Shunning is Not a Form of Love, According to the Bible
Love is long-suffering and kind
Shunning is unkind and quick to be applied. If a JW is unrepetent of a serious sin shunning is in effect immediately making it opposite of long-suffering.
Does not behave indecently
Shunning is a harsh judgment. The person shunning is, in effect, saying that the offender is not worthy of God’s love and will be destroyed if Armageddon were to come the next day. It is indecent to judge others heart conditions (which is what you have to do to disfellowship someone). Which is why Jesus spoke against it.
Love does not look for its own interests
Shunning involves looking out for your own interests because if you do not abide by the policy then you will be shunned as well. The REASON for shunning is because the people shunning do not want to be corrupted by the gross sinner which is a very personal reason.
Love does not become provoked.
Shunning is in response to an act, a punishment, which by definition requires to be provoked.
Love does not keep account of the injury.
One reason to be shunned is because of past sin. If one has been disfellowshipped twice before (even for different sins) they are used to put the offender “on thin ice.” This is keeping account of injury.
Love does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth
Being shunned can be very satisfying to the JW members since it is their cardinal way of exacting justice. Even though it can be a sad event, all JWs rejoice in the justice of Shunning.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things
Shunning can be a life sentence. That very fact is at complete odds with the above attribute of love.
Love never fails
This is the cardinal attribute of love. This states that True Love is unconditional and will never falter. If you ever feel compelled to shun a loved one, your love has failed and therefore shunning cannot be considered a loving act. You are stating, through action, that your loved one is not good enough for you to even say a greeting to. Surely love has failed if you have gotten to this point…
But love cannot fail!
-Sab