lifestyle.
ex-jehovah's witnesses break silence on shunning: 'my mother treats me like i'm dead'.
detroit free press 3 hours ago .
Discipline that outright demands a choice between your family and the cult isn't reasonable. That is the whole point of the article, and of what former JW's (and mental health practitioners) have been saying for decades.
What is reasonable discipline within religion? It sure as hell isn't extreme shunning, where even family cannot meet off of church grounds.
lifestyle.
ex-jehovah's witnesses break silence on shunning: 'my mother treats me like i'm dead'.
detroit free press 3 hours ago .
Just read it. Boy did it bring back emotions and memories. Watching my brother become addicted to drugs and then take his own life because of the shunning (which I participated in at the time) will always be heartbreaking for me. This event also caused the breakup of my parents marriage, which led my mom to make some unhealthy choices herself. She passed away from cancer in 2010.
Having to leave and knowing I would forever blow up the bridge was the single biggest act of courage I have ever done in my life. Has my quality of life been lessened because of shunning? Hell yes! This thing is a cult, and I was a born in who fell for it until I woke myself up.
No need for sympathies, I have long since dealt with the trauma, and am at peace with what happened, because it did happen. My revenge is living well, and hopefully to offer some small support to those who are trying to leave. I don't care about political arguments on this board, or religious ones. I don't care that JW's teach some things that are harmless when they promote ideology that threatens peoples lives. (Blood medicine, shunning for seemingly small sins...) I just want you to leave if you're in and get mentally right. That frequently means getting professional help. Don't discount that. Don't be embarrassed. It saved me and many others.
lifestyle.
ex-jehovah's witnesses break silence on shunning: 'my mother treats me like i'm dead'.
detroit free press 3 hours ago .
...
elders arranged a sort of informal visit by a more capable elder accompanied by another brother who is more qualified than me from academic background.
their purpose was to reason with me as a last resort to avoid a jc.. during the two-hour discussion, i could make my point clear to them: “i don’t think any one particular religion has the whole truth.
it may be existing as bits and piece in all religions and schools of thought.
Several years ago, a few conversations on this board noted that elders and elder bodies differ. Frankly, there is no uniform way to deal with "apostates" from the JW point of view, because interpretation and other variables are at play.Now that CO's are used to make local decisions directly to insulate Bethel from lawsuits and liability, that is even more the case.
So first of all, BE CAREFUL. Maybe they'll go after you, maybe they won't. For them to say that this is the beginning of apostasy should put you on notice. I am unsure if you want to stay in and fade or not. If you do, you have to commit to playing the game somewhat.
I actually like the suggestion of employing the mental health card, if you want to. I am all for using misdirection against them.
Lastly, all it takes for someone to get DF'd or to stay is momentum within the elder body and the CO that they consult. Some have been DF'd for less, or more. Your mileage will surely vary. Just be on guard.
do you think elders and gb members monitor this site to catch people?.
If this is something one wonders about, to each their own. My personal thoughts are, the GB and some high rankers absolutely visit here. It's human nature. And as I am sure they have realized by now, they are only, all too human.
one of the most common "defences" of jw organization is that "the brothers" are imperfect yet still strive to follow god's word.
"sure, they make mistakes," so the argument goes, "but so did god's people in the past, including in bible times.
" the key point is their readiness to keep studying god's word and learning from their mistakes.".
It's amazing how two consenting adults can be disfellowshipped for touching each other, but you can't get disfellowshipped for a few false prophesies that adversely affected the lives of millions.
Yep, I'd say that's pretty imperfect.
thanks for all the kind words- yes i will come back and be present ...
what did I miss?
Well, uh, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but the generation that saw 1914? They did in fact, actually die. #darkjwhumor
Great to see you!
when in conversion, you sometimes get carried away and the talk becomes all about you.. then, you remember you're in a conversation, say you're sorry, and allow the other person to talk.
she goes on about what's happening in her life, you listen and ask some questions.
she tells you more and then shifts the dialogue back to you.
I always appreciate it when a person lets me know sooner rather than later that they don't belong in my inner circle, and won't be mailed any invites. ;)
because of this site i realized that there were many people who were active jehovah’s witnesses really didn’t believe in god at all.
i’m curious how many people believe in god?
i’m not interested in debating why you shouldn’t have a belief in a god or should.
I have learned that this topic is not two dimensional. For me, it's an ongoing journey, but no, I don't go to church and do not talk to or pray to a specific entity. I do explore "spirituality" in its many aspects. I do my own thing. I'll never do group think again as a condition of "worship", whatever you'd like that word to mean.
i ask this question for the following reason.
i was sitting at the kingdom hall thinking about all the rules, procedures, policies, teachings that each member must follow ......or else!.
at the watchtower study we are reminded of the paradise earth where we will all be the same and happy.
I would strongly suggest that nostalgia isn't the way to go. I do understand that the GB 2.0 is even more cold than the original version, but it wasn't a cake walk either. You still had no freedom of thought or speech, and had to fake it to make it at all if you had a mind of your own.
Joy was never something any version of the Governing Body was about imo. And yes, it's even worse now, but it was never good before.
