I haven't spoken to those people for over 6 years. I wouldn't reach out to them - they have become total strangers, there is no love there. If they reached out to me *shrug* I doubt I would make much of an effort.
Your reaction if they drop the shunning policy?
by jam 34 Replies latest jw friends
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Xanthippe
Good question. I think metatron is right. If shunning was dropped officially some individual JWs would do it unofficially. Speaking personally, I would only find out about it from this board and then I would wait and see what my family did with (I hope) an open mind. I suspect they would just continue leaving me to rot though.
Years ago when my sister got married I was introduced to my new brother-in-law's d'fed brother at the wedding and I shook his hand. When my sister's MIL got d'fed they still went out for meals with her. So when I phoned that sister after I left and asked her husband if I could speak to her he said no. I reminded him of his d'fed family that he still associated with and said 'so am I the only ex-JW you don't speak to? His answer was, 'are you taping this conversation?'
So they pick and choose how and when they apply the rules. They always have done. I would like to think I would be open-minded if they made overtures to me but I am not sure they would even if they were allowed to.
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Dune
That would be, for me, a massive step towards mainstreaming. I think the shunning & blood issue is one of the bread & butter differences between JW's and other evangelical christian groups. Once they lose those two things, i think it would further deligitimize them, not to the point of collapse (we can hope, but it wont happen), but i think this would cool the R&F, something they really can't afford.
I faded more than 6 years ago, I haven't even seen a JW in 4 years, I've pretty much moved on from the idea of rekindling 'friendships' with JWs.
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sherry123
I proboly would be pleasantly aloof.
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wisdomfrombelow
I remember back in the 90s when they changed the policy on shunning those who weren't baptized. It used to be that unbaptized "approved associates" were to be shunned once they became unapproved. This meant a lot of teenagers who engaged in "teenage behavior" whose parents were baptized were shunned. When the change in policy happened, people were were shunned for years were suddenly spoken to. Very strange indeed. I can imagine that happening again but I wouldn't expect it to unless legal pressures made them change their behavior. I choose my friends carefully but I would not be rude if someone who didn't speak to me decided to start talking to me again. I might just speak back and say something eye-opening.