no way, and they are tightening the policy on it as well.
If the Watch Tower Society discontinued shunning.... new survey!!
by cedars 32 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Azazel
done
-
breakfast of champions
Never, ever going to happen. If the WT discontinues shunning, information control is gone. People would be free to say what they think and the whole thing would collapse. They're smart enough not to get rid of shunning.
-
Black Sheep
There was no part of the survey that applied to the Great Unwashed Class.
-
THE GLADIATOR
Jehovah's Witnesses don’t only shun because they are expected too. Avoiding relatives that leave is admonished but not enforced.
Jehovah's Witnesses choose to shun because they feel threatened by members that declare it is not the truth and leave. In order to maintain a feeling of security Jehovah's Witnesses opt to mix only with those that share their beliefs. They will even avoid fellow members in their own hall if they express the slightest doubt about the Watchtower Society’s teachings. They are afraid that mixing with dissenters will cause them to doubt too because they already have doubts that they have buried.
This ‘birds of a feather flock together’ mentality is not unique to them; it is the hallmark of all cults.
-
breakfast of champions
They are afraid that mixing with dissenters will cause them to doubt too because they already have doubts that they have buried.
Huge point. The shunning is just an institutionalized form of this behavior.
-
Reopened Mind
cedars,
I looked at your survey regarding shunning. I am neither an active Witness nor DF/DA. Therefore I did not answer any questions as I felt it did not pertain to me. I do agree with the above posters who say the Society will never do away with shunning. Shunning those who leave and instilling fear into those who stay is a powerful tool to keep the flock in line. I must say I was a good JW while in and communicating with someone who left had no bearing on my leaving. What began my awakening was an article in our local newspaper, then looking up an internet site, and reading, reading, reading.
When our oldest son was 18 and still living at home he was disfellowshipped for what would be considered by any non cult member as normal teenage stuff. His father, an elder at the time, and I would talk to him about anything not related to Watchtower land. He was reinstated a year later and has since left. He confessed he knew then there was no holy spirit guiding the elders on his committee because they would not believe him when he told them the truth.
TotallyADD and I moved 1000 miles away to fade from the clutches of the WT. Although there is an active congregation in this town we have not been contacted in the year we have lived here. Maybe they're not that active after all. We do live on the outer fringes of their territory.
Reopened Mind
-
flipper
I agree with Breakfast of Champions that the WT society will NEVER do away with the shunning. As most cults use it to exercise " information control " on their members. WT society does NOT want active JW's getting the REAL truth about what the WT society is doing behind closed doors. That's how closed society's and cults operate. WT society isn't going to make ANY moves which cause them to lose power and control over their members
-
blondie
Does this take in account all the unofficial shunning done by jws who view others are bad spiritual association? The so-called personal marking? The deliberate leaving out others socially, not wanting to be in the same car group, sitting in the same row, and in the olden days not being in the same book study..
"I know brother fool that the WTS has officially allowed association with family but it must be limited to only encouraging them to come back, no meals, no amusement parks, no visits to your home," says brother strong elder with an "opinion."
-
binadub
Cedars and all:
Apologies if this has been posted, I only have time for selective reading here.
There is a petition at Whitehouse.gov to protect Americans from dangerous cults by removing tax exemption status. The petition is quite brief and states in part:
"Dangerous cults promote using shunning to coerce their members to blindly follow what the organization’s leadership orders and to coerce unrepentant former members. Members must shun unrepentant current and/or former members, as if they are dead."
CLICK HERE
~Binabud