Posts by UnshackleTheChains

45

What has been your own personal experience of shunning?

by UnshackleTheChains in

i am interested in finding out on a small scale the extent of which shunning has impacted on you personally.. my own experience is that when i faded about 12 years ago.

the woman whose house the book study was held at (and who was virtually a neighbour) walked right past me in my own street.

i remember it so well.

UnshackleTheChains

Some jws forget if you were df'd or not and are afraid to ask you so just assume. One sister ignored me and then the next time she talked to me after she confirmed my status as inactive.

That's actually quite funny blondie. It's so true. I recall a sister who disassociated about 20 years ago in another congregation. I vaguely recall what she looked like back then and didn't notice her as she was walking past our cart. She had changed slightly as obviously a little older. Yet, the older sister I was with said 'oh, that's that sister who was disfellowshipped' . And it was like she had the plague the way she said it.

The penny the dropped who it was and knew she had not been disfellowshipped, but had simply left in WT terms 'officially'

45

What has been your own personal experience of shunning?

by UnshackleTheChains in

i am interested in finding out on a small scale the extent of which shunning has impacted on you personally.. my own experience is that when i faded about 12 years ago.

the woman whose house the book study was held at (and who was virtually a neighbour) walked right past me in my own street.

i remember it so well.

UnshackleTheChains

Thanks for all these experiences. I can feel the pain particularly when family have been involved. This policy is so cruel and divisive. If only I was aware of this horrible policy when I was studying, I would never have joined this religion. I was a young man who was easily influenced back then.

It is interesting that I had a conversation on the phone with my mother a while ago and discussed why I was missing so many meetings. I touched on some of the issues as to what was putting me off. Shunning was one of them. I told her that I found the video on shunning shown at last year's convention to be deeply alarming to me. Note: her and my wife know full well my views on TTATT.

Her answer, ' Well, if I was put in that situation, I would have to remain loyal to Jehovah'.

So basically she would shun me if I disassociated. I just let out a big sigh and was shaking my head. I kept thinking what on earth did you get me involved with all those years ago when she was constantly preaching to me as a 16 year old.

I absolutely 100% agree with Angus Stewart (ARC) when he suggested to Geoff Jackson that the Jehovah's Witnesses are a captive religion and that it divides families with their cruel shunning policy.

45

What has been your own personal experience of shunning?

by UnshackleTheChains in

i am interested in finding out on a small scale the extent of which shunning has impacted on you personally.. my own experience is that when i faded about 12 years ago.

the woman whose house the book study was held at (and who was virtually a neighbour) walked right past me in my own street.

i remember it so well.

UnshackleTheChains

Scratchme101,

I felt your pain in every word you typed. That is just so sad.

45

What has been your own personal experience of shunning?

by UnshackleTheChains in

i am interested in finding out on a small scale the extent of which shunning has impacted on you personally.. my own experience is that when i faded about 12 years ago.

the woman whose house the book study was held at (and who was virtually a neighbour) walked right past me in my own street.

i remember it so well.

UnshackleTheChains

Hi all,

I am interested in finding out on a small scale the extent of which shunning has impacted on you personally.

My own experience is that when I faded about 12 years ago. The woman whose house the book study was held at (and who was virtually a neighbour) walked right past me in my own Street. I remember it so well. That fleeting moment changed my perspective of her as a Christian.

Also, we had a relative who was disfellowshipped. My mother, wife and I went to visit him and his family just once during the time he was disfellowshipped (he got reinstated shortly after),,but I will always remember my mother and I feeling guilty about being in his presence (Note: I was completely indoctrinated back then)

So what's your experience?

40

What finally helped you to peek behind the curtain

by UnshackleTheChains in

i'm interested in finding out what it was that finally enabled you to open your eyes to the real truth of watchtower.

what started me thinking, was the societys very own book...' 'revelation..it's grand climax at hand'.

i found that book farcicle.

UnshackleTheChains

Wow....Thanks to everyone for your responses. I find it fascinating how conclusions were drawn for many of us over a lengthy period of time; over many many years.

The organisations teachings and policies are very cleverly put together, thus making it difficult for its members to see the wood from the trees. The internet by far has been a fantastic resource in helping to open people's eyes.

Thanks again to everyone for their replies and personal experiences 😉

40

What finally helped you to peek behind the curtain

by UnshackleTheChains in

i'm interested in finding out what it was that finally enabled you to open your eyes to the real truth of watchtower.

what started me thinking, was the societys very own book...' 'revelation..it's grand climax at hand'.

i found that book farcicle.

UnshackleTheChains

VI

Yes, the self aggrandazing behaviour is most certainly a factor. I also find their arrogance incredible. The Australian Royal Commissions investigation of Watchtower policy on safeguarding lays bare that arrogance.

Giordano

As someone who has had to face the blood issue twice, I completely agree with you. This issue is one of the Main reasons why I disagree with WT. This should be a matter of an individual's conscience. I find it astounding that members are put under pressure to avoid blood (ie pressure from family, pressure from HLC, fear of putting yourself in a position of disassociating yourself). What did Jesus say....I want mercy..Not sacrifice...

40

What finally helped you to peek behind the curtain

by UnshackleTheChains in

i'm interested in finding out what it was that finally enabled you to open your eyes to the real truth of watchtower.

what started me thinking, was the societys very own book...' 'revelation..it's grand climax at hand'.

i found that book farcicle.

UnshackleTheChains

I'm interested in finding out what it was that finally enabled you to open your eyes to the real truth of watchtower.

What started me thinking, was the Societys very own book...' 'Revelation..It's grand climax at hand'. I found that book farcicle. I found myself saying eh! numerous times

For me, the book 'Crisis of Conscience' completely opened my eyes.

18

Leah Remini - Scientology Documentary

by tresdecu in

jw
friends

i know some has been posted about leah remini and her split from scientology.

i just wanted to add after finishing it last night, it is a must watch for questioning jws...every episode has familiar situations and parallels that will make jws really think (or squirm).

watch it with someone you want to wake up!!!!

UnshackleTheChains

Another documentary on Netflix worth watching is 'Holy Hell'.

It is a fascinating documentary about a small cult in California led by a manipulative individual causing so much damage to its members including psychological and sexual abuse.

Really worth a watch.

27

A Beard Maverick

by EyesOpenHeartBroken in

so i went to the kh for the first time in a month, and the first brother in our congregation has grown a full beard.

i am in a western u.s. semi-rural area in a cong with an extremely conservative and controlling elder body.

oddly enough, it seemed like people were going out of their way to converse with him and act like they didn't notice the beard or they complimented the beard.

UnshackleTheChains

He will have been counselled by an elder. If persistent, his privelages will be removed if the Cong overseer is sticking rigidly to WT policy. Not even allowed to do mics

23

The goal in all this 1918/1919 change?

by careful in

as some have recently posted here, there does seem to be a shift going on in their self-interpretation(s) of what happened in 1918 and 1919. if we can look past all the details that emphasize the poor thinking and poor wording (or contradictions/just plain craziness/insignificance) of their message, something bigger seems to be afoot.

they appear to be attempting to redefine the meanings for some "prophetic" scriptures in light of themselves.

1. they are trying to somehow fill the void they have themselves created from their rejecting freddie franz's (ff) type–anti-type postulations.

UnshackleTheChains

Hey JW leaks

Thanks for clearing that up for me. It all makes perfect sense now :-)