On Shunning

Sunspot

The command of men to practice shunning is cruel and heartless, as we all know. It tears people up from the heart and hurts everyone involved.

The rigidity and "uptightness" of believing that ONLY YOU have the "right way" to God, and that being warm and cordial to someone who has left your religion, or attending another church service is going to "cost you" (God will getcha for that---or the elders will) in some way....is so self-limiting.

We all have the right to the pursuit of happiness and to find a faith that renews and motivates us to be our best. Being humans and experiencing growth all the while we are "here", what may be just the "ticket" for us personally at one stage in our life---may not fulfill the same needs a number of years later.

It is not fair that a belief system ( or religious leaders) rather than being a comfort or a teacher any longer, should have the right to keep a "hold" on any person because they choose to move on to another form of worship to the same God.

This flies in the face of what we hold dear in this country and in most others, being forever captive to men who believe that THEY have the right or the power to penalize ones for the rest of their lives for walking away from their religion. These men tell their flock who they can be with and not be with, or eat with and yet call this "love".

The ones that are still "left in" that would dearly love to exit---(and there are MANY) are being held hostage to these leaders and their power over them---in that the penalties are the loss of family and friends due to shunning. They would like to leave but are afraid of the repercussions.The ripple effect is endless...I know....I'm living it. People who weren't even IN the religion are affected by the divisions that are caused.

The oppression shown by religious leaders who police the actions of their flock and make demands of them and who only see any other religion as Satan's people.....does not promote love or understanding. It promotes a self-righteous, arrogant and haughty attitude. It promotes loathing and hatred for other's beliefs....and that is never a good basis for achieving ANY peace or harmony.

Why can't those who believe in this shunning....see that in a time period when everyone is seeking the love and comfort of their friends ad family, and are mindful of just how important our relationships with others ARE-----that this harmful practice is even allowed.

Annie

Elsewhere

First they go to the courts and demand that their religion be protected from persecution and discrimination... then they turn around and persecute and discriminate against anyone who questions them.

Hypocrites.

gitasatsangha

Why can't those who believe in this shunning....see that in a time period when everyone is seeking the love and comfort of their friends ad family, and are mindful of just how important our relationships with others ARE-----that this harmful practice is even allowed.

Because they do what their told despire what their conscience tells them. Their new conscience is somewhere in New York.

Double Edge

I wish we knew some bigshot reporter that would do a HUGE story on shunning and the disasterous effects it has on people's lives - so called "Christians" being anything but. I think this would be dynamite!

FlyingHighNow

Their new conscience is somewhere in New York.

Wow, Gita, what a profoundly simple way to explain the mesmerized, hypnotized state of most JWs. Thank you.

Flyin'

cyber-sista

(((((((((Annie)))))))))))

The whole shunning thing is so creepy. It is harmful on both sides. My sister is shunning her 2 sons who left the Org after having some bad experiences in there (they were only human and could only take so much). I know how much it hurts her too as she has had to shut down a part of herself that is human. It hurts to see her in this state of being. I remember what a loving mom she was. One of the strongest natural human emotions is a mother's love. The WT Org is inhuman to require its members to do things of this sort. I hate the WT Org for hurting people like this. (another very human emotion)

BeautifulGarbage

One of the reasons, I believe, one of my JW uncles never got "promoted" among the ranks was his vocal steadfast unwillingness (among other things) to shun his Df'd children, or "encourage" the weak ones. There are seven children, my cousins. My uncle, a Mississippi southerner, reflects very much his heritage of "blood", i.e. family, over everything else.

His wife, my Aunt, the WTS pioneer extraordinaire, did shun with a vengeance. Even when one of her Df'd children had been badly beaten and put in the hospital by her spouse.

The two of them must have had very interesting private conversations and I wonder about how they made "peace" with each other when they took such opposite stance on such an emotional issue

Sunspot

Thanks for all your comments. What prompted me to have this going around in my head for the past few days, was a post (I can't even remeember her name---sorry) by someone who lived with her DFed sister and was seen having lunch with---and the ensuing conversation with an elder because of it. My heart went out to her and to her sister for the frustration and humiliation that the WTS has put them and most of us through.

This just ate at me after I read it, and I kept thinking "how DARE they"?

How dare these men take a natural love that two sisters obviously share, and spit on it like that, trying to turn it into something that would "displease" God?

How dare they tell people who they can and cannot eat with or associate with?

How dare they place themselves in the position of being the "emotional police" for anyone?

How dare they pull out the rugs of family stability as they do?

But they DO.

And they get away with it.

Everyone loses.

Annie

frenchbabyface

Exactly !

On Shunning

it's terrible (a real mean strategy)

garybuss

I like it. I hope it continues. It reveals people's true character. It's been a wonderful way to identify and eliminate useless people from my life. Those who shunned me years ago have seen that I was not kidding when I said if you shun me, you start it but I end it . . . and I will never end it. No one who has shunned me is EVER welcome back in my home or in my life. I better not see them near my family either.

Not wanted, not needed, not feeling any pain due to their stupidity. They are a wasted lot.

If they ever quit shunning me I will sue them. I demand to be shunned.

On Shunning

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