In what should surely rank among some of the most grotesque propaganda ever to be churned out by Watchtower’s writing department, Jehovah’s Witnesses are being asked to think of their disfellowshipped family members, not just as being dead, but as having been killed by Jehovah. As such they are not to be mourned.
“What a test of faith it was for Aaron and his family not to mourn their dead relatives!” says the latest November 15th Watchtower magazine on page 14, describing the slaughter of Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu through fire from heaven. “Are you personally proving yourself holy with regard to not associating with family members or others who have been disfellowshipped?”
The bizarre connection with Nadab and Abihu follows on from a similar article in 2011 in which the biblical account was invoked to guilt-trip Witness parents into avoiding “unnecessary association” with any disfellowshipped son or daughter.
“Think of how [Aaron] must have felt when his sons Nadab and Abihu offered illegitimate fire to Jehovah and He struck them dead. Of course, that ended any association those men could have had with their parents… The message is clear. Our love for Jehovah must be stronger than our love for unfaithful family members.” (w11 7/15 p.32)
It should go without saying that in order to invoke the direct slaughter of miscreants by God in justifying the total shunning of any who leave a religion, you first need to provide unequivocal proof that the religion in question is solely endorsed by God – a claim that virtually all religions make.
Watchtower has yet to write anything that comes close to offering tangible evidence of divine backing. It merely asks Witnesses to believe that Jesus made an invisible sojourn to Earth between 1914 and 1919, and used this period to ‘cleanse’ and select an organization he is apparently still ‘cleansing’ to this day – the Watch Tower Society.
The total vacuum of evidence to support Watchtower’s claims of divine direction make any attempted parallels with bible accounts of divine execution and excommunication both absurd and obscene.
If only Watchtower could rediscover some of the logic and reasonableness that led it to conclude in a 1947 Awake! article that the practice of disfellowshipping (or “excommunication”) is an instrument of “ecclesiastical power and secular tyranny” that is “altogether foreign to biblical teachings.”
The 1947 article can be downloaded on these links: Page 1 | Page 2
Instead, Witnesses are bombarded with manipulative dogma (centered around a flawed understanding of 1 Cor. 5:11) aimed at dismantling families for the sake of Watchtower’s interests. Even the sending of emails to disfellowshipped ones is prohibited according to another recent magazine.
“Do not look for excuses to associate with a disfellowshipped family member, for example, through e-mail.” (w13 1/15 p.16 par. 19)
Though it may be easy for Watchtower’s cloistered Governing Body and its army of writers to spew forth this outrageous material, the effects on ordinary people who simply want to leave a religion they have discovered to be false are all too tangible, as this question in our latest 2014 Global Survey shows.
As reassuring as it is that 23% of disfellowshipped/disassociated ones answering the above question say they are NOT shunned by family members, that number is not likely to rise given the steady stream of coercion flowing from Brooklyn.
I personally believe there will come a time when all religious organizations who seek tax exempt or charitable status will be answerable to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes an individual’s innate right to “change his religion or belief.”
But as Watchtower presses forward with its efforts to deprive people of this basic right through its immoral shunning policies with an almost sadistic fervor, such a time cannot come soon enough.
Further reading…
- Patheos.com: “Jehovah’s Witness Publication Urges Faithful to Treat Disfellowshipped Loved Ones as if God Killed Them“
- If shunning loved ones is scriptural, why does Watchtower publicly deny the practice?
- “Shun your disfellowshipped loved ones!”: Shocking district convention talk hits YouTube
- JWsurvey articles on shunning
People have to know HOW apostates get disfellowshipped. My husband was stocked by two elders for three hours at the end of our lane because we refused to go to the meetings anymore. We knew the elders were protecting this one guy who fooled around on his wife, bashed in her lincolne by hand while drunk, threatened to blow off her head with a loaded gun while waving it in her face, threatened to kill his father, does not have a license to own a gun and got a high school student employee to forge a legal document. He later let her go once the elders informed him that we knew everything. Now the elders come after us before we make it public knowledge.
Like I said at the beginning, one of the elders who were sitting at the end of our lane that one morning had his grandmother die and he still felt it was more important to stalk us and sit three hours outside our property instead of being with relatives that might need a listening ear. Then, these elders argued about the new light my husband tried telling them about (July 15th watchtower 2013) and they called him an apostate and said he was disfellowshipped right there on the spot. My husband just walked away and later on around midnight we get a phone call from these guys stating they had a five hour meeting and decided my husband was to be disfellowshipped. Now they come after me.
They kept calling us with unknown numbers and we had enough. I sat through six hours of interrogation. They said they would have to publically reprove me on the grounds of discouraging young ones from pioneering six years ago. All these young ones were either the wife of the guy whom I had discussed earlier on who smashed in his wife’s car by hand drunk, his sister and her husband, a young brother who worked for him, and an elder/fill in circuit overseer who admitted that he had lied and said I was telling the truth but none of that mattered. It was all a set up. So we were announced, family and friends gone overnight at the age of fifty-four. Tell me how we are to make new friends and have no family in our lives at this age????
