Shocking talk from 2013 District Convention urges parents to shun disfellowshipped children

by cedars 153 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Partisan

  Cedars, work like this is invaluable to helping free minds. Thank you so much.

  Something really bothered me all day and all last night about this horrific talk, besides even the disgusting message it presented in itself. And that was the feeling I got when I reflected back on how I felt about the disfellowshipping arrangement back when I was in captivity. Being raised in this indoctrination, I accepted the arrangement of excommunication out of ignorance. Yet deep down, I didn't like it. It felt wrong, but since I knew no better, like so many Jehovahs Witnesses, I simply chalked it up to "oh well, it's Jehovah's will....", sadly shook my head and went back to my own self-interests.

  But this no good con artist Steven Bell has testicles the size of Jupiter's moons to then proceed to "comfort" JWs by claiming that this is something that a disfellowshipped person brought on themselves. By his logic, active shunning of an individual incurs positively ZERO responsiblity by the shunner.

  And this is the part that really bothers me. Ashamedly, I participated in this vile practice of shunning, as ordered by my JW "superiors". I mistakenly felt at that time that it was the "sinner" who was getting their punishment. And with a smug sense of satisfaction and "spiritual superiority" I shunned and coldly-treated people who I had no right to treat that way.

  BUT LET ME MAKE ONE THING CRYSTAL CLEAR, MR. BELL......

  AT NO TIME EVER WHEN I ACTIVELY SHUNNED SOMEONE DID I FEEL THAT THE DISFELLOWSHIPPED INDIVIDUAL WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY SHUNNING THEM. I KNEW DAMN WELL WHAT I WAS DOING. I WAS DOING JEHOVAH'S "WILL". SHUNNING IS A DIRECT ACTION THAT THE SHUNNER INFLICTS UPON THE SHUNNED.

  Damn you, Mr. Bell.
• 

  Narcissistic Supply

  Shunned by phonies. WOW. Too bad.
• 

  nonjwspouse

  Perry:

  When I got baptized, they "forgot" to tell me that Jesus was not my mediator. Just a small little omission. Then, when I finally got right with God through the blood of the New Covenant, I got shunned for figuring it out.

  The more they push this stuff, the more the public figures out what their game is.

  This was one of the first questiones I posed to my wanting to be baptized, studying husband. I asked him to ask the study teacher this exact question. Was jesus his mediator. It took over 8 months for the true answer to finally fcome out. He lied to me several times, first saying yes Jesus was, then saying he hadn't really asked them yet, then finally while in couples therapy, he admitted and revealed they told him no, but that they explained he beniffitted from the anointed ones having the mediatorship with Jesus. I asked why he had to lie to me for so long about it? He admitted he didn't want it to be true ( that jesus was not his mediator according to the WT). I am hoping among the other things, that was one more nail in the coffin of the WT beliefs for him, though it is going to take a whole lot for him.
• 

  adamah

  Partisan said:

  AT NO TIME EVER WHEN I ACTIVELY SHUNNED SOMEONE DID I FEEL THAT THE DISFELLOWSHIPPED INDIVIDUAL WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY SHUNNING THEM. I KNEW DAMN WELL WHAT I WAS DOING. I WAS DOING JEHOVAH'S "WILL". SHUNNING IS A DIRECT ACTION THAT THE SHUNNER INFLICTS UPON THE SHUNNED.

  Damn you, Mr. Bell.

  Yup.

  And that's exactly the kind of testimony we need to see more of, the confessions of those who are willing to take PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for having shunned others as MEMBERS of JWs out of their OWN self-interests, but now clearly admit how immoral it was to sacrifice their "loved" ones (or even those they weren't even close to) by allowing that decision to be made for them, via "group-think". That is the way to break the power of authority figures.

  THAT perspective and important message is more effective than focusing on the hurt feelings of the ones being shunned, as if pleading to be accepted, since that plays right into the WT's message of how members need to stay firm to encourage the DF person to repent and seek reinstatement. It plays right into their agenda.

  So in that light, here's my confession:

  As a self-centered and narcissistic teen who wasn't baptized, I definitely used the DF status of my own Mother against her, even once telling her, "What do you know? Look at you, someone who was DFed trying to tell me what I should do!". Her expression showed I kicked her in the gut when she was already down and out, after having been crushed by others. Even I, her own flesh and blood, used it against her.

  Later, I looked back and realized how it was morally WRONG to not support my own Mom, and if I could, I'd apologize (she died long ago, before I could apologize to her for throwing her under the bus, and trusting the judgment of strangers rather than the woman who gave me life). I'm not one to carry regrets around, but that's definitely one I've had to deal, and will carry that burden to my grave.

  The silver lining was that her situation motivated me to learn how groups like the JWs operate; I studied the psychological techniques that are exploited to control the behavior of others, and will try to educate those still in (and out) to "break the vicious cycle".

  Adam
• 

  Vidiot

  GLTireBiter - "An interesting point there: according to his words, you don't have to be a current or former Witness to be shunned. All that is necessary is to 'oppose us', where 'us' means the Watchtower Society."

  Leads me to an interesting rhetorical question:

  When the WTS's own persecution complex and paranoia get to the point where they feel like the entire planet is "opposing" them (trust me, it's coming), how will they square that with the preaching work?

  How do you preach to people you feel compelled to shun?
• 

  Justitia Themis

  marking
• 

  Vidiot

  Rose Mary - "It is time to take the matter into the Highest Court of the country, and get this WT organisation banned!"

  The pedo problem is what will take the WT to SCOTUS, not the shunning thing.

  And even if it did result in banning the WTS (which it won't), that would just play into the R&F's persecution complex.

  The more effective tactic is to let the WTS slowly dig it's own grave...

  ...and believe me, that's already started.
• 

  Narcissistic Supply

  adam, wow bro. Just wow.
• 

  JW GoneBad

  Something else disturbing about this talk:

  The video lasts 8 minutes.

  I noticed that the speaker mentions the name ‘Jehovah’ 25 times during that 8 minutes. That’s an average of 3 times each minute for the entire 8 minutes that he repeats the name ‘Jehovah’. Sometimes he uses God’s ‘name’ two or three times in one sentence. Yet, Mathew 10:32-38 doesn’t mention God’s name at all in those verses.

  In fact its’ Jesus who is speaking and he refers to himself with the words, I, me and my, in those same verses some 15 times but the speaker only makes indirect mention of Jesus a meager 4 times.

  What is it about these bonehead WT Bethel speakers and their exaggerated and extreme use of ‘Jehovah’! That’s the epitome of being spiritually juvenile and immature!
• 

  JustHuman14

  THIS IS ABSOLUTE DISCUSTING...

  WT IS AN EVIL CULT THAT TURNS APART HUMAN LIFES

  I was disfellowshiped 8 years ago. I was not allowed to attend to my child's wedding. It took me years to rebuild the traumatized relation that WT caused between me and my child. After this discusting talk, again my child refuses to talk to me..

  It doesn't matter if the reasons that someone has being disfellowshiped are now longer apply. Once disfellowshiped, for EVER disfellowshiped.

  We disfellowshiped ones, have no feelings. We enjoy seeing are our family, friends and relatives walk in front of us and pretend that we don't exist!!!

  No one ever asked us if we like to be disfellowshiped! No one asked us if we feel pain, and sarrow, it doesn't count to the almighty Watchtower. Besides if WT had the change they would have stone us to death!!!