Posts by EdenOne

27

New article - SHUNNING: UNCHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE

by EdenOne in

hello everyone.. after months of neglect, i've resumed writing for my website.. the new article deals with the issue of shunning among the jehovah's witnesses.. it attempts to disentangle disfellowshipping from shunning, and demonstrating that shunning is a practice unbecoming of a christian.

i hope you find it interesting the article shunning - unchristian psychological torture.. it's divided into the following sections:.

introduction.

EdenOne

Adamah:

I don't follow your logic, really. This is taken from the article (Conclusion):

No one nowadays can make a verifiable claim to possess equal authority as that of the apostles who interacted directly with Jesus Christ. Therefore, no one has the authority to modify or reverse what was written by the apostles or taught by Jesus, unless Jesus himself would unequivocally change his teachings. True, post-apostolic Christians often failed to show mercy towards those who departed from orthodox, dominant mainstream Christianity, but that doesn't negate the validity of the Scriptures. Modern Christians aren't bound by the mistakes of past Christians. They respond to Christ and God alone. As wisely put by Fulton J. Sheen: "Tolerance does not apply to truth or principles ... Tolerance applies only to persons, but never to truth. Intolerance applies only to truth, but never to persons. Tolerance applies to the erring; intolerance, to the error".

Perhaps this addresses your concern?

Yes, shunning isn't the same as stoning or burning someone, but it's excessively damaging and unconsistent with the teachings of Christ. Furthermore, I can't find in the apostolic writings anything that supports such treatment either. Later Christian writers, perhaps, but not the apostles.

Eden

27

New article - SHUNNING: UNCHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE

by EdenOne in

hello everyone.. after months of neglect, i've resumed writing for my website.. the new article deals with the issue of shunning among the jehovah's witnesses.. it attempts to disentangle disfellowshipping from shunning, and demonstrating that shunning is a practice unbecoming of a christian.

i hope you find it interesting the article shunning - unchristian psychological torture.. it's divided into the following sections:.

introduction.

EdenOne

paranoia agent: This deserves current peer review articles of sociology and social psychology on the reprecussions of alienation.

Agreed, it deserved an academic study on sociology and psychology disciplines. But this is a religion forum, so ....

Eden

52

just got my first shun.:(

by unstopableravens in

EdenOne

Being publicly confrontational towards a JW to make them feel uncomfortable is an asshole strategy. You're attacking the person, not his ideas, because you have the intent to humilliate them in public. It's all about YOU feeling good about it. You won't win anyone to your field, rather, you generate even more radicalism on the other side.

On the other hand, [back to the OT] if someone would shun me inside my own house, I would ask them to leave there and then.

Eden

27

New article - SHUNNING: UNCHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE

by EdenOne in

hello everyone.. after months of neglect, i've resumed writing for my website.. the new article deals with the issue of shunning among the jehovah's witnesses.. it attempts to disentangle disfellowshipping from shunning, and demonstrating that shunning is a practice unbecoming of a christian.

i hope you find it interesting the article shunning - unchristian psychological torture.. it's divided into the following sections:.

introduction.

EdenOne

Robert

The article is mostly concerned about the grounds for shunning as presented by the JW's leadership currently and over the years. As I think I was able to demonstrate, such grounds are false. Since shunning is pushed upon all those who leave the congregation, either by disfellowshipping or dissociation, I don't really make much of a distinction, although due warning to the reader is made about that.

Naturally, what drives a disfellowshipping and a dissociation are very different things, one being the result of disciplinary action, the other being a voluntary decision. But the article deals with the outcome of both: Shunning.

The shunning practice became norm under N. Knorr's leadership, although it's well known that it was F.W. Franz who was driving the theology. Nevertheless, the shunning policy pre-dates the ordeal with Raymond Franz by more than two decades.

Eden

27

New article - SHUNNING: UNCHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE

by EdenOne in

hello everyone.. after months of neglect, i've resumed writing for my website.. the new article deals with the issue of shunning among the jehovah's witnesses.. it attempts to disentangle disfellowshipping from shunning, and demonstrating that shunning is a practice unbecoming of a christian.

i hope you find it interesting the article shunning - unchristian psychological torture.. it's divided into the following sections:.

introduction.

