by Scully 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Hello Scully:
What an enlightening article this was. It's sad to hear this, but like what was said by Flipper, we don't know how many suicides have
taken place because of being disfellowshipped. Sure would like to know the answer to that question? SAD SAD SAD no matter how
you look at it.
The disfellowshipping policy and subsequent shunning—as practiced by Jehovah’s Witnesses—are nothing short of crimes against humanity. It is the equivalent of putting a person into solitary confinement, a punishment which is both cruel and inhuman. But the Witnesses can get away with it in the United States because they hide under the protection of the First Amendment to the American Constitution. I wish there was some way of changing that and bringing these criminals to justice.
Quendi
vidiot writes:
"André"?
Seriously???
Sure.... it's a very common name among French Canadians. What seems to be the problem?
Ritualistic shunning by Jehovah's Witnesses and other extreme religions is not really any different than its blood doctrine or the primitive religions that practice handling rattlesnakes, engaging in honor killing and requiring women to be covered. In each case, power and narrow exegesis rather than love and compassion, are the motivations. Christianity is not about shunning and making people miserable, but relieving their burdens and to commiserate with those whose only infraction might be disagreeing on a point of doctrine! If someone is angry and constantly trying to destroy other peoples' faith in the church, I can understand why members might want to avoid them. But families and friends who ritualistically turn their backs on people because they've been ordered to by petty local officials don't know Christian doctrine or teachings.
Whether someone associates with such is up to the person doing the shunning, not the church elders. Nowhere in scripture are elders or other overseers authorized to create enemies lists and dictate this kind of behavior. It's nothing but mind control coupled with unrighteous dominion. It not only passes dictatorial authority on to elders that they don't have in the scriptures, the verses used by the Jehovah's Witinesses to justify shunning is counsel given to individual members, not direction to local church leaders to make that sort of determination. There's also the element of free agency, because if everything is dictated and micromanaged by elders, there is no free agency. No room to show individual compassion and love.
Jehovah's Witnesses need to reexamine this entire control issue and take back the ability to be free agents unto themselves, because this is what God is all about. It's why God doesn't stop all evil, put an end to poverty, disease and keep wicked men from exploiting those they control. Just the thought of someone dictating to me whether I can associate with a good friend or my family makes my blood boil.
Andre is the name the wts publications seem to use a lot to show how leaving jws org will cause you to do all sorts of things, most of them not good.
Jws would just look at this as proof that satan possesses you if you leave, and point out how bad a sinner all dfd people are. This will not change their view on df because they always blame the dfd one: he knew what he was doing, he made the choice to leave, he knew the consequences etc. Or, 'just as well he got dfd, he's a murderer! Imagine if he murdered a brother! What reproach upon Jehovah's name!'
It's also not unlike the reaction of the boys who get kicked out of Warren Jeffs' FLDS. They lose a lifetime of family and friends overnight, have little education or real world skills, and often go to similar extremes because they just can't cope.
Wow that is really sad. Shunning and disfellowshipping are so harmful.
How long will the U.S allow the first Amendment to limit other fundamental freedoms ?
I'm amazed that someone hasn't yet "gone postal" over being DFed and shunned and grabbed his high capacity magazines, body armor, combat boots,etc., and paid a branch or KH a friendly visit...
