A reply to Hortenzie:
I am glad to know that you were able to go into this organization and you were able to leave this organization without being scathed. Obviously you were never shunned, nor did you leave behind family or friends that you loved but were now forbidden to speak to you. Or perhaps because of your lack of empathy, you never had any friends or family.
You were not hurt? You are a very lucky person. Not all are so lucky. Many of us have lost close family members, or long time friendships. Since you are unfamiliar with the pain that is associated with this cult, I would suggest that you not speak so lightly of those of us who have experienced tremendous pain.
It is true, there was never a gun held to our heads, instead there were loved ones held "over" our heads. We had to be obedient and do as we were told or we would be disfellowshipped, which meant those that remained within the walls of Jehovah's Witnesses were forbidden to speak to or associate with such disfellowshipped persons. You were called apostate, your reputation is called into question, along with your love for God.
The words that were spoken in front of the congregation were "For conduct "unbecomming" to a Christian "John Doe" has been disfellowshipped". And that conduct that was suppose to be so unbecomming to a Christian could be nothing more than asking questions. To have your conduct come under scrutiny by a group of men that felt that they had God's spirit and backing and to hail you before your friends and family as a person unfit to associate with is tantamount to a stoning in the public square. For some, to be disfellowshipped was worse than death itself, and MANY, because of their shunning policy, have committed suicide. You call it a melodrama? I call it pain, I call it suffering, I call it hell on earth, I would call it most anything EXCEPT a melodrama. You tell the mother whose daughter has committed suicide because she fell in love and concieved a child, and would rather die than to go through the ordeal of a disfellowshipment, you tell that mother that it's nothing more than a melodrama. You tell my sister, who is unable to walk, who does not have the ability to use her left side, who can't go to the bathroom by herself, whose husband is dead and her daughter sees her ONLY BECAUSE SHE WAS TOLD THAT SHE COULD HELP A FAMILY MEMBER THAT WAS SICK, in other words, she got permission to be a good daughter. You tell my sister that this is all a melodrama.
You need to use your dictionary and find a more appropriate word when dealing with individuals that have been wounded, who are suffering, who feel as if their lifes energy is draining from their bodies. Empathy would be a good word to start with.
My heart cries every time I hear of a broken family, a broken heart, or a broken spirit. A melodrama? You have no idea, you speak as a child that has not lived long enough to know what pain feels like.
Yes, we have to be held accountable for our own actions. And I am anxiously awaiting the accountability for the actions that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society have levied upon the battered sheep that they have slaughtered in the name of their theocracy. I do not point my finger at them because I became a Jehovah's Witness, I point my finger at them because they will not allow people to leave without being humiliated. I am accountable for my own actions, but, I am NOT accountable to them for my actions. They put themselves in the place of God, and I will not worship them or allow them to be a mediator between me and God, to have them tell me if God is pleased or displeased me. Only God knows my heart, and that leaves you out as well.
You are under the impression that people left because their paradise did not become a reality. People have left for a variety of reasons, perhaps some left because the end of the system of things that was prophecied by the Faithful and Descreet Slave did not come to pass - Oh - in other words, they were being false prophets, or perhaps I should say - they LIED. Oh, they will say "we made a mistake", but isn't that what a false prophet "would" say? My reason for leaving had nothing to do with their false dateS, I was oblivious to their cunning. I left because I read the Bible and saw where they were NOT teaching the Truth. They were NOT God's chosen people. And I did NOT want to be a part of their LIES or to promote their form of slavery and oppression along with their fear tactics.
I don't know what your reasons were for leaving this cult, but again, I am glad that you were not hurt. Your comment was short, but none the less hurtful.
Have a great day.