If shunning was a conscience matter?

by aintenoughwiskey 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  sir82

  They may have an initial drop, but I think they would recover and maybe grow in the long run (especially if they drop the blood doctrine as well).

  They're not in it for the numbers. They do it for the power.

  Power over the lives of people. That is a massively powerful drug. Dictators go to war and kill thousands or millions of people because they must have that drug. The GB are addicted to it every bit as much as is Kim Jong-un.

  Of course, the more people you have power over, the better, but for people of this ilk, better to have strong control over the lives of 8 million than weaker control over 20 or 30 million.

  I think the GB would prefer to have even stronger control, even if it meant losing a few million current JWs. I expect their policies and procedures to get even nuttier as time goes on...if they lose a few million fence-sitters, but the remaining 4 or 5 million are even more insanely loyal than they are now, I think they'd be perfectly happy.
  
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  joe134cd

  It's so ingrained into the culture now, that this is no longer an option, even if they did get new light on the subject.
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  oppostate

  If they could get more money by doing away with DF'ing and shunning they would.

  But the likelihood of that is doubtful, they'd lose captives, and lose cash.
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  tim3l0rd

  sir82,

  They may not be in it for the numbers, but they certainly have relaxed other "understandings" to improve numbers before. Examples would be the change to allow alternative civil service, allowing blood fractions, even reducing hour requirements for pioneers and aux pioneers. The civil service change was probably due to pressure from governments or to gain acceptance as a recognized religion in some countries. The blood change was probably also to stem the tide of those that required medication and inoculations that were derived from blood. The reduction of hours allowed them to retain more pioneers in an increasingly expensive world and to gain more as well.

  I think it's entirely within the realm of possibility that one of the GB may push for a new "understanding" at some point if governments start to find fault with the shunning policy or if it's a barrier or becomes a barrier to acceptance as a religion in certain countries.

  timelord
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  steve2

  The PR machinery within the organization would like the publc to already think shunning is a conscience issue - and I bet many witnesses themselves would parrot shunning IS a conscience issue. "I am shunning ex-witnesses because my heart impels me to, not because the elders tell me I hsve to."

  For hard core JWs who appear to relish the act of shunning, it would be hard to stop it and seeing it now as a conscience issue may result in their "conscience" impelling them to be even firmer and resolute in their shunning of others. For these Witnesses, shunning is an action that can never be overdone.
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  StrongHaiku

  steve2 - For these Witnesses, shunning is an action that can never be overdone.

  Absolutely true. As you pointed, there are plenty (including my family) that at some level "relish the act of shunning". JWs are definitely of the mindset of "suffering as a virtue". When the name is announced from the podium there is both sadness and relief (Yay! it wasn't me!) and a smug sense of superiority.

  And, if my family stopped shunning because it became a matter of conscience, I am not sure I would want them in my life again. I have had over 25 years of being kicked around like a soccer ball every time they relax or tighten their stance on shunning. Why would I want relationships to be dictated by the next talk or magazine article? There are better people out there just about anywhere else.
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  steve2

  Well said StrongHaiku! When a JW aunt of mine died after a long illness about 8 years ago, there was opportunity for me to send my JW uncle and cousins a sympathy card but I consciously stopped myself. This was the very family who wasted no time completely shunning me during my own JW father's long illness and subsequent funeral several years before - and back then, I had allowed them to get to me by their unloving gestures of treating me as one who is dead.

  No more. For my own wellbeing, I had to stop trying to reach out to them once and for all. It's called self-respecting closure. I've moved on and no longer feel they are living - so, even if these "obedient ones" relaxed their stand against me, I no longer need or want them in my life. Sometimes, refusal to forgive is a powerful act of self-protection and respect.