Weekend Netflix binging. This series has a sub-story of one of the detectives raised as a JW. You can tell the details aren’t exactly correct, but the intent to show familial shunning and it’s affects are loud and clear.
The Valhalla Murders - Netflix
by Dagney 2 Replies latest jw friends
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under the radar
I, too, thought it interesting that being shunned by JW family was used as a subplot involving a main character in this series. It must be a commonly known practice or its depiction wouldn't make sense to the viewers, because the series doesn't go into much detail.
We can surmise the character is either DF or DA because a JW elder tries to convince him to "come back." The reason he is being shunned isn't clearly explained, but it seems likely that he simply stopped believing in the Truth™ and left because he refused to fake it. A totally incongruous and unnecessary scene might hint at something else, but every production nowadays has to include something like that to be "inclusive."
The character's sister, evidently an active JW, surreptitiously tries to inform him of their father's impending death but is opposed and shut down by her overbearing husband and other elders. His work associates cannot understand why he doesn't want to go to his own father's funeral. Only a shunned ex-JW will really get it.
I thought the shunning was totally realistic. The JWs went "beyond what is written," (more than is actually required), but this frequently happens in real life. The way it can affect those subjected to it is also realistic.
The Kingdom Hall he forced himself to go to for the funeral was far nicer and more elaborate than any I've ever seen. Definitely not the new "dentist office" model. The funeral service he walked in on bears no resemblance to an actual JW funeral talk, but that's beside the point. It was also unrealistic that elders confronted him and tried to physically remove him even though he wasn't causing a disturbance. The point is he was being shunned and rejected, even by his own family, because he is no longer a member of the group.
Maybe the awful way he was treated will make people wonder why and expose this cruel practice to even more scrutiny. We can always hope...
Note: This was a comment I posted on the ex-JW Reddit site on the same topic a few days ago. I thought it was relevant here as well.
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inbetween
Just seen the show recently, was surpirsed by the JW subplot.
It was good, that the shunning was shown, was a little upset though, with the scene, when the main character was forcefully removed from the funeral at the KH. This would not have happened, as he did not start trouble there. Its a pity, since such exaggerated depiction gives watching JW an excuse, to blame apostate lies for it.
Also later, him and his sister, if I recall correctly, talk baout being in hell, something JW don't believe at all.
Other than that, and beside the forced inclusivity scene, the other poster mentioned, not a bad show for a small country like Iceland.