Im an ex JW, out 3yrs after spending 24yrs of my life in the organisation. I spend most of my time on FB exposing the org and having conversations with active JWs. I have recently agree to a 'Bible Study' with a woman, a grandmother, who is a regular pioneer and has only been a JW for 5yrs. Im doing this for the purpose of being able to throw some questions at her and to get her to think about what she is teaching me. Anyway, we've been through a few things from the 'Bible teach' book, when I asked her about the disfellowshipping practice. She went through the usual reasons 1 Cor 5 etc, when I challenged her on it, saying that there is no basis in scripture for shunning and if she could, could she provide me with an example of this.
She came back with this reply...."Jehovah's Witnesses do not 'shun'. That is done by Mormons I believe, although I am not certain of that"
Obvioulsy, because I know that they do, I called her on it again, and specifically asked her if she would talk to a disfellowshipped person, soicalise with them or even ask them how they are? She has done a good job in not answering me directly. In fact, she then said, to me, "We do not associate with them, if you call that shunning, that is YOUR definition, not ours".
I still pressed her on it but it seems she is very reluctant to admit that this is they conduct themselves in the event of a person being DF. In her latest comment she then claimed that it is the 'bad attitude' that they shun.
Im trying to work out why she is so reluctant to admit the shunning practice. My only thoughts are that she is embarassed to admit this to someone who is' only 'studying' cos she she keeps pleading with me to stick with the programme so that I will see the whole picture and 'understand'. But, all I know is that she was prepared to lie about this.
...OUTLAW