Disfellowshipping - abusing our evolutionary development

Anony Mous

I just saw the video from Kursgezagt on Loneliness and it points out the biological reasons for social interaction, it also points out the reason we experience social pain in loneliness, basically, because in the recent past (a few hundred years ago) isolation meant you were very likely to die so our bodies and brains adapted to know when the circumstances of this dangerous situation emerged.

This immediately made me think about the disfellowshipping and social isolation that JW’s practice - it’s basically abusing our own evolutionary biology against ourselves and puts you in a cycle of loneliness, depression with the only ‘cure’ going back to the acceptance of the social group and accepting their ‘quirks’.

Judgejudy

Its just a way to control people. Its not anything more or less. A tool used by cults to control their actions. If you can limit a persons exposure to anything critical of the cult you have increased the likelihood they will not question the cult. This means higher education or others who have shown to be critical of the cult.

john.prestor

Yes, the leaders of religious groups like Jehovah's Witnesses take advantage of the fact that we're a social species, a social animal. I think you're 100% right.

Xanthippe

isolation meant you were very likely to die

That's very true and one of the reasons we experience loneliness, but knowing this and I've known it for some time you can fight it. Modern humans have learned we don't have to give in to every primitive evolutionary response.

It's actually very pleasant having lots of time to read, think, go to the cinema, the theatre or walk in the countryside alone. It's also pleasant not having to think of other people's needs, just do what you want, when you want.

As you described our evolution and to some extent society also has conditioned us to fear being alone but we can beat the fear. I say these things for all those who are terrified of leaving the cult and have a terrible fear of being alone.

Maria Nieves

You have brought up a very good point. It is well known that many who are disfellowshipped attempt suicide. Unfortunately, some who attempt suicide actually succeed.

I do believe that being disfellowshipped can put a person at risk of death. Even if that person does not attempt to take his or her own life, being disfellowshipped can result in depression. And depression can shorten a person’s life.