floridaborn

It’s too late after the 2016 convention that has the R&F shunning inactive ones who are not officially df’ed or da’ed. They’ve doubled down on the control in a “secret way” by not having it in print making those that follow the direction from the slave feel even more worthy.

LongHairGal

SPARROWDOWN:

You raise a good point. If the JW religion hypothetically gave up the shunning doctrine, what about the damage done to people for decades who were the victims of this policy? Some of these people lost friends, relatives, livelihoods and even the roof over their heads.

Would the religion imagine that people are like a lightswitch that can be turned on and off at a moments notice? How would these people be recompensed for their losses? They can't be.

I was never DFd and just 'faded', I still experience some shunning when I encounter JWs in stores. Even when I was active in the religion I was mildly shunned because I had a full time job.

I'm out of the religion so this doesn't matter to me. But, even if the religion dropped the shunning routine, the consequence of this is that I want nothing to do with these hypocrites who viewed me so negatively just because I worked to support myself...I wouldn't so much as give them the time of day.

sparrowdown

LHG - I slow faded while maintaining friendliness. I was not DFed nor DAed. I don't think I could have faded in a "nicer" gentler way, yet, I am full on shunned.

If anything the WT's shunning policy gave these so-called friends and family the opportunity to reveal their true character or at least how little I meant to them. Did me a favor. Though, if any of them woke up and left the borg and decided to contact me I would be delighted for them of course but relationship wise I would have to cross that bridge if and when I come to it. If they decided to stay with the organization that is still telling them who they can talk to then no, I would not resume as if nothing had happened.

scratchme1010

Will The Watchtower Ever Give Up Mandatory Shunning Of DF'd Members?

Maybe, maybe not. They change that policy all the time, except for the fact that they are shunned. I think that they struggle with it because they want to keep control of their people, which is their priority, so they keep making stupid adjustments. The moment that shunning shit stops working for them, they will change it.

LV101

So the cult likes membership numbers - I seriously doubt that meeting attenders who are forced to be there donate any money. What a pathetic cult. They have too much pride to admit they have few members.

JakeM2012

I understand how people feel hurt when other's who were once close to them and don't, won't, or are prohibited to associate with them because of WT organization's shunning policies. I have family that will not talk to me or will accept anything I send as gifts, cards, letters, etc.

I drank the rotten waste of supposed spiritual food at the proper time from a "faithful and discreet slave" for 40+ years before I started to question and eventually woke up. I tried to stay within the "fold" with personal study, alcohol, and Cognitive dissonance. However, that just wasn't good enough. When I fully awoke, I found no "friends" at all.

Was there a loss? Yes, of course, there was. However, I have chosen to look at this differently.

In our journey of life, we "bump" into thousands of people that we don't ever see again but they made an impression on us one way or another. For example, I went to 12 years school and only have two individuals from High School that are friends on Facebook. We seldom talk, but we are "Facebook Friends". I also enjoyed visiting with an elderly man at a restaurant while having breakfast yesterday as he briefly stopped in his travels to Florida. I've always joked that my family couldn't celebrate Christmas or Thanksgiving Holidays because we would all shoot each other.

So now, I have family that will not talk with me. I don't take drugs, I'm not an alcoholic, and I have respectable and continuous lucrative employment, health insurance, and I take financial care of my immediate family without asking for anything from my surviving parent. Interestingly, the majority of the family are still living on Mom's tit or sustaining themselves on the meals at WT's table as they volunteer their time.

At first, my families shunning bothered me because as humans we want/need/ or desire to have the approval of others especially our family. Their shunning made me question my self-worth. As time passed though, I realized, that I didn't have anything in common with these individuals that had briefly been so much a part of my life. I also realized that my personal value did not change. When they shunned me, My personal perspective of my "stock" value had diminished, but as Warren Buffet would say, I was still a sound profitable person, investment, a sound moral code, ethics, and was basically a good guy. It was only in My Mind that I wasn't worthy.

Brothers and Sister's, we should be proud that we have survived one of the most successful and deceptive cons in history.

We need to stop thinking and believing that we are second-class citizens, mentally diseased, or lack loyalty or any other thing because we rejected the false teachings of JW's.

We are loyal to the base fundamental qualities of the human race and what God (Or for all, Someone or something) gave to us for a moral compass. TRUTH. For many of us, that is what attracted us to JW's. However, in our quest, we found they didn't have it. This will not be the first time nor the last time we will be deceived by someone claiming they have the truth or the best product.

If we choose, Life is like a treasure hunt, always looking for the "holy grail" or the "hidden treasure" of some previous civilization. We were once told that we would inherit the beautiful houses of the non-believers, all without any work except taking two magazines to these poor bastard's house, and shaking our feet when they rejected our message.

It can also be like a journey through various terrain, desert, and fauna. Enjoy the time and the journey. People come and they go, like changing the scene of a play. We tend to believe that just because someone will not visit with us, that this is the final chapter. Well, write a new chapter, when they are crawling to us asking us for support when they finally realize that they have been deceived. Hell, write a new book. This is not the end.

There are many chapters left in our lives, perhaps, several new books. What we have gone through is temporary. Take a deep breath, make a step forward, and then do it again. Clean your windshield off and put your nose over the steering wheel and drive. Life will get better. There are many beautiful sunrises and sunsets in our future. Enjoy them all.

Peace,

Out

DesirousOfChange

Thanks, Jake!!!

Well stated!

Let's review: It's a Cult!

The greatest revenge is living a happy & successful life!

DesirousOfChange

Will The Watchtower Ever Give Up Mandatory Shunning Of DF'd Members?

Only if keeping it threatens their tax exempt status (i.e., for violating human rights).

It's all about the money!

Will Watchtower ever quit charging for publications and give them away for FREE?

Only if it threatens their (sales) tax exempt status (in California).

faithnomore

They cannot, this is what helps keep control.

Fisherman

"Shunning" is never going away. Some JW shun family more that the wt requires. Another problem is when a df JW pushes non-JW way of life (worldly ways) down the throats of grand children or other close relatives to the point where the JW relative decides to cut all ties. Or a df relative chooses a lifestyle that JW will not tolerate.

Will The Watchtower Ever Give Up Mandatory Shunning Of DF'd Members?

Will The Watchtower Ever Give Up Mandatory Shunning Of DF'd Members?

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