Didn't practice shunning, however when the possibility of having to shun landed very close to home, I investigated the practice and pondered the bulk of Christianity who didn't practice it. It took no time for me to conclude that it was an emotionally manipulative practice that I wanted no part of and the resons for it amounted to the gb being excessively legalistic/pharisical. The net result is that I distanced myself from the org, but the results of this practice have fractured my family.
As a JW, how did you feel about shunning?
by jwfacts 51 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Nika Bee
I mostly tried not to think about it.
As a child I remember one incident, when someone was df'ed. I was about 6 years old, and asked my mother why this person was df'ed. She was very angry with me, if she hadn't been driving at this moment, she probably would have slapped me. She said I should never even think about asking something liek this.
As a teen I had one true friend in our congrefation. We were about 16/17 years old, both very shy didn't talk much, but played music together - she piano and I violin. When she da'ed I didn't care and called her anyway. But they found out and got councelled, I retreated even more. One sister said, we were just friend because we were lonely, we didn#t fit together anyway. I was so angry, what did she know about friendship and how we feel? But I didn't say anything, I was too scared to speak up.
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gone for good
Ashamed to say that as a young elder, I sat on 2 committees, that (I can't even type the word) 'ejected' a very old man and then later, his son (father of a large family) both for drunkenness.
A few years later, I resigned, fast-faded and was booted myself. Only then did I realize the hateful suffering that had been inflicted on a family that could have been spared it.
When one employs a term such as 'young elder', one should recognize a likely disconnect with good judgement.
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whathappened
Was raised a jw. Mother in law and father in law were df'd for smoking and all the kids and grandkids shunned them.
I was df'd for a year or so and was shocked that my mom and sister didn't shun me. I felt that Jehovah would be displeased. I expected them to shun me completely and felt I deserved it. I totally thought it was a good thing, a tough love situation.
Now that I have left of course, I think it is cruel, unchristlike BS.
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BlindersOff1
I never went along with it.
Spiritual terrorism
Emotional Black mail
Mental abuse
Social execution
It causes mental illness and suicide
It self identifies a group as a CULT
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AuntConnie
The concept of "shunning" was not easily developed by the loving brothers of the Governing Body. Years of countless prayers and tears, sweating dreams and nightmares plagued them until they realized it was for the Greater Good and based of Love, pure Love!
If the Watchtower drops the doctrine of "Shunning" most self-righteous and harsh Witnesses would leave the Organization because we would have obeyed all the rules for nothing's sake! A family has lost their child because they desired to remain loyal to Jehovah's Organization of Men" how would they react if the Watchtower said "Blood is no longer a sin, it's a acceptable way to keep human life alive."
If Shunning was removed, I your Aunt Connie would quit that moment, knowing this is not the loving Organization Jesus Christ spoke of. I think the Prodigal in Jesus Christ's parable should have been disfellowshiped (deleted as a Jehovah Witness Jew) for approaching his son who was thrown out of the relgious culture of his time. What was Jesus Christ thinking? The Prodigial should have gone through the proper process of having his son reinstated before he was able to run up and hug him!
Shunning is Bible based and keeps the Congregation clean of evil.
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brokethechain
I was always disturbed by the practice, but I tried not to think about it. No one close to me had been DF's or DA'd. I shunned as instructed. Then a teenager in my cong. got DF'd, and I realized how wacked it was to be instructed to shun a kid. I woke up that month.
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smiddy
I am ashamed to say I went along with it
smiddy
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Xanthippe
I think I agreed with shunning in general, but not for family.
Years ago when my pioneer partner talked about a family she knew where the son had been disfellowshipped, she said his mother told him 'you are dead to me now'.
I was very shocked and asked her how a mother could say that to her own child.
She said, but the son had turned his back on Jehovah. Unnatural people, who don't seem to love their own families.
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Fernando
- Experienced Cognitive Dissonance whilst going along with it.
Mild initially, since I felt deep down something was wrong, but had no alternative, no understanding, and no knowledge of the deep injustices perpetrated by Judging Committees.
Eventually as I was awakening spiritually the Cognitive Dissonnance became severe. Soon before walking out for good mid-2009, I ... gasp... actually went out of my way to have a conversation with a DF'd person.
Now of course I speak to anyone I choose at any time of place with no regard for the spiritually insane and impotent Pharisees and their Sanhedrin (GB).