by AndersonsInfo 25 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I think shunning is EXACTLY like bullying! Shunning means you TARGET an individual. Shunning is hurtful. It is ACTIVE because you choose behaviour that means you ignore another, purposely causing them pain.
Thats like saying neglecting a child isnt abuse. Of course it is!
My Christmas wish is that shunning would go the way of stoning. Another outdated "Bible" command.
Skeeter
Pamsgirl, now you are equating shunning with child neglect are you eff'n serious?
I think anyone that had to beg for food or go to school smelling like ass because their neglectful crack head parent wasn't around would find a hard time gathering pity for someone that got kicked out of a cult.
Like I said, not caring what JW's think about you anymore is a sign that one is getting healthier.
God bless to all of you, I gotta check out of this board again before I lose my mind.
Fantastic! I shared it on my facebook because I have one, and only one, JW as a friend. She is currently df'd but will not speak directly about---however she seems to be taking info when it's given in a roundabout way. So I'll just leave it and say nothing.
Thanks Barbara,
NC
What is really great about this article, is that it's a general news article about shunning in a widely distributed, trusted news source. Twenty years ago, not many of us would have read the Huffington Post. It wasn't on-line. Now, alot of peopel read the Huffington Post.
The article mentions the JWs, along with the Scientologists. Neither party wants to be associated with the other! Further, this article informs the public at large of this controversial practice within these fringe groups. It highlights how "unforgiving" and "bullying" this practice is. That's NOT good promotion for the Jehovah's Witnesses who try to portray a peaceful, loving religion that wants to follow the Bible and Christ's example . . . "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Dirty little secret exposed.
Where did the author get the idea of JWs and shunning? I am hoping that it was from the Internet and that she read some of the ex-JW stories.
In short, less people will be attracted to the Jehovah's Witnesses after reading this article. More will not answer the door. Yep, the increase in publishers will be going DOWN. Can't wait for NEXT year's annual report.
Cage, I did not say shunning was like child neglect. . Read it again.
You are right saying not caring what the JW think is a sign youve moved on. Wouldnt it be great if we all felt like that.
Thanks for the post Barb x
The article mentions the JWs, along with the Scientologists. Neither party wants to be associated with the other!
Good point. For two groups who don't want to mentioned in the same sentence together, they're both so similar to one another, that's its creepy.
Interesting "Comments" made regarding Harper's article found at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/janice-harper/a-reason-and-season-to-st_b_1146103.html
16 minutes ago( 8:08 AM)
The Holy Scriptures written by The GOD L. Ron. Hubbard
The God Ron said “Never Defend, Always Attack”. He “thought” and then “Doctrine of Fair Game” came into being into this Sinful World to control it.
He saw that people got sick and he claimed to all mankind. “That all illness in greater or lesser degree and all foul-ups stem directly and only from a PTS condition”.
He saw that all real causes of illnesses and symptoms, had to be suppressed, hidden, erased from his Ronbots’ brains, so he needed a way to keep the fraud secret. So he claimed to his slaves that all the REAL CAUSES of illnesses in the world were only an illusion and a deception created by psychiatrists to dominate the world in mental health and MDs in physical health.
"So long as a physiological phenomenon remains the knowledge of a few and is denied to the many it can be utilized to control the many." LRH (from Journal of Scientology Issue 4-G from Oct. 1952)
The God Ron claims that 72 hours after being near a Suppressive Person you or your pet will get sick. He claims that all SPs restimulate and is the ONLY cause or source of ALL illnesses and accidents or foul-ups. But the cult also claims that ALL people that dislike and/or oppose Scientology are Suppressive Persons without exception.
THE RONBOT HUNTER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
5 hours ago( 3:36 AM)
By the way, all religions, by the very essence of being a religion or religious group are cults to one degree or another. That is a much overused word for organizations you don't particularly agree with. How absolutely childish.
6 hours ago( 2:08 AM)
The Watchtower demands loyalty and if any Jehovah's Witness decides to leave because they disagree with doctrine, the remaining family members are commanded by the religion to shun those who have left. They will try to spin it so that it looks like some immorality was committed but most of the time that is not the case. Every member of your extended JW family and all your close friends will now shun you (basically treat you like you're dead) simply because you changed your mind on religion.
Jehovah's Witnesses have the highest turnover rate of any religion in the United States. Nearly two-thirds of those who become members will leave. There is something deeply wrong with an organization that claims to be Christian and breaks apart families, shunning even their own children. This form of shunning called “Disfellowshipping” is nothing more than psychological brutality meted out to keep the rank and file in line with fear and has led some to commit suicide. Jehovah’s Witnesses will only treat you with love and respect if you go along 100% with their distortions. If you persist in asking questions or challenging their doctrine, you are expelled, losing all friends and family members, never able to speak to them again, not even to say “hello.” Even minor children have been forced to leave home and live on the streets because they no longer agreed with the convoluted and highly extrapolated teachings of their faith.
Danny Haszard Bangor Maine Educator
7 hours ago( 1:35 AM)
Jehovah's Witnesses are taught to avoid and shun those who simply want to leave the organization, called disassociating. See Watchtower April 15, 1988 page 26-28
You cannot leave without being shunned. If you are in for 3 generations like my family, you will loose all your friends and family in one single day! And you will be hated by those still in the organization. Anyone who does not accept the organization as the ONLY way to God is hated See WT Oct 1, 1993 page 19
Disfellowshipping isn't to be found in the Bible. Even checking the scripture/word index in their own NWT JW Bible reveals this.
