You might also mention the way parents will be threatened with loss of privileges in the congregation (being deleted as an elder or losing pioneer status) if they allow an adult child to continue living with them who has decided they no longer wish t attend meetings.
I wrote to Mr. Angus Stewart regarding the "inactive" status claims made by the Watchtower at the ARC
by EdenOne 31 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Saethydd
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exjwlemming
Wasn't the shunning of the disassociated a change that occured in the mid 90's? Earlier, I remember announcements that "so and so" has disassociated themselves. The person was not formally shunned. Many used a preemptive disassociation before a JC could be formed for disfellowshipping. It was a little loop hole that the GB closed. Recently, they closed another loop hole of those who fade and are not spiritually strong should be avoided..a "soft shun." I'm a victim of soft shunning. Any one have the dates or timeframes that these changes were instituted. Hopefully, the ARC is privy to these GB pronoucements in written or verbal form? -
nonjwspouse
exjwlemmig
I believe this coincided with Ray Franz's leaving. It was a way to shun him and anyone who might "know the goods", question things, and actually speak about them. 1980 I believe.
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stuckinarut2
Well done!
Yes, after the first proceedings (case study 29) I also contacted the ARC and helped them to understand the "preemptive shunning" that occurs to ones who have NOT disassociated. By this I mean ones who are just viewed as "spiritually weak".
These ones too are given a wide berth.
The2016 convention videos helped to make this clear, as does all of our individual cases.
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never a jw
You might also mention the way parents will be threatened with loss of privileges in the congregation (being deleted as an elder or losing pioneer status) if they allow an adult child to continue living with them who has decided they no longer wish t attend meetings.
Elders can lose privileges for just allowing their children to attend higher education institutions too
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zeb
It is so pleasing that many of you are contacting the ARC to give background information. why so pleasing? that many folk around the world have experienced the rough shod wt 'justice' are no longer suffering in silence but are speaking out to a better end. Bless you all.
During the last hearings when GB Jackson was giving evidence I phoned the ARC and was told "We have had so many phone calls .." (about the evidence Jackson was giving)
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LoveUniHateExams
FWIW, I also sent an email to Mr Stewart earlier today:
Dear Mr Stewart
I've been watching with interest the recent testimony of Spinks and O' Brien before the Australian Royal Commission into the response of the Jehovah's Witnesses organisation (Watchtower Society) to child abuse.
Both yourself and His Honour, Justice McClellen, are doing a great job of dissecting and analysing the response (or lack of it) of the WTS to the recommendations made by the Commission in 2015.
I'm a baptised Witness who has managed a successful fade. I belong to an exJW discussion forum and faders like me are in a minority.
People who don't want to be a JW anymore often experience shunning to some degree. Although I've faded, I myself experienced being shunned by a JW 'sister' whom I knew from a time when I lived in SE England. I greeted her, she refused eye contact and blanked me, saying nothing. Granted, this was mild and I'm lucky I don't have family 'in'. But most people aren't so lucky.
Another thing: you and Justice McClellen asked "why do JWs shun people who disassociate?" ... and answer came there none. You were very close to the truth when you suggested "you shun disassociated people because the bible says so" - JWs shun disassociated people because the JW hierarchy says so. In this instance, unlike cases of disfellowshipping, there are no scriptural references, as far as I'm aware.
There have been talks at the kingdom hall where the JW speaker (usually an elder) has held up a black bible and said "if the Governing Body told me this was red, I'd say it is red!" and nobody in the audience disagreed.
The Watchtower Society has cult-like characteristics. Governments need to monitor and persuade this religion to make changes, the 'big three' being the issues of child abuse, blood, and shunning. The Australian Royal Commission is working towards this end.
Keep up the good work!
Yours sincerely
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Awakenednow
Great Letter! This ARC is such a blessing... great comments too! So.... the whole line of reasoning for shunning is like the example of the battered wife syndrome; I'm so sorry I beat the crap out of you and nearly destroyed you , but you should have obeyed me because I love you. I don't like hurting you so don't go against me again. I'm sorry I had to do it but you made me do it, it's your fault. Isn't there an Awake on that ? Early 90's? Thank God for Mr Stewart to point out the deceptive, manipulative and emotional damaging effects of their reasoning. That's why so many who leave thru any means, for years still doubt their own sanity for walking away from such an emotionally abusive "mother". You are taught that if you think for yourself you are following Satan and have a rebellious spirit when in fact your Self is simply standing up for itself saying this is abusive. I'm out of here! And that's actually healthy but called satanic thinking. Great comments and letters you guys...
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LongHairGal
EXJWLEMMING:
I am a long-time "fader" who has been soft-shunned when I run into certain JWs in stores. I can even say I experienced it to a degree while I was still active in the religion. This was because of my full-time job.
These Witnesses are deluded if they imagine that their shunning routine in public means anything. Many of them weren't even my friends way back thirty years ago.
I really have to laugh about this.
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Jason Miller
I simply moved away unannounced and became inactive. No, I didn't move in order to become inactive. I was already moving and decided to tell no one and simply disappear.