Recently I was prompted to email my Mum and brother (both hardline JW shunning us) and as part of that email I asked for their help with reconciling JW shunning with the UDHR.
Perhaps you might find this interesting/thought-provoking:
Perhaps you can help me understand the WTS position with regard to The Universal Declaration of Human Rights? The WTS have in fact appealed to the principles contained in the UDHR when it suits their purposes in establishing religious freedom in certain countries. Religious freedom in the case of the WTS meaning freedom to recruit new members.
http://www.jw-media.org/rights/european_court.htm
Yet what of their adherence to those same principles when someone wants to leave? I would like your help with four questions.
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.htmlArticle 16.
(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
Q1. Firstly I need help with how you feel the WTS policy of extreme shunning of immediate family promotes and protects the natural and fundamental unit of society?
Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Q2. What I need explained to me is why the WTS will pay lip service to our right to change religion but as a penalty for doing so will employ community exclusion and familial alienation amounting to psychological torture – it seems outwith the spirit of Article 18.
Article 19
.Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Q3. Maybe you can explain to me why the WTS seeks to limit freedom of expression by current and ex-members alike and as a deterrent or penalty for doing so will employ community exclusion and familial alienation which amounts to psychological torture - hardly within the spirit of Article 19.
Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association
The WTS deploys a deterrent against or penalty for leaving their association ie community exclusion and familial alienation which amounts to psychological torture - hardly within the spirit of Article 20.
Q4. Perhaps you can help me understand why I felt compelled to remain associated with the WTS since childhood under fear of exactly the sort of extreme shunning you are now perpetrating?
So far I've had no response (5 days) but I didn't expect any TBH. I also cc'd my non-JW family into the email so they can see behind the curtain.