What if JWs Viewed Disfellowshipping and Excommunication as Radical Islamists Do?

by Oubliette 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Oubliette

  violas: Well Oub, I do know that if you accuse your brother wrongly there are consequences. That is slander ...

  In my experience this is NOT true if the one making the accusation is an elder.
• 

  violias

  Yes Oub, it does matter who you are and who you are accusing. Rank has its privileges unfortunately .
• 

  wallsofjericho

  I think the BOrg should hunt apostates like witches

  if they don't burn then they're an apostate
• 

  Diogenesister

  Accusing someone of apostocy is encouraged. I think jw are real passive agressives, ESP. rank and file...the little old ladies who virtually dance in GLEE at the thought of all the people dying horribly at armaggedon. The way they relish stating that you would be stoned for your crimes in Isreal (which according to the rabbis was a rare thing...after all, execution involved the taking of a jewish life (see violias wiki link above). Worse of all the more recent westboro /redneck christian fundamentalist style talks given at assemblies on the subject of Jehovahs long awaited return to form....a good old fashioned kill fest, with a starring role for 'the birds' ..shades of alfred hichcock etc. Not to mention those delightfully illustrated childrens books...saw the teacher book again recently HOW inappropriate are those f#*@#ing books for kids!!!Anger Anger Anger!!Hate Hate Hate for all the scoffers!BURIED RAGE!!(etc etc goes off into the moonlight foaming at the mouth...)
• 

  Vidiot

  Village Idiot - "I was told that in my judicial committee. Specifically, 'If you were in Israel you would be stoned'."

  That actually used to happen with my Dad when I was a teen; if he thought I was out of line, he'd get mad and remind me that under the Mosaic law, Isrealite parents were required to stone their disrespectful kids to death.

  Eventually, I got sick of hearing it, and responded with, "you sure must wish you could!"

  You can imagine the look on his face...

  ...to which I responded with, "you certainly talk about it often enough. What else am I supposed to think?".

  From that moment on, he never said it again.

  x

  FTR, my relationship with my Dad vastly improved after I reached my 20s and moved out. We actually became friends.
• 

  Oubliette

  Vidiot, I'm glad you and your dad were able to move beyond the insanity of this cult!

  It's really unbelievable what it does to people.
• 

  The_Doctor10

  I wouldn't be surprised if you surveyed JWs on the subject of, "Would you support stoning an apostate/those who leave the faith?" You'd probably see Islam-esque numbers in support of the practice.

  JWs are every bit as fervent about their faith as those of Islamic faith, the only difference of note is that at the moment JWs look for J-Hov to do the dirty work instead of handling it themselves.

  I'm pretty sure though, if the GB passed down a doctrine bringing back stoning, there'd be many JWs packing their briefcases full of Old Testament "justice." Especially the little old sisters, they'd be first in line for a good ol' fashioned stone throwin'.
• 

  dubstepped

  If disfellowshipping is merely a substitute for stoning, they can never claim that it is done with love as a motivator. It is purely punitive at that point. You can't teach a lot of lessons to a dead man, but you can punish someone severely and make them regret their decisions while alive if you apply the right pressure. Let's face it, disfellowshipping isn't done out of love, that's just a way to get people to rationalize it so that they can feel good about carrying out the dirty work of organizational control. In my case, reaching out to a disfellowshipped person has resulted in me being shunned by many. I'd rather be shunned for doing the loving thing than loved for doing the shunning thing. It is psychological bullying.
• 

  Vidiot

  Oubliette - "I'm glad you and your dad were able to move beyond the insanity of this cult!"

  We didn't really; he was a loyal JW to the end (literally), and I was still in when he passed, but he could be persuaded by reason and common sense.

  I faded years later.
• 

  Vidiot

  Oubliette - "JWs are every bit as fervent about their faith as those of Islamic faith, the only difference of note is that at the moment JWs look for J-Hov to do the dirty work instead of handling it themselves. I'm pretty sure though, if the GB passed down a doctrine bringing back stoning, there'd be many JWs packing their briefcases full of Old Testament 'justice'."

  Important to remember.

  x

  I've said this before, but IMO it bears repeating...

  ...in the (admittedly unlikely) event the WTS were given control of a small country, I guarantee you that within a decade, democracy and freedom of speech would be nonexistent, divorce and any form of alternative sexual expression would be outlawed, creationism would be mandated in schools, DFed individuals would be stripped of citizenship and imprisoned or deported, and "apostates" would be sentenced to death without possibility of appeal or reprieve.

  It would be American far-right Christian Nationalists' wet dream writ small.