Thanks for the feedback!
Fleur and Scully, your insights are very lucid. If Enzo does write again, I will expand along those lines.
Elsewhere et al, good point. I noticed the unlikely self-descriptor "Jehovah's" and wondered about it. My thoughts of possible explanations are (choose any one):
(a) English is this person's second language, and they don't refer to themselves in English often and so don't know the "appropriate" way to call members of their religion
(b) This person is very young and their non-JW frineds & non-JW relatives have imprinted this name on Enzo. If their family is as close as Enzo claims, there are likely numerous discussion seperating the "Catholics" from the "Jehovah's"; and I wouldn't expect the Catholic's to refer to the Dubs as "Witnesses".
(c) This is a gag by someone not familiar with JWs special loaded vocabularly. Possible, but it seems unilkely that they would go to the trouble to understand the "shunning" issue but not know that Dubs call themselves "Witnesses" or "Friends" or "Brothers ans Sisters".
(d) the writer is actually one of the Catholic family members who is disguising himself as a Dub in order to ask a penetrating question of the Witchpower Babble & Trick Society. This would also explain why they bothered to email "watchtower.ca" rather than telephone Bethel. My money is on this explanation.
Another peek at my EMAIL: more shunning "tearing families apart"
by Quotes 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Quotes
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Special K
Hmm..
I was in Wendy's Restaurant the other day with my youngest son.
After we sat down to eat I noticed a family of J.W.'s at the next table (tables are fairly close together). I wondered if they were uncomfortable with disfellowshipped me next to them. This has happened on more than one occassion. .. but they never get up and leave because I'm there. They didn't talk or acknowledge me though.. but we all knew who each other was.
This not eating together thing can get really blown out of proportion. I'm mean it's stupid anyway...but some really get overboard with it.
I could see if they seated them all at one table being a bit of a problem ..but not if they eat at different tables.. ...
sincerely
Special K
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Snapdragon
Holy cow, did this guy's letter blow me away. This could have been my very family, 5 years ago. My aunt (pioneer) and uncle (elder) decided not to attend my wedding reception since my apostate mom would be there. (But my ceremony was fine? She was there too.) When aunt MB told me their decision over the phone, I was devastated. I could tolerate my mom being shunned, it was her choice, she knew the rules when she left. But for them to do this to me?? I tearfully told her that night that if she chose to do this, I would treat her the same way.
And I have. I've shunned right back at my aunt and uncle. They have a son, my cousin J. And I treat him with as much love and warmth as I ever would. But do you all think I'm wrong on this note? It isn't very christian of myself to play the tit for tat game.
Quotes, this is a very sad case indeed. I know first hand how much this rips a family in 2. My Gramps won't ever see his whole family together in a room again. Not unless he sticks around to watch his own funeral.
~A
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talesin
I like your reply, Quotes. It gave clear answers, and you did not use any emotion-based arguments (which is key, I think). No appealing to guilt, just the facts.
I am with you on your guess as to his reason for calling them Jehovah's. I was thinking exactly the same thing, when reading down the thread. It sounds like a Catholic family member, trying to understand and give a well-reasoned argument to his JW cousins.
Good work!
talesin