When A Loved One Leaves Jehovah

by choosing life 21 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  choosing life

  Has anyone read this article in the September 1, 2006 Watchtower? I can't understand why the rank and file can't see who is really causing the pain by seperating loved ones over personal beliefs.

  One woman says about her disfellowshipped brother, "This has been so hard for me to bear because in every other respect, he has been a wonderful brother to me. I especially miss him at large gatherings."

  So she admits her brother is very good to her, but continues to shun him because she is told to and threatened with repercussions. So the ones that force this intolerable situation are the society. Neither her nor her brother want this. Do they read their own literature?

  I have had people tell me that the ones on ex-JW boards are just whining babies that won't fix their life. Another lady in the article whose children are disfellowshipped says she cries daily and another states, "My first instinct was to isolate myself like a wounded animal."

  Once again, they are suffering as well as the shunned ones. So why do it? Only because the society says so and hangs eternal death over their heads. The article is peppered with threats to any who do not go along with the policy, including mentioning those who rebelled against Moses' decisions and were punished by Jehovah. I, for one will start listening to them when they can show any proof that they speak for God. And that is never going to happen, because they have abandoned the scriptures and all human decency.
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  GetBusyLiving

  I wonder how my dad will react to the article since my mom and myself have both disassociated. I've tried to get through to him directly and passively (changing my msn messenger name to "Booze Rutherford"... hehe) but so far nothing has worked. His insistence on trudging along with the Watchtower is ruining my moms life. This brainwash piece could strenghthen his resolve.

  Shel
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  fullofdoubtnow

  I skimmed through this article a while ago, and my impression of it is that it is a perfect tool to use on those who are wavering, but haven't stopped attending altogether. I can't remember exactly what it said, nor am I particularly bothered, but it seemed to be an article that could be used to blackmail people into staying with the org, or else!
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  greendawn

  They can never perceive the idea that the "apostates" have some very good and valid reasons for leaving the org, questions that the FDS and his cronies could never answer, and they don't have to wait "until jehovah puts things right in the due time". What is the due time anyway?

  It is the FDS that will put things "right" when and if ever it is in his interests to do so.
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  earthtone

  I agree with you fullofdoubt. It was the perfect article to make those hanging on the fringes want to come back in. I mean who wants to cause their parents distress. It makes you feel guilt for being out the org and makes those in the org feel like they are justified in what they are doing although it is making them miserable. Lucky for me my mom is spirtually weak and probably hasn't read this article.

  I told her I wasn't attending the KH anymore and that I didn't believe it was the truth. We didn't talk for a few weeks. We talked last week after an exchange over email and I called her. She basically said she loved me and would never stop talking to me. I'm her daughter and she loved me and that was that. We have never had a great relationship but it felt so good to hear her say that. I know others on the board are close to family members and don't talk to them. I feel very hurt at heart for them. And it actually strengthens my resolve to have a better relationship with my mother, knowing that others aren't as fortunate.
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  SallySue

  I thought the part about not blaming themselves if a child "leaves Jehovah." They place full blame on the person who left. What happened to train up a child... Maybe they didn't do a thorough job of brain washing their child...

  Just the name of the article makes my stomach turn. Leave Jehovah??? No, I didn't leave God, I left a cultish organization that does not represent God or Jesus or anything remotely connected to them.

  Sally Sue
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  Arthur

  Read what Steven Hassan wrote in his book Combatting Cult Mind Control. See if you can find any similarities:

  "In a destructive cult, there is never a legitimate reason for leaving. Unlike noncult organizations that recognize a person's inherent right to choose to move on, mind control groups make it very clear that there is no legitimate way to leave. Members are told that the only reasons why people leave are weakness, insanity, temptation, brainwashing (by deprogrammers), pride, sin, and so on. Members are thoroughly indoctrinated with the belief that if they ever do leave, terrible consequences will befall them." - pg. 84

  It's as if the "Slave Class" is using the techniques right out of the book: "Controlling Religious Followers For Dummies".
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  exwitless

  Yes, I saw this article. This is the one an elder left in our door last weekend, opened to the page with the little box called "Have You Left Jehovah?" We were insulted by this, not moved to want to come back. Little did he know (or maybe he did) that we were home when he knocked but we didn't answer, because we were busy writing our DISASSOCIATION LETTER!!!! BTW-it's been 1 week since sending our letter, and absolutely NO response from the borg.
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  JeffT

  I read through it when it was posted here a while back. I think it is ideally written to convince any person with the brains God gave gravel that the WTBS is a mind-controling cult. Any body given this piece of trash at the door is likley to never talk to a JW again.
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  Mary

  Has anyone read this article in the September 1, 2006 Watchtower? I can't understand why the rank and file can't see who is really causing the pain by seperating loved ones over personal beliefs.

  Because the R&F are brainwashed into believing that it is Jehovah and Jesus that insist that we shun family members--not the GB and who wants to piss Jehovah off? And didn't Jesus say:

  (Matthew 10:35-37) . . .For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-in-law. Indeed, a man?s enemies will be persons of his own household. He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and he that has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me.

  With that scripture, many Witnesses turn their backs on their own flesh and blood for years, sometimes decades. And why? In most cases it's not because they don't believe in Jesus anymore, but simply because the person in question doesn't believe everything that comes out of Columbia Heights (who have a track record of 100% erroneous prophecies).

  What's really pathetic, is that the whole idea of shunning in the WTS is not the same shunning that happened 2,000 years ago. There is a very interesting article that sheds light on exactly what was meant by "not mixing in the company" of ones who leave the religion. The article can be found here: http://www.xjw.com/shunning.html