Jehovahs Witness Shunning & the Crusades

by freemindfade 17 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Vidiot

  Caedes - "You could use this when a JW knocks on your door. Act interested at first and then 'explain' that you can't join the JWs as your current religion has a shunning policy for anyone who leaves and you don't want to lose friends and family. "

  Damn, I wish I'd thought of that.

  I can just imagine the look on his/her face...
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  FayeDunaway

  If you said at the door 'my religion won't let me talk to apostates', the witnesses would ask what religion is that? And be very curious how a religion could be so cruel and closed minded. And never even think that they do that themselves. Seriously.
• 

  Tenacious

  Hey d4g I couldn't help but notice your avatar and your stance on religion.

  So you do believe in celebrating Christmas but as a tradition and not religiously?

  Please don't take offense, I was just curious that's all.
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  dubstepped

  That whole "psychological torture" deal is a reason that after ten years I reached out to my disfellowshipped brother. I started to think for myself and felt bad carrying that out on another human being. His relationship with Jehovah or whatever he believes in is his choice, not up to me to enforce somehow. It is just mean, despite the claims of love as a motivator. I can see the enormous damage done to him anf hate that I had any part in it. I know that I wad just following the program instilled in me as a kid, but I can't stomach intentionally hurting other people under the guise of love to try anf control them. I'm trying NOT to be the narcissists that I grew up with.
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  freemindfade

  Dubstepped. I feel you. I don't fell I was ever cruel to my df'd brothers. But also they weren't df'd for "apostasy". People that just want to f--k or do drugs and then get booted and feel guilty areally not like us. They are still just as indoctrinated ot more. They claw and crawl their way back (I am sure not all but a lot). When like us you've decided it's not "the truth", it's not the same. So when I shunned them they expected it and embraced the punishment. We do not because we see the folly. Middle finger to this cult.
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  rmt1

  I find a little more clarity in the mechanism of shunning by configuring that WTS holds your family and circle of friends hostage, and will execute them (socially) if you make the wrong move. As far as analogies go, You cannot be dead to Them because You are permitted to speak back to Them, as if from the grave. But they are not permitted to speak back to you, if from the grave. There is no confirmation of afterlife, as it were, when your family and friends still in the cult are executed. The lever or moment arm that the WTS has over you is the power to prevent You from hearing Them. Not Them hearing You. Not much different from a Black Hole, out of which no information emerges. The threat they hold over you is to kick you out of that black hole, so that your family and friends are inaccessible and dead to you. If you are shunned, you are the survivor and they have executed all those you once loved. They did as they threatened for all those years - they killed your family. (I've had a lot of time to chew on how to think about this. ) YMMV
  
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  flipper

  My 30 year old son and me get shunned by my two JW daughters aged 28 and 26 . And yes it hurts, yes it affects us psychologically. They've shunned us for 11 years now. I cannot even watch T.V. programs that deal with fathers having a close, good relationship with their daughters when it shows them hugging or being close- because I usually start tearing up or start crying due to my personal loss of my daughters. So I'll change the channel or watch something else. The WT Society IS as evil as those who took part in the inquisitions ; it's just another form of psychological terrorism . Needs to be stopped
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  freemindfade

  flipper

  I feel like if my family members speak to me again I am going to ask them, what do you think about putting someone on the rack in order to cause physical torment to get them "accept christ"?

  I am sure most modern religious people (outside of ISIS) would consider this practice to be pointless and barbaric. If they agree it makes no sense, I would then like to ask them what is the difference in psychologically tormenting a loved one in order to make them "accept christ" or "accept the GB".

  What is the difference? One is physical, one is psychological and emotional, but the mechanism and practice is just the same.

  I'm sorry man, I know your pain in my own way with my current struggle. The only good thing that has come of mine is the wife sees from an all new perspective how barbaric this is.