EdenOne

Adamah

I'm not sure about the pertinence of your comment, especially given the fact that I clearly make mention of the gnostic docetics as being the targets of John's remarks about the "antichrists". May I ask you if you've read the article?

Just FYI I've read all the apocripha, including the gnostic gospels and apocalipses, the Shepherd of Hermas, etc ... there are excellent websites that contain all those documents plus commentaries and historical background about each one.

Check out www.earlychristianwritings.com

Eden

27

New article - SHUNNING: UNCHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE

by EdenOne in

hello everyone.. after months of neglect, i've resumed writing for my website.. the new article deals with the issue of shunning among the jehovah's witnesses.. it attempts to disentangle disfellowshipping from shunning, and demonstrating that shunning is a practice unbecoming of a christian.

i hope you find it interesting the article shunning - unchristian psychological torture.. it's divided into the following sections:.

introduction.

EdenOne

Robert,

I would make the distinction between disfellowshipping and dissociation if shunning was warranted in any of those circumstances. But it's not, so I don't make a distinction. Actually, at some point during the article I state that when "disfellowshipping" is mentioned, it also includes those who have disassociated themselves.

Also, you make a good point with your understanding of John 6. I've included that reference in the article (Part 7). Thank you.

Eden

27

New article - SHUNNING: UNCHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE

by EdenOne in

hello everyone.. after months of neglect, i've resumed writing for my website.. the new article deals with the issue of shunning among the jehovah's witnesses.. it attempts to disentangle disfellowshipping from shunning, and demonstrating that shunning is a practice unbecoming of a christian.

i hope you find it interesting the article shunning - unchristian psychological torture.. it's divided into the following sections:.

introduction.

EdenOne

Hello everyone.

After months of neglect, I've resumed writing for my website.

The new article deals with the issue of shunning among the Jehovah's Witnesses.

It attempts to disentangle disfellowshipping from shunning, and demonstrating that shunning is a practice unbecoming of a Christian. I hope you find it interesting the article SHUNNING - UNCHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE.

It's divided into the following sections:

Introduction
I - Ostracism in the ancient world
II - ostracism, social rejection and psychological torture
III - Shunning amongst the Jehovah's Witnesses
IV - Doctrinal development and scriptural support
V - Authority to discipline through suspension of fellowship
VI - Does disfellowshipping really equals a death sentence?
VII - Did Jesus shun sinners?
VIII - What about Bible passages that apparently support shunning?
In Conclusion

Since this is something that most ex-JW's and faders and active Witnesses care deeply about, I found it beneficial to look at it in more depth.

Your comments and debate are more than welcome.

Eden

38

JW Apolgist rant here...and confession.

by Julia Orwell in

jw
friends

i really don't like people disparaging active jws on this site by calling them stupid, idiots, morons and that, and making out like they're willing puppets to the gb or cruel at heart.

or describing them like they're puke or as having no desire to learn or listen.. to you, all these things may be true.

we all have opinions and are entitled to them.

EdenOne

Wise words, Julia.

Eden

310

How I recently handled JWs at my door

by Christian guy in

the jws stopped by my house a couple weeks ago on a saturday morning.

i knew that with others most likely waiting for them out in the car they probably did not then have much time to engage in any serious conversation.

so i let them talk while i feigned interest in what they had to say.

EdenOne

Julia,

Usually because someone on the atheist field resorts to insult on someone we, believers, consider in high regard, or make patronizing remarks about our intelligence. That's not the way to pursuit a civilized discussion.

Eden

11

What the hell is a "land?"

by stillin in

the service reports for jw's always toots their horn about all of the "lands" that the good news is being preached in.. has anybody got a clue?

how many lands are there, total?

are lands the same as countries?.

EdenOne

What Jeffro said.

The use of "Land" is an attempt to be politically correct. Example: Taiwan. By calling it a "land", they aren't pissing off the chinese, who consider Taiwan part of their territory. "Land" also may referr to an autonomous region. Example "Azores", are a group of islands that belong to Portugal. Yet, in the Yearbook report, they have been treated treated as a separate territory than the mainland Portugal (same for Madeira island too).

WT geography isn't necessarily tied to geopolitics.

Eden