The 3 younger ones will never know what it's like to have grandparents, and the 2 older ones have had only very limited contact. They know who the are, but that's about it. I don't think it will affect them. You can't miss what you never had. (I think if they did have contact, it would be more damaging to them.)
• 

  journey-on

  First of all, WELCOME to our JWD forum. It's great to have you heRE and your first post is a most interesting one, IMO.

  I recently posted a portion of some research I've been doing on Tort Law as it relates to disfellowshipping. I, too, am of the opinion that there is cause to believe the WTB&TS can and should be held liable for their part in corroding families by their practice of shunning, especially when disfellowshipping and the shunning that follows happens to young persons who were raised in it from early childhood.

  My take on it, is that although in the past, the courts have chosen to back away from issues where religion is concerned, our society is beginning to realize the consequences of these practices by cults posing as religions like the JWs, Scientology, and others. These types of non-mainstream religions by such heinous acts as shunning corrode the very fabric of our society when they psychologically and emotionally injure young children. IT'S NOW TIME, IMO, FOR THE COURTS TO WAKE UP TO WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON REGARDING THESE MIND-CONTROLLING TECHNIQUES PERPETRATED ON CHILDREN IN THE NAME OF RELIGION. When friends and family shun someone for simply discarding a religious belief, more is at play here than meets the eye.

  IT'S TIME THE WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY ALONG WITH ELDERS AND ANYONE ELSE CALLED A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS TO BEGIN GETTING SUED RIGHT AND LEFT FOR ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING THEY HAVE AFFLICTED ON THOSE WHO WERE RAISED IN THIS CULT THEN LEFT.

  Here's a portion of my post:

  3] The third theory rules that shunning or excommunication can be -- by itself -- tortious conduct subject to liability.

  This theory assumes that the state interest in preventing shunning and excommunication is strong enough to allow state interference in all of these decisions. The first case to adopt this posture, Bear v. Reformed Mennonite Church 106 advanced this argument in its simplest form:

  In our opinion, the complaint, in Counts I and II, raises issues that the 'shunning' practice of appellee church 107 and the conduct of the individuals may be an excessive interference within areas of 'paramount state concern,' i.e. the maintenance ofmarriage and family relationship, alienation of affection, and the tortious interference with a business relationship, which the courts of this Commonwealth may have authority to regulate, even in light of the 'Establishment' and 'Free Exercise' clauses of the First Amendment.

  Other courts have also agreed with this basic approach, and ruled that shunning and excommunication are actionable conduct even when it is unaccompanied by any other activity.
• 

  ARoarer

  journey-on

  IT'S TIME THE WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY ALONG WITH ELDERS AND ANYONE ELSE CALLED A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS TO BEGIN GETTING SUED RIGHT AND LEFT FOR ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING THEY HAVE AFFLICTED ON THOSE WHO WERE RAISED IN THIS CULT THEN LEFT. ''

  I am so in agreement with your words above. The WT affects the emotional and physical health of those families within and also those who have left. They should be held legally responsible for the illness their actions have inflicted on many people. The state should identify them as a dangerous cult that harms the very fabric of families.
• 

  RollerDave

  Welcome to JWD, awesome first post!

  Nothing rocks it like a hurricane!

  As for the damamge to the family structure shunning causes, Jesus foretold that his message would cause division, even among families.

  Where the WTS has it bass ackwards is, they seem to think he was giving a command. They take it as a point of pride how well they can cut branches off the family tree to enforce loyalty.

  Sick.

  RD