Excellent observations.
How Shunning Defeats The Watchtower
by metatron 17 Replies latest jw friends
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hotspur
Good thread Metatron
Boyzone
I didn't have to say much, its what my JW parents had worked out for themselves
Any chance you could get them to pop in and see my Mum?
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I quit!
Good post Metaron. All you have to do read the posts by some of the people on this forum to see that a high percentage of JWs are faking it. They come here posting how they don't believe it is the truth anymore yet keep going through the motions because they live in fear of being df'd. Now not only do they have doubts but depression and other mental problems caused by this lifestlye. How many are out there that feel this way that never come here? Add in all the ones that are hiding real problems and faking saintiness and the numbers go way up. No wonder they look so bummed out when you see them walking down the street doing their field service.
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undercover
Good essay, metatron...
By encouraging shunning, it doesn't keep the congregation clean, it encourages sneakyness and underhandednes, which in turn breaks down, over time, the social fabric of the community.
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hopeful4eva
Ha!! I have often thought...they go on and on about being "GOOD EXAMPLES" so that others will notice their changes and want to study and become baptized.
The "GOOD EXAMPLE" my family in has sent out to all the REST my family and friends, is that they are a whacked out religion!! They have all seen the conditions and the complete coldness from their shunning of me!! lol!!
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Mad Sweeney
Another thing it has done is make the local congregations and their leadership more and more homogenous. It takes a certain amount of gumption to stand up and walk out (I like to think so, anyway) and those left behind are primarily of a similar kind. There is rarely a diversity of opinions in a body of elders because so few of the ones left are capable of developing their own opinions at all. I can't count the times I have heard elders say that they would have to either call the branch or the CO or lookup the answer to something so basic that even the most moronic of "worldly" folks would have his own opinion on.
It isn't that they're stupid. They're simply taught not to think. How else could one read a scripture and believe it means something different than what it says?
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boyzone
Hotspur
Any chance you could get them to pop in and see my Mum?
Wouldn't that be great if she did? Mum and dad have been having private bible discussions with Bro Heans snr recently and its raised some questions in their mind. Apparently Bro Heans has some serious issues with certain teachings, shunning being one of them. My parents have a great respect for him as he's been in the truth since boyhood and is now in his late 80's and their discussions are pretty lively. Bro Heans' way is "the bible first, the Society second".
I like Bro Heans
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metatron
What does it cost the Watchtower Society to create ever more enemies by shunning and disfellowshipping? Let's include the quiet hypocrisy it creates.
An elder in Tacoma Park doubts the interpretation of the Faithful slave. He gets treated harshly and disfellowshipped. He, in turn, provides proof that the weasels at the Watchtower are NOT obeying agreements regarding parking at rented assembly sites. The Weasels thereafter are forced to stop arranging 'donations' for parking at Kingdom Halls.
A Bethelite gets involved in an auto accident and gets sued. The lawyers look at the Watchtower's 'deep pockets' and claim he is not a volunteer but rather a Watchtower employee. Somebody provides written evidence that the Society demands that Bethelites be exemplary in meeting attendance and the ministry - thus putting the Watchtower in a tight spot. The Watchtower settles the case for well over a million dollars.
A Bethel sister hurts her back at work. She and her husband have to leave. A judge decides the Society should pay worker's comp as these are NOT volunteers but employees. Tough luck, Watchtower. Kinda increases your liability overnight, huh?
Expensive marble floors at Assembly Halls? Cover 'em with cheaper carpeting because some Witness might sue!
Long term Bethelites get dumped into the worst labour market in 50 years, often in middle age. And this inspires loyalty? Let me tell you, ordinary publishers have noticed this human tragedy and it will influence them for a long time.
Decades go by in Bethel without locked doors - and then changes the policy as well as the locks. What did change actually?
Decades go by with reasonable counsel on the duties of account servants in the local congregations. Then, all sorts of Watchtower regulations appear. If you have kids and need to get home, tough luck. You have to wait for a second brother to open the box and then double count the donations, etc., etc. What changed, brothers?
Hypocrisy. Play Acting. Pretense. What does it all cost you, Watchtower? more than that, what will it cost you in the future?
metatron