Do Wills Ever Affect Shunning?

by Cold Steel 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Cold Steel
    Cold Steel

    A man has several sons and daughters who are active Jehovah's Witnesses. So was his wife, who died two years ago. He has since lapsed into apostasy and has been openly critical of the Governing Body. Naturally he is disfellowshiped and his JW friends no longer speak to him.

    Now this man is loaded...money up the gazoo. And he has a will. His family is supposed to give him "the treatment," but there's the matter of the money, and Armageddon just hasn't been around the last few corners.

    QUESTION: Does this man's financial position affect the extent to which he is not shunned by his family, some of whom expect to inherit comfortable nest eggs? They also know the old man has a will and that he's used to being listened to and obeyed. Does anyone know of anything similarly happening in the Society? Are people more apt to be more chatty with disfellowshiped wealthy parents, or parent, than they would be if said parents or parent were dirt poor?

    I don't know how many wealthy people there are in the Society, nor how much influence they wield in their respective Kingdom Halls. When wealthy members insist on sending their children to pursue higher educations, do they escape the criticisms often experienced by the lone student struggling to secure an education?

    .

  • Julia Orwell
    Julia Orwell

    I think it would.

  • Julia Orwell
    Julia Orwell

    As for your questions about wealthy JWs and education, no they would cop a lot of flack for being 'materialistic' by some, and sending their kids to university would preclude them from any position in the congregation just like the kid of a poor family going to uni. There are very few wealthy JWs anyway, and they've usually gotten wealthy through education or hard work in business, and are looked down upon for that. I'm sure though in some congregations there is a lot of Simony and rich JWs get sucked up to. Generally though, university and wealth are an indicator that one is not very spiritual, since they've spent time building their businesses or getting their careers that should have been used witnessing.

    Really though, such traits as being jealous of richer people and wanting to tear them down, or wanting to suck up to them/treat them as if they're better than everyone else or give favours in exchange for some financial benefit is common to most humans. It's not just JWs in which you will find kids shunning their parents then expecting to be the beneficiaries of the will. You won't just find Simony in JWs, or judging those who have more than you or go to university. You will find that in every group of people.

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    It's the same as anywhere else: MONEY TALKS.

    The attitude toward a JW sending their kids to college all depends on their status and place in the congregation.

    If they are look on in a good light, then the fact that their kids go to college will be overlooked as long as the kids dont go ape-shit crazy away at school. Most likely would be best if the kids still live at home and attend nearby university.

    OTOH, if they are only marginal JWs in the Cong, they might be looked down upon for ignoring the "ban" on higher education. Privately though, most R&F will be envious knowing that their kids will be better off in life due to their education plus the fact that they "have money" to start with.

    Doc

  • happy@last
    happy@last

    Money motivates people, they'd find a way to bend the rules to suit themselves.

  • skeeter1
    skeeter1

    Yes. Theocratic lying would probably trump shunning. They want your money. Honorable JWs would use it for Kingdom interests, like buying a brand new 4 door car. But, there are plenty of greedy JWs. From con-artists, vitamin sellers, . . . . just look at the number of government scammers in the congregation that take assistance in order to pioneer full time in the door-to-door.

  • St George of England
    St George of England

    I remember a case of a man who left money to the WTS and was subsequently disfellowshipped.

    The WTS still accepted the money and fought (and won) a contested will against the man's autistic son.

    Money is everything in WT land. All the WT and YB experiences these days seem to revolve around money.

    George

  • notsurewheretogo
    notsurewheretogo

    Shunning or not surely the command to "Honor thy parents" still applies!

  • DeWandelaar
    DeWandelaar

    If I was an old apostate and alone... and my family would not talk to me... I would make a new will and would only let them have a letter with a middle finger drawing and the text: jehovah will provide for you so you won't get a penny from me... That would give some of them a good time :P

  • new hope and happiness
    new hope and happiness

    Cold Steel...Do wills EVER effect disfellowshipping? ....Elders in the congregation often witness a dignature on a will. So i if they are aware the persons assets i.e his home, savings ect are being left to the society....do they EVER ignor disfellowshipping offences? lets call it theocratic warfare....

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