The Efficacy of JWs’ Shunning (Your experiences and analysis)

by JW_Researcher 34 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  JW_Researcher

  Greetings,

  I’m doing a bit of research for an academic paper on shunning and am interested in your response to any or all of these questions.

  Please think back to when you were a JW (if necessary) or to other JWs you knew.

  1) Does shunning work? (For example, does it bring “sinners” to their senses? Does it keep the congregation “clean”? Does it prevent wrong-doing?)

  2) How and why does shunning work or not work?

  Obviously these are fairly broad questions and I don’t expect that folks will want to devote hours writing essays on their opinions of and experiences with shunning.

  However, if you could share your opinions, observations, and experiences, that would be very helpful and much appreciated.

  All responses will be confidential.

  If you’d rather interact privately or telephonically, PM me and I can call (my dime) or we can interact via regular e-mail.

  Thank you very much for any assistance.

  Steve
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  Octarine Prince

  I've seen it work, and I've seen it not work.
  
  I don't have a problem with rule enforcement. My problem is the fact that it is not properly implemented, oftentimes.
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  JW_Researcher

  I've seen it work, and I've seen it not work.

  Thank you for the response.

  When it has worked, did it prevent wrong-doing or did it lead to someone being reinstated?

  When it worked, did the person have close family in the organization or close friends....or why do you think it worked?

  When it didn't work, why do you think it didn't work?
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  carla

  I asked a ms once if Christians (and I use the term very loosely as I do not believe jw's are Christian) are supposed to be the light to the world and have people see how they act in hope others will want to emulate their lifestyle and beliefs, how can a jw who is shunning their family/friends be a 'light' to these people if they cannot see them in daily life? They cannot talk to them or discuss anything or even see them in real life day to day activities. I find it amusing if you ever give a jw the silent treatment even for a short time, they cannot stand it! They will say you are being insensitive and unchristian, you mean like jw's treat those who disagree, are df'd or da'd? only that lasts an entire lifetime and affects generations of families. Just for the record I do not always employ the silent treatment, sometimes I am just too disgusted with the org itself and the horrors of dubland, I really don't want to talk to my jw and make busy elsewhere in the house.
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  Lady Zombie

  It has been my observations that the efficacy is directly correlated to the amount of emotional investment an individual has, the degree of hardship the DFing will have on the individual, and how much they're isolated from general society.

  The ones who were DF'd that came back usually had a majority of family who were JW, or lost a job (they were working for a JW), and didn't have an outside ("worldly" friends/family) support system.

  It's emotional and psychological blackmail.
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  carla

  If you are looking for more research there is a shunning board/site somewhere but I can't find it in my favorites at the moment. Just Google it.
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  JW_Researcher

  Thank you, Carla.

  I find it amusing if you ever give a jw the silent treatment even for a short time, they cannot stand it! They will say you are being insensitive and unchristian, you mean like jw's treat those who disagree, are df'd or da'd?

  I recall that the expectation was that all be greeted at the hall in an enthusiastic manner....and if it was a bit off...it was noticed.

  Thank you also for the suggestion regarding a board devoted to shunning....am looking for it now.
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  JW_Researcher

  It has been my observations that the efficacy is directly correlated to the amount of emotional investment an individual has, the degree of hardship the DFing will have on the individual, and how much they're isolated from general society.

  The ones who were DF'd that came back usually had a majority of family who were JW, or lost a job (they were working for a JW), and didn't have an outside ("worldly" friends/family) support system.

  It's emotional and psychological blackmail.

  Thank you Lady Zombie for your post. It seems on the money to me.
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  HSS1971

  I'm glad this was brought up. I was a jw for less than a decade. In that time I have observed that when a jw gets df'd, some other jws talk about them in obsene terms. In other words, they would call the df'd person a "fool" or a "knuckle-head" or a "dog". I've even heard one elder call a df'd person a "jackass". Outside the hall they are free to act worldy I guess. I guess being a "Christian" is only for when they are actually inside the building. This is one major thing that pissed me off about them. I wonder if anyone else observed this in their area.
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  JW_Researcher

  HSS1971 wrote

  <snip> ....they would call the df'd person a "fool" or a "knuckle-head" or a "dog". I've even heard one elder call a df'd person a "jackass". Outside the hall they are free to act worldy I guess...<snip>

  I also observed a certain amount of glee or "vengeance" when someone was DF'd...."She won't get back in so easily this time." Perhaps if they had problems with the one DF'd now they could be totally open about it.

  Thank you for the observation.