The Scriptures that they do twist/apply (not to say a greeting) have to do with shunning the ANTI-Christ. The nearest I can see to their Dfing practice it is the trial of Jesus.
The shunning practiced by Jehovah's Witnesses is a shame device cult control tactic and the entire family is cut-off.
-Danny Haszard (been there a disfellowshipped Jehovah's Witness)
7 hours ago( 1:19 AM)
Jehovah's Witnesses disfellowshipped person (DF) is exactly the same as Scientology suppressed person (SP)
Jehovah's Witnesses are EXACTLY the same.
Scientologists declare their outcasts "suppressive persons."
Another Scientology policy - called "disconnection" - forbids Scientologists from interacting with a suppressive person. No calls, no letters, no contact.
An SP is a pariah. Anyone who communicates with an SP risks being branded an SP himself.
Watchtower religion is the *Hotel California* you can check in but not *check out*.
Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult or high control group because they cut you off (harsh shunning) for dissent of any kind.
The Watchtower demands loyalty and if any Jehovah's Witness decides to leave because they disagree with doctrine, the remaining family members are commanded by the religion to shun those who have left. They will try to spin it so that it looks like some immorality was committed but most of the time that is not the case. Every member of your extended JW family and all your close friends will now shun you (basically treat you like you're dead) simply because you changed your mind on religion. The Watchtower and many adherents will deny this (lie) to the public and media.
3rd generation Jehovah's Witness Danny Haszard
14 hours ago( 6:10 PM)
It's called "disconnection" in Scientology and many of the disconnection letters that get sent to families of Scientologists sound like form letters or as if they've been co-authored, perhaps by a higher level Scientologist, what Scientologists refer to as an "Ethics Officer".
9 hours ago(11:21 PM)
Your family decides to move to a nice neighborhood with a covenant. The rules are you can't paint your house orange and you can't park junker cars in your front yard. You agree and you know everyone is supposed to play by the rules so the peace and ambience of the neighborhood is preserved. But then someone moves into the neighborhood and at first they obey the rules but for whatever reason they decide the rules are restrictive. So they paint their house orange then load their yard with junker cars. The neighborhood sends representatives to the offenders explaining that everyone in the neighborhood agreed to the covenant and if they want to stay in the neighborhood they should follow the rules. No one forced them to move there it was their choice and they knew the rules before they moved in. But the homeowner refuses to obey and says they have a right to do things the way they want even if if ruins things for all the other homeowners. Representatives try but finally they tell the offender to leave the neighborhood and no one in the neighborhood will have anything to do with them if they keep on with this behavior. They will be welcomed back should they ever decide they want the covenant rules that they agreed on. The people in the neighborhood are sad but really what choice do they have? Who's the bad guy here? Good idea to get both sides of the story.
6 hours ago( 2:20 AM)
That was a great reply. Very good point you brought out about hearing both sides. Thanks "Aware of both sides"!
5 hours ago( 3:37 AM)
Very well put! Love the analogy.
3 hours ago( 5:56 AM)
Shunning is still wrong. It is emotional control. So you should shun your neighbor because he painted his house orange? Shunning isn't just one person deciding not to talk to someone, it is using the power of numbers to overwhelm. If everyone in the city shunned the person with the orange house, then you can get the magnitude of the power of shunning.
It is just cruel and unusual punishment. It is designed to reduce a person to nothing and is a huge "make wrong". In Scientology, people leaving the Sea Org are declared Suppressive Persons, for breaking their billion year contract.
2 hours ago( 7:11 AM)
Jehovah's witnesses never tell the new converts that they have to obey and agree with all the ever-changing rules from the old men at Watchtower headquarters or suffer disfellowshipping and shunning. Before the 1970's a JW could smoke, then it was added to the list of disfellowshipping offenses- for those who couldn't quit, they suffered banishment from family and friends. Before 1980 a JW would be kicked out for having an organ transplant- after 1980 it was a personal decision. The WT Org never said, we're sorry to the JWs who obeyed the pre-1980 rules, as they were dead. Just recently a WT lawyer in an Australian court admitted that the faithful and discreet slave class are not real people- ie, it's just a literary tool people- to keep the JW stooges in line.
35 minutes ago( 8:20 AM)
Homes are not religions. Your analogy is true for neighborhoods, but not for human lives.
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I understand the motivation to avoid those whose own dilemma may prove stigmatizing or discomforting. Yet I remain troubled by the failure of our species to extend compassion to those who need it the most. The instinct to avoid those who are unpopular with leaders is well recognized in the animal kingdom -- chimps and wolves being among the most notable in tormenting their unpopular brethren when the alphas do so -- and humans share such survival instincts. But we differ from these animals by being blessed with the ability to give meaning to the events in our lives, and to intellectually discern complexity and nuance -- the very features of social aggression that lead to shunning. Our capacity to understand the complexity of social conflicts ought to suggest that whatever our human counterparts are suffering, chances are there is plenty of room for compassion -- and patience -- in how we approach them in their troubling times.
Awesome paragraph here.
-Sab
Phew!!
Thanks for posting the text of the article!!
I love those Huffington articles but their website drives me UP a WALL!!! Takes SO long to load, and many times I've typed in a pithy comment, only to have the damned thing disappear instead of posting in the comments section!!!
