by metatron 42 Replies latest jw friends
I've changed my attitude about disfellowshipping now. A wonderful comparison was made that made the whole thing a lot more palatable.
Disfellowshipping is a lot like standing your child in the corner...kind of a time out...so that they can think about things. If we keep interupting their "time out" with association, etc., well....what good is it.
Most in the congregation nodded their heads in unison on this one. After all, the illustration came from a Circuit Overseer.
I saw a lot of screwed up faces from both visitors and witnesses and there was a huge lack of comments on that whole section (the other ones either husbands or wives were quick to comment on "you shouldn't drink" it's an issue among wives in our congregation and "you shouldn't watch pornography", I guess it's an issue everywhere). The cheap stab at "Twilight, the series" in the picture (VeinLove, the series, the number of letters actually matches Twilight) and the ugliest wife with button-up pajama's in the other picture, I would need some porn too to get hot for that.
Anony mous > I just spat on my screen, laughing because of your comments. Spot on! During our WT Study the
conductor asked what this gentleman was doing, I wanted to raise my hand and say: "He is about to start chocking the bishop and go to sleep, like every good men do".
NOBODY raised their hand at the porn section of this study, so the conductor (he is hipocritical, arrogant elder) goes like: "Soo, nobody knows anything about pornography, then?" A older sister raised her hand....(she is 67.....) Hahahahahahaha.... I told the regular pioneer sister that was sitting next to me "Hey babe, can you stroke me..." ehm...wrong line...I told her: "The more we talk about a topic, the more people will become curious...isn't it?" She said: "Yes, you are probably right...."
Shunning is like corrosion to the Borg....
Shunning by the congregation didn't make me go back. It just forced me to finally develop some actual social skills, so I could make new friends. =P
Also, it was nice to finally have everyone leave me alone, as opposed to being constantly harassed for not attending meetings etc. It was like the wicked witch of the west was sending out her flying monkeys to attack me. But once I disassociated myself, I was free! (see? There's an upside to shunning! Though it was a bit awkward when I was at Best Buy and the only employee working the sales floor was a JW who wasn't allowed to talk to me about the speakers I was trying to buy... )
Welcome, Tracylee!
(For background, I'm a non-jw, "failed" to make progress in the "bible study")
A general question, if a jw must speak to someone in the course of their work, are they still obliged to shun? That would make for some bizarre scenarios, if, say, the jw was a doctor or emergency services. . Or if the "shunned" person was one of these. ..
Does the wt allow no leeway at all for common sense?
DFing isn't stupid in regards to the WTS for it protects and sustains their power and control over the body of their members.
Pose a question the wrong way and you'll find yourself booted to the curb and other members told to not talk to you.
Another aspect of the corruption of this organization is to distribute information and take trouble makers who question their teachings
or proclamations and muzzle them quickly. They purposely put threats over people to stymie any diversion within their membership.
Who the hell would want to belong to an organization thats locked down in ignorance just to prevent the leaders losing power and control as well
the supporting financial profits. My personal integrity couldn't stomach this corruption so I left.
Watson said
Disfellowshipping is a lot like standing your child in the corner...kind of a time out...so that they can think about things. If we keep interupting their "time out" with association, etc., well....what good is it.
It would be a lot more palatable if you viewed it like that. In reality, it is like throwing the kid out on to the street and saying "fend for yourself and I'm not speaking to you again until I can see that you are sorry and to show you're sorry you can put up a tent in the backyard and do three times as much work around the house as you did before. Then in six months time I might let you in the house and start talking to you again."
metatron......... Good thread & enjoyed your input.
Everyone else.......good points!
This topic of disfellowshipping & shunning needs to be crammed down the throat of the WTBTS so they can choke on it!
I find it interesting that DFing is a punishment for a crime committed by an unrepentant person. People in the real world are also punished for crimes.
But isn't it weird, that even as imperfect as "worldly" people are, they are still willing to offer their help to a convict?
For example, while a convict serves their term, they are given rights. Family is often able to visit with them as well as friends, even if it is on a limited basis. Also, some sort of rehab is offered during the sentence term, and perhaps even after, to help the person avoid the errors in the future (assuming they will be released, and yet regardless of that, they still have rights) and so that they can be better equipped to be readmitted into society. Again, I state, imperfect people do that.
And yet, in the congregation, full of imperfect people, where most "crimes" don't even come close to deserving literal jail time, upon conviction, you lose EVERYTHING. No friends, no family, no contact. And while "serving the term of your conviction", there is no rehab offered by those that did the convicting, nor are others encouraged or allowed to help. The rehab is only offered after the convicted "comes back to Jehovah".
SO, who has it wrong? Imperfect, caring, concerned individuals, or "Jehovah's organization"? I'll take number 1 for $500, please, Alex.
CoC
@gorbatov:
no disfellowshipping in the netherlands? where do you get this information? because it is so not true!
i have to be very careful these days... my mum found out that i posted on a facebook account of a member from this site about an ex-meeting. i went to an ex-meeting from a dutch site last week. and although they know my doubts and they know i haven't been to the meetings since august, they just want to pretend i come back. so they read that and she blocked me on facebook and sent me a nasty textmessage. i didn't respond to that, so my dad left a message on my voicemail saying 'you must talk to the elders about it, or i will talk about it'
so my own dad will turn me in on the gestapo... we will see what happens.