Next day I call bethel and spoke to Rod Jong who is head on the branch committee. He told me they can’t publically reprove me on those charges for the charges these elders were charging us with are not a disfellowshipping act and told me to bring in a written letter in detail stating what happened to us. I did. Four months go by and I call service department and spoke to Mike. He said Rod never spoke to me and I said he’s a liar. Mike said would you like to talk to him and I said put him on. Mike comes back to the phone and said Rod is too busy. I called Rod’s room at bethel where he lives and told him what happened with Mike and he asked who was calling. I told him my name and he hung up on me. I couldn’t call out from my phone for almost a half hour. It’s corrupt from the top down.
The brothers admitted at my judicial committee that my husband was right about the new light and that they had not studied their watchtower. I said so will you undo what you said to him at our gates and with a smirk the one elder said nope. You wonder why we know it’s a cult! Never go into a room with anyone who wants to judge you and if you do, do what we did —- tape record it. Our tape is sitting at our lawyers.
I laugh in their faces for they know we have it taped and yet they won’t disfellowship me. They have told anyone and everyone not to talk to me but have not made the announcement. Just public reproof. They know we can sue them for they went against their own house rules. They went to another family and tried to let the wife think I was having an affair with her husband. The wife kicked them out of her home. The sister’s husband isn’t baptised therefore is not a member of this cult so therefore we have a case if we want to pursue it since they went outside of their church.
Also, the evening they had called me to set up a time, a lady I had studied with had committed suicide and they knew it and didn’t show any compassion. The woman was told she couldn’t go to any of the congregation get togethers until she changed her way of life. She was being studied with but because she wasn’t baptised, everyone was told to stay away from her behind her back. All because she smoked. Wow!
I also have a niece who got caught smoking at sixteen and was disfellowshipped right then and there. She is now thiry-eight years old and her parents haven’t spoken one word to her in twenty-two years.
Sorry for the long post. Cedars, you are doing an amazing job exposing this evil cult. Please keep on doing it for there are many more that will be coming out of this wicked religion who need exactly this site and others. And please thank your lovely wife for allowing this to happen. You give a lot of your time to this when it could go to her and for that we thank the both of you.
1 Corinthians 4:3-5
As a witness I was told the watchtower fought for human rights to be allowed to choose their religion. Do you know of the exact court cases? It’s so hypocritical of them to fight for human rights issues of religion on one hand and crush anyone who wants the right to leave their religion with the other.
I also think that in any article like this we have to highlight the fact that shunning IS psychological torture and the Governing Body IS demanding it’s members to torture anyone that wants to leave.
Good article thanks. I am shunned by my children and other family members. I want them back. They have cried that they do it because if they don’t they’d be disfellowshipped for associating with me and by the threats that association with anyone “weak” threatens their own spirituality. It’s forced torture and it should stop.
One other thing, Cedars,
A month after my judicial committee meeting, two of my accusers who are twenty-six years of age were made elders.
They also had accusations from twenty-five accusers who were NOT at my judicial committee, so they told the circuit overseer. Some of the accusations that the elders brought up, when asked who were the accusers to that, we want them here, the elders wouldn’t tell us.
We were also told that they hoped we had no recording devices on us or they wouldn’t be able to say what they really want to say at my judicial meeting.
It was just recently that I had confronted one of my accusers who did not show up at my judicial meeting and asked her why she said I hit her and she said she never said that so I called up the elder that brought that up at my jc meeting and he said it was all in my head and was very cocky about it. I told him he did say it and I have it on tape. He was extremely polite after that and said he would go back and speak to his body of elders to let them know not to say anything more to anyone about us.
If there are any lurkers reading this, always have a tape recorder on you if you feel you have to go to your judicial meeting.
JW.org, I hope you are reading all of this. We have nothing to hide and we don’t fear you in the least. Maybe your elders neighbours where they live should be contacted and let them know who is really living in their community right beside them. It’s time to take back the power you tried to take from all of your members by shutting them up and calling them names like negative and critical and don’t talk to these ones. Lets see how these elders and their families will respond when put on the spot with the lies they committed in the name of their beloved organisation. No doubt they will either want to move out of the area or better yet commit suicide. Isn’t that what you make others do when they catch on your a fake? You call them names like apostate, shun them until they can’t take it and are either forced to move and start a new life all over again or kill themselves? This is a very destructive cult!
I’m dumbfounded, label licker. This is worse than an episode of DYNASTY!!!
According to the Watchtower Society, the difference between “disfellowshipping” and “disassociation” is merely terminology. The textbook for elders, “Shepherd the Flock of God,” which provides detailed instructions for every “theocratic procedure” within their “spiritual government” (see Footnote), explains under the heading “Implications of Disassociation”: “Whereas disfellowshipping is an action taken by a judicial committee against an unrepentant wrongdoer, disassociation is an action taken by an individual who no longer desires to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (1 John 2:19) The body of elders should appoint a committee of three elders to consider the facts. . . Since disassociation is an action taken by the publisher rather than the committee, there is no arrangement for an appeal. Therefore, the announcement of disassociation can be made on the occasion of