I found this experience on reddit today. Disfellowshipping never really bothered me. I always thought it was just another way of getting rid of members that weren't welcome anymore.
But I've changed my mind. I now believe it's really a bad practice.
DISFELLOWSHIPPING, How bad is it really?
by pistolpete 36 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Biahi
It’s disgusting
-
Rocketman123
It can cause suicides .
Enough said.
-
mickbobcat
Anything that does not affect you personally is not all that bad. You can not know if you have not walked a mile in someone else's shoes. Its devastating.
-
hoser
It sounds like a worldly family took this kid in and he married their daughter and had a successful life. The jw parents missed out in the end. I know an older couple probably dead now that shunned all 3 of their disfellowshipped kids. They got old and the congregation wouldn’t take care of them. I’m not sure where they ended up. -
LongHairGal
HOSER:
I’m glad things turned out well for this kid.
As for the older couple you mention that shunned all three of their disfellowshipped kids..what can you say? This is a tragedy. It also serves them right that the congregation wouldn’t ‘take care of them’ when they got old. This is too much to ask of a congregation anyway (and I always felt JWs were a little deluded about this).
But, people who decide to shun their children probably do this when they are somewhat younger and on their arrogant high horse - listening to advice from idiots in the congregation...They aren’t thinking of the big picture..and that THEY are going to get OLD someday. JWs don’t plan for the future as it is. But, to unwisely shun their children and imagine that strangers are going to take care of them (in a religion that pushes poverty no less) is absurd to the next level. Also, who knows what would happen if they were to look up their shunned children they haven’t seen in 30 years. What kind of a response would they get?
I’m so glad I was not raised in this religion and thankfully have no relatives there.
-
jhine
I think that not shunning children for the selfish reason that you might need their help when you get old isn't valid .
You choose to have children , they don't choose to be born or to have you as parents . What emotional damage does it do to those children to have their parents turn their backs on them ?
Jan
-
BluesBrother
It is not the basic principle of d/f that is bad , but the way that it is applied. The movement has its rules , you break them continually, they can tell you to leave said movement. However should that stretch to shunning family members? That is a another add on of The Society.
In this case , even within WT rules , the elders had no right to tell them to kick out their son. The parents, should have told them it was a family matter and not their business
it reads like a case of stupid hard necked elders and weak minded parents.....
-
Biahi
When the Catholic Church excommunicates someone, they are not supposed to take communion. They don’t tell the other parishioners to shun them. JW’s are a cult, pure and simple.
-
stan livedeath
I spent sunday with my son and his family. He was d/f 11 years ago and his mother has totally shunbed him ever since. She is unlikely to ever see her grand children. Shunning should be made a CRIME.