Skeeter I think Both..At least that is what I would report to the police. Let the District Attorney figure out what to prosecute them for
DO YOU BELIEVE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES "SHUNNING" OF MINORS IS CHILD ABUSE?
by Balaamsass 46 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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Anony Mous
It is abuse if they go through with it. The thing is, the children don't have anywhere to go either and as much as it is difficult for us adults to quit the JW, imagine when those that control all aspects of your life (your parents) are under control of the religion.
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sir82
Reality check time:
(NOTE: This is in no way a defense or justification of the WTS disfellowshipping policy which IMHO is morally reprehensible)
While "baptized at a single-digit age" is becoming more commonplace, I have never ever heard of anyone under the age of 16 or so getting DF'ed.
There are a handful of teens who do get DF'ed, but it is still very rare.
And of those who do get DF'ed, it is far far FAR more likely that it is for smoking / drugs / drunkenness than for "questioning their parents' religion". Most of the JW teens I know don't have the brains to operate a toaster much less look for logical fallacies in religious doctrine.
And, as others have pointed out, the shunning rules are very relaxed for those under age 18.
I.e., the OP seems to be a hysterical screed against a practice that almost never occurs. It would be far more productive to aim your barbs at practices that affect far more people (pedophile cover-ups, loss of life over blood transfusion refusals, emotional abuse, etc.)
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Balaamsass
Hi Sir 82 in (Mongolia)
I repectfully disagree,
I have read a number of stories on this site. I the Circuit where I live I know of a number of 15-17 year old children disfellowshipped. Some 15 year old girls were Disfellowshipped and so distraught they ran away and became "at risk". So you think it OK then to disfellowship children for "Smoking" then?
Hummm... Guess the heading "Jehovah's Witnesses" showed up on Google Alerts....say Hi to M.C. at the service desk...
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sir82
So you think it OK then to disfellowship children for "Smoking" then?
Please re-read this comment from my post:
(NOTE: This is in no way a defense or justification of the WTS disfellowshipping policy which IMHO is morally reprehensible)
I presume English is not your first language?
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3rdgen
Sir82, You are the only one who threw a "barb" "Methinks thou protest too much" Who would minimise or claim this practice doesn't happen when it is well documented? Who is against someone who speaks out against child abuse? Do you have something you are hiding?
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zengalileo
as a teacher I am taught to report abuse, and neglect is defined as a type of abuse. If I see a case of neglect I see a case of abuse and I must report it. To answer the comment on whether it is neglect or abuse. But I feel it is not a case of neglect since it is a positive action perpetuated agressively upion the child. It is not simply ignoring the child. It is injstitutional rape.
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zengalileo
I have known dozens of disfellowshipped minors in my life. For awhile it seemed like they were the ONLY ones getting dfd in my area.
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Band on the Run
When I was thirteen, my father made me sign a contract (little did I know it was unenforceable) that I would leave home at 18 in exchange for $200. His reasoning was that I was too loathsome and bad to live at home. My classmates seemed showered with love. I signed his document with great zeal. Inside, the hurt was unbearable. Fathers called their daughters princess. He would poke, pinch, and kick me in the KH. No one intervened. He announced how no good I was to the overseer and his wife. No moderating statement from them. This is abuse on a grand scale. Abuse that lasts till you die. The moment is nothing compared to the long term consequences.
When children had no status, which is most of history, Jesus said to let them come to him. It is so sad. Abuse is intergenerational without massive intervention. Adolescene continutes into the 30s in our culture. I begged to be baptized at 11 b/c my cousins were. My mom said to wait until your 50s. She regretted her 14 year old baptism. I was very annoyed with her. Being dunked seemed oh so grown up. It would make me like Barbie. If Jesus waited, anyone can wait.
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Balaamsass
Band, So sorry you were treated like that as a child. Going off topic a bit, over 20 years ago, I still remember with fondness a JW Cop leaning over the seat to tell the P.O. who was smacking his kid in the meeting "If you do that again, I'm hauling your butt out of here in cuffs" He and his church lady wife (who loved to smack thier kids around) got all huffy and red faced....but never hit the kids in the hall again!!!! Caused a stir....and has given me a smile for over 20 years.