I would describe the Watchtower's Disfellowshipping as truly merciless

by sabastious 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  sabastious

  Thoughout my life I have seen many take the walk of shame that is disfellowshipping. I have never been DF'ed, but I have had many experiences reading the faces of newly DF'ed ones.

  Their faces are always the same. Defeated by a foe that they never had a chance with in the beggining; a raping so-to-speak. A disfellowshipped person is a person who has exhausted every option within a community that once consumed their mind. Their peers leave them, many times without a word, but the doctrine remains as they sit quiety within their minds attempting to make sense of it all. They must go through a lot of ideas as to why they ended up at rock bottom and that's where the doctrinal mindset sets in. From the objective portion of the their brain what has happened is that a large group of people have taken up opposition against them. We try to remind ourselves that the evil that we do to others many times isn't personal, but this arragement is designed to be personal. To the shunners you have not merely broken a rule, but you have become temporarily wicked. From their perspective you have become so unruly that you have to be detained within solitary confinement.

  Even murderers detained in prisons have to demonstrate complete obstinance and violence to be put in solitary confinement; it's a last resort. Yet the Watchtower loads their automatic weapons and are nothing short of trigger happy! Their bullets tear through not injustice, but immorality; a subjective concept; they are a merciless bunch.

  -Sab
• 

  Reality79

  Also, don't forget those "repentant" ones who try to return to the Big Cancer have to go through the humiliation of sitting at the back of the hall while everyone stares at the individual funny and ignores them totally disregarding the pain inflicted on another human being.
• 

  LostGeneration

  For those captive to the doctrine, it is a truly horrific fate. Being cast out, shunned, and despised by what you love has to be one of the lowest places mentally and emotionally.

  The term "cruel and unusual punishment" comes to mind. Does the punishment fit the crime for an 18 year old that goes out and has sex with their girlfriend/boyfriend? If they don't shed the right amount of tears in the JC, then they are out. Come off with an attitude that isn't just right in the eyes of three elders, and you are out. It is basically a life sentence if you don't bow down at the KH altar to get back in. How is a life sentence fair for someone who commits a petty crime?

  The only redeeming factor I find in it is that it wakes some up. That of course is my own selfish motive in seeing more leave the tower permanently, but the cost is high. If these who are cast out end up waking up, then they probably have lost their family for the rest of their lives, and they have virtually no chance of getting them out.
• 

  nugget

  What sickened me was finding out that the Df'd person was to be looked on as a dead person. The society emphasises that is is only because the law of the land does not allow for execution that the apostate is not put to death. How sick is that.

  It is not loving discipline it is holding you family hostage for your complete submission.
• 

  journey-on

  As I have stated many times on this board, I see nothing wrong in the doctrine of disfellowshipping...meaning, announcing to the congregation that "so and so" is no longer to be considered a Jehovah's Witness. However, the act of shunning and treating those who have chosen a different path like they're dead or invisible, is very un-Christlike and at worst, evil. Especially when it comes to family members, it is unnatural. The way they twist the scriptures and manipulate the minds of highly impressionable brainwashed people is unconscionable! The fear in that organization of displeasing someone is over the top crazy. It borders on paranoia. They are to be pitied.
• 

  the max

  As much as i feel relieved to be free, I have to tell you that the JC, I experienced were great, I had to plead with them that I wanted to be disfellowshipped, they obliged,reluctently. I wont impute wrong motives to them, they tried to do there best. I just hated it and wanted out.

  Some people want to retain contact with others, not me, Just like Alladin getting out the lamp, I was free FREE. If I had stayed in, I would have used violence on 2 elders, even after 7 years out I could still cheerfully slaughter them, figurativley speaking SIMON, of course !
• 

  petitebrunette

  @journey on: I agree with you. So you announce I'm no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I want that. But to tell family to shun, doesn't make sense. Why develop a "bible trained conscience", if you can't use it. Don't they dictate what to believe, say, wear, do, etc...
• 

  SuperSpook

  In my experience in dealing with disfellowshipping, the disfellowshipping arrangement doesn't in anyway match the criteria you described. For starters, we live in a cold world where people turn their back on each other all the time because a person has no value to another person. This is not the case amongst Jehovah's Witnesses. The disfellowshipped person is highly esteemed in the Christian congregation and their reinstatement is greatly desired. You compared the arrangement with the criminal justice system where there are no second chances. Even if the person is sorry and intends not to repeat the offense, they're still subject to criminal prosecution if deemed guilty in a court of law. If we lived in a perfect world, there would be no need for prisons and the disfellowshipping arrangement. Until that day arrives, the Christian congregation is far more merciful than the secular criminal justice system where a prisoner is in no way guaranteed a welcome back into society as in the Christian congregation.
• 

  DanaBug

  Have you been disfellowshipped, superspook? And if so, did your family and friends shun you?
• 

  baltar447

  SuperSpook, what has your experience with Disfellowshipping been? Have you served on a JC? If you're just an observer and have never sat in someone's shoes that's been there, How are you qualified to say how merciful elders are? Keep in mind a JC is NOT by any stretch of the imagination a court of law where there are checks and balances and you are innocent until proven guilty. It does, unfortunately meets the definition of a "kangaroo court":

  A kangaroo court or kangaroo trial is a colloquial term for a sham legal proceeding or court. The outcome of a trial by kangaroo court is essentially determined in advance, usually for the purpose of ensuring conviction, either by going through the motions of manipulated procedure or by allowing no defense at all.

  A kangaroo court's proceedings deny due process rights in the name of expediency. Such rights include the right to summon witnesses, the right of cross-examination, the right not to incriminate oneself, the right not to be tried on secret evidence, the right to control one's own defense, the right to exclude evidence that is improperly obtained, irrelevant or inherently inadmissible, e.g., hearsay, the right to exclude judges or jurors on the grounds of partiality or conflict of interest, and the right of appeal.