Posts by Lee Marsh

125

Mandated Shunning is a Crime

by Lee Marsh in

mandated shunning is on the rise around the world with devastating effects on millions of people.

shunning that is mandated by organized groups to its members is a form of both physical and psychological violence against those people being shunned and cut off from their family and life-long relationships.

mandated shunning means that the shunning is ordered from the top down.

Lee Marsh

Jan, the term Mandated Shunning is actually rather new. It is important to make the distinction between a personal choice to shun someone and a rule from any organization that requires shunning of certain people regardless of the damage it causes not only to the one who is shunned but to those who are forced to do it.

The caps was my way to help people become familiar with the term

125

Mandated Shunning is a Crime

by Lee Marsh in

mandated shunning is on the rise around the world with devastating effects on millions of people.

shunning that is mandated by organized groups to its members is a form of both physical and psychological violence against those people being shunned and cut off from their family and life-long relationships.

mandated shunning means that the shunning is ordered from the top down.

Lee Marsh

@ NotFormer

What about freedom of association? I should be allowed to avoid people I have nothing in common with. What is the dividing line between shunning and the avoidance of those we distrust or otherwise dislike for whatever reason?

Everyone has the right to a personal choice. That is a basic human right.

There is a serious problem though when leaders decide for you who you can and cannot talk to or even be in the same room with. They make the rules and enforce them.

If you asked a Witness if they choose to shun most would say it is a personal choice. But if you are coerced into that “choice” then you aren’t really choosing the shunning. You are choosing not to get punished.

125

Mandated Shunning is a Crime

by Lee Marsh in

mandated shunning is on the rise around the world with devastating effects on millions of people.

shunning that is mandated by organized groups to its members is a form of both physical and psychological violence against those people being shunned and cut off from their family and life-long relationships.

mandated shunning means that the shunning is ordered from the top down.

Lee Marsh

I am ashamed to admit that I shunned other people. Some I thought deserved it and I probably would have done it even if there was no rule about shunning.

Others, I hated shunning them. I saw how much it hurt their family members even if I never saw how much it hurt the person.

Mouthy, an long-term poster here, became probably one of the first ex-JW activists in Canada. Glad if I am just a shadow of what she did to help others who left and were shunned.

Of the two I knew who went back, they both left again.

I never went back. I was done and would not submit to the shame they wanted to place on me.

Although my sister was never baptized, my mother was told to shun her due to her lifestyle. As a result and after many attempts, she finally succeeded in committing suicide.

For some people, leaving the Witnesses, is a breath of fresh air and they move forward with their lives. At some point they realize it wasn't enough to get out of it but they had to get it out of them.

Some of us become activists and try our best to help others.

Some get so depressed that they find that drugs and alcohol only numb the pain for so long. Then suicide seems the only way to stop the pain.

We all bear the scars.

This really has to stop.

Orders to shun people cannot continue to happen. Shunning is a Crime hope to make it illegal for any organized group to force its members to shun anyone for any reason. It has to stop.

125

Mandated Shunning is a Crime

by Lee Marsh in

mandated shunning is on the rise around the world with devastating effects on millions of people.

shunning that is mandated by organized groups to its members is a form of both physical and psychological violence against those people being shunned and cut off from their family and life-long relationships.

mandated shunning means that the shunning is ordered from the top down.

Lee Marsh

Mandated Shunning is on the rise around the world with devastating effects on millions of people. Shunning that is mandated by organized groups to its members is a form of both physical and psychological violence against those people being shunned and cut off from their family and life-long relationships. Mandated Shunning means that the shunning is ordered from the top down. It isn't just one person giving another the cold shoulder. it stems from orders from the group leaders to stop talking to eating with, or having any relationship with a person.

Mandated Shunning is also harmful to those who do the shunning as they are left with little choice but to exclude—pretend the shunned don’t exist—even close family members. Both the shunned and those who do the shunning lose meaningful relationships and often suffer severe consequences, which include mental health issues, debilitating depression and even suicide.

Shunning is a Crime (SIAC) is a new initiative to end Mandated Shunning. It was started by people who have experienced shunning and/or understand how harmful and widespread it is. Their aim is for governments and the law to recognize Mandated Shunning for what it is: a type of organized bullying with severe consequences. It is especially harmful to children of all ages.

Their primary focus is to get people to tell their stories about being shunned. These stories will then be instrumental in helping to change laws, one country at a time.

Victims from 6 groups—Jehovah’s Witnesses, Exclusive Brethern, Bahá'í Faith, Amish, Hassidic Jews and Scientologists—are being encouraged to tell their stories. These 6 groups number over 50 million members and ex-members. But they are not the only groups that practice Mandated Shunning, and stories from victims from other coercive groups are encouraged.

All the many religious and political groups that practice mandated shunning operate globally. Therefore, the response to it needs to be global, requiring an international collaboration.

Please help to bring an end to Mandated Shunning.

Visit the SIAC website for more information: https://www.shunningisacrime.org

You can also write to SIAC at: [email protected]

35

Help wanted finding images

by Lee Marsh in

i am working on a project that requires proofs that the wts did say it and jws believe and follow it.. i have found some but google is giving me a hard time with some things.. as i go i will post requests for various images.

they all must have a reference or at least post where i can find the reference and i will add it to the image.. both older and newer beliefs are welcome, especially flip-flops.. if you have something similar to what is already posted then more references the better.

i know there are images of the structure of the wts.

Lee Marsh

I need a few things on not causing divisions

talking to others if you were sexually abused. Not to warn others in the congregation
discussing information that is NOT JW-approved
asking questions that indicate you may have been reading, watching or listening to things you should not have read and then sharing that info

@ Rattigan.

How women relate to men or how many female friends we have, we still want that special relationship with a spouse or partner. It is very different.

Men have male friends. How they relate to them is different than how they would relate to a spouse.

If the relationship is healthy a wife is more than happy to give her spouse the emotional attention he needs.