Why is shunning wrong?

by noonehome 34 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  noonehome

  Consider an example I often hear. You’re sitting at a dinner table. The topic of conversation is regarding your mother. Wild accusations are thrown in your face. Certain ones claim she is a liar, a prostitute, and evil, calling her terrible names. How would your mother feel about you associating with people who slander her? Obviously such claims about most people’s mothers would be quite extreme and do of course come across as slanderous falsehoods. At any rate, would you not be justified in cutting off association with such individuals?

  (Interestingly in this example the validity of the claims are never scrutinized or dealt with. It is simply a matter of immediate action by means of loyalty to your mother and her feelings.)

  The business of shunning is difficult and frustrating. You have a situation where the shunning is seemingly justified: a situation of loyalty. From a JW perspective, associating with apostates is akin to agreeing with them. This is where it gets tricky, because then the only way to actually associate with an alleged apostate is to agree with what they think, and to agree with what they think is to be one. That is a terrible notion.

  Try to remember that Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t want to not be Jehovah’s Witnesses. That is, in fact, the worst thing imaginable and to them the reason for mankind’s hopeless condition. Adam and Eve, universal sovereignty …murder of billions at Armageddon and all that jazz. You remember.

  Every JW made a dedication… we all did folks. No matter one’s reason to leave, be it the pursuit of intellectual honesty or escape from abuse or one of the million and a half other reasons, it’s something seen as inexcusable, a shame, and 100% WRONG because of that dedication you made. That's why you are shunned. Loyalty to Big Brother.

  They keep saying you have to see the big picture. I keep wanting to say that WE ARE the big picture ...we’re only alive for a short period of time and are very lucky to be HERE, TOGETHER, on this TINY speck hurtling through a universe that by a massive margin is designed to kill all living things instantly. We're all alone in this together and it's such a shame to see the immense pettiness that keeps people who love each other very much, completely compartmentalized by their own ignorance. Collectively, as humanity, we're all guilty of it to various degrees.

  Anyways. I’d like to hear people’s objective thoughts on the justification of shunning.
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  LisaRose

  Nothing justifies tearing a family apart, which is what shunning does. It's cruel and hurtful. When I was baptized I was told people would only be disfellowshipped if they were unrepentant sinners, who refused to change despite many warnings, and it was a very serious sin. This is not what happens in reality. They also don't tell you that you will be disfellowshipped for choosing to leave and join another religion.

  I no longer believe the Jehovah's Witnesses have the truth, so I cannot in good conscience be a part of it. Because of that, my brother and sister cannot talk to me, my mother died and no one even called to tell me she was in the hospital.
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  JT speaks-out

  "noonehome: Every JW made a dedication… we all did folks."

  I was baptised when I was 16 years old, and I had never known anything but the org. I had parroted all the answers a good little jw kid is supposed to give. By the beginning of my teens, I had severe depression and anxiety, as well as post traumatic stress disorder, and was already suicidal. I am also vision impaired, which I mention because it's something that made it harder to learn anything about the real world while I was growing up. For example, I couldn't have just gone to the local library by myself and used one of their computers to do research on the net.

  So, I wouldn't call my baptism a dedication. I was just doing what was expected of me. When My mental health at that time was still the same as at the start of my teens, and when I got baptised I was still planning to kill myself.

  If the law had any relevance to jws, they would have to recognise that at that time, I would not have been legally able to sign a contract, and they seem to see baptism as a binding commitment.
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  smiddy

  my mother died and no one even called to tell me she was in the hospital.

  That is despicable conduct on their part not to inform you of your mothers condition , regardless of what they consider your status to be with the organization .

  Their actions , or inaction in this case highlights what self-righteous , pious , judgemental people belong to this excuse for a religion . GGGGRRRRR.

  Shunning never , ever brought anybody back into the religion for the right reasons .

  Shunning is blackmail , so people can re-unite with families that have been torn apart by this practice.

  Shunning is a control stick used by a sick excuse for a religion to further control its members.

  smiddy
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  punkofnice

  I’d like to hear people’s objective thoughts on the justification of shunning.

  Nothing from me. Shunning is the action of cowards unwilling to discuss reasons why someone has a different opinion.

  Not everyone wants to remain dedicated to an organization when they discover they were conned by that same organisation.

  When I was dedicated and baptised I had no idea that the Governing Body so pro-actively protected paedophiles and have their hands in money making tbusinesses and schemes that they would disfellowship a R&F JW for associating with.

  Nothing can justify shunning. It is nowhere in the Bible (despite out of context and badly translated texts), and our own in built moral compass tells us it's an evil thing to do.

  Loving provision indeed. HAH! Don't make me laugh.
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  Splash

  I’d like to hear people’s objective thoughts on the justification of shunning.

  The justification should come from the Bible, not from peoples thoughts.

  Splash
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  zeb

  "Each party must decide." Such a one (parent or Grand parent) has a natural right to visit their blood relations and their offspring" 1974 WT.

  JT speaks out: and these days they are baptising little kids.
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  label licker

  By the fruits that they bear, you would know that they are Christ's desciples. The JoHo's bear rotton fruitage.
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  Londo111

  It is not a matter of individual choice to shun, but is a matter of undue influence.

  This is why all cults practice shunning.
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  Terry

  1. It is called CHRISTianity and not PAULianity

  2. Jesus never shunned anybody

  3. Jesus advocated embracing the stray sheep and not shunning it (Leave the 99 for the 1 stray)

  4. Shunning is about preventing skeptical arguments and nothing more than that. It is ugly, cruel and petty

  5. The best defense against slander is facts, evidence and honest rebuttal