by rawe 35 Replies latest jw friends
Kudos to you Steve2 for admitting this and to Marvin S. for as always being a voice of reason.
I look at these events as small "innoculations" given passerby and the public at large. They will ask tougher questions and think more when the next batch of JWs dubbs pile out of their min-vanand onto their street.
Good for you! Sounds like fun, wish I were close enough I would do it.
Kuddos to you rawe (Randy). I hope that you have a successful turn out and that former members of other cults join your "Shun Run".
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
Hi Everyone,
To Robert's point, last year our Shun Run included an ex-LDS (aka Mormon) member and two others who were never Jehovah's Witnesses. Our total was nine. When I left the faith in 2007 at first no action was taken against me. Our depature as a family was rather dramatic since we were very active. Our house was used as a Bookstudy location. In fact I was out in service in the morning and left the faith that afternoon. However in 2009 when I decided to celebrate Christmas for the benefit of my 6-year-old and because I no longer believed it was correct for me personally to continue to show open agreement with the edict of Joseph Rutherford from the 1920s, it was then the elders came calling.
I told them I would be happy to meet with them, provided the meeting was recorded and I could have a lawyer present. I also told them I was happy to have them make a public announcement as long as used the wording I provided, that made it clear that while I was not one of Jehovah's Witnesses, that the sharing of such information was in no way intended to incite shunning and that I was not being disfellowshipped, nor had I disassociated myself. Well... despite my explicit instructions that I be kept informed of any intended announcement a standard short-form announcement was made in the spring of 2010 without them telling me.
I eventually got a letter from headquarters with the code SDB:SSY. I responded to this letter when I got it and have since written SDB:SSY annually. I now do so as part of the Shun Run -- which I hope I can keep going each year near the time of the memorial. For those that may be interested here is the first three paragraphs...
Dear Mr. SDB:SSY:
Last February I wrote to inform you of our first Shun Run. Myself and my friend who is a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were joined by seven others. The nine of us walked on the public roads near the Casa Grande Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. Given this was the Sunday prior to the Memorial, I was surprised to see a Spanish language group were using the facility. I approached one of the parking attendants to inform him of our plans. I was further surprised when a deputy from the Pinal County Sheriff's department showed up at our starting point!
I am planning on repeating this event again this year on Sunday, March 24, 2014. The exact location has not been chosen at this point, but will likely be a walking path near the center of Phoenix. I am deeply committed to being peaceable and law abiding (Romans 1:18, Mark 12:17). While some who oppose Jehovah's Witnesses may desire to be flamboyant and disruptive, this is not true of me or my friends. The intent of this event is not to embarrass Jehovah's Witnesses, instead, I hope to be of encouragement to members of the ex-Jehovah's Witnesses community.
The sub-title for this year is: Show Love, Don't Shun. I chose this to highlight the choice involved and the fact that shunning hurts. Admittedly, there may be circumstances where shunning is a reasonable choice. Consider the case of a child who was sexually molested by an adult family member. When that child grows up she may choose not to have any contact with her molester. Who could blame her? Jehovah's Witnesses attempt to justify shunning by suggesting the target of their shunning is deserving – that such shunning is a form of “tough love” (Hebrews 12:11). Yet, can such account for every case of shunning? In most cases, individuals who shun do not even know what the facts in a given case may be. Rather, it is a matter of being unquestionably obedient to men in authority.
Cheers,
-Randy
I wish there was a Shun Run in every state!
I forwarded your original post on a fb with some ex jw's and one is forwarding onto someone they know in AZ.
Get the word out!
Forgot to say, they loved the name of the run!
Nice letter.
An additional point you may want to consider: an individual deciding on their own to shun another person such as in your example ( the case of a child who was sexually molested by an adult family ) is clearly NOT the same as the forced, institutional shunning as dictated by the WTBTS and as practiced by JWs.
R&F JWs have no choice as to whether or not to shun a DF'd of DA'd individual without suffering sactions themselves. It is this aspect, I think, which so many find offensive.
rawe-Have you thought of calling local news outlets in the area prior to the event? There are probably boat-loads of Mormons, as well as JW's, that would show up, plus you just might get televised publicity.
Hi PaintedToeNail,
A few have asked that. I am not opposed to the idea of media coverage per se, but I am not seeking it either. Part of this speaks to my personality. I am up front about who I am and what I believe, etc. Randy is my real name and when I write SDB:SSY he knows my address. So my interest in keeping a low-profile is not tied to being shy or anything.
Like a lot of folks in the ex-JW community I do not desire to cause unnessary pain to family and friends who remain in the faith -- some who are in their 80s. So it does become a question of how to strike the right balance. On the one hand those who are considering leaving or have doubts may still find themselves under the influence of the faith. Even some who have not gone to meetings for years may still identify with the faith, even while sensing a form of religious abuse is going on, but are not sure what alternatives are really available. For such folks I hope events like this, posts here, a regular meetups can help. To show that it is okay to speak up, to make obvious points that religious shunning really amounts to unwanted third party influence in otherwise private relationships.
On the other hand I fully appreciate how important the faith feels to those who truly believe it. The faith itself of course is responsible for much of the stress that members feel. Constant calls for more service, more loyalty and constant reminders one is sinner in need of forgiveness is a huge burden. I am not resposible for this mess, nor is any of us in the ex-JW community, yet, I really don't want my actions to add to this burden.
I also think certain modes of actions can help refute the sort of thought-stoppers Witnesses throw up in regards to former members. How many times have we heard, "apostates" simply have an axe-to-grind? Or they are trying to "draw away disciples to themselves"? Or that they are disrepectful or glory seeking or always negative and offer no positive alternatives?
So... these are the sort of thoughts and concerns I put into the pot and stir it up to come up with the Shun Run.
Cheers,
-Randy
Hi rawe, I liked your letter and the sub-title of show love, don't shun.
Have you thought of ideas for next year's sub-title? How about "Silence is Consent!"? It would work for shunning as well as child molestation and abuse. When you think about it, child molestation and abuse would be less likely to occur if shunning wasn't promoted.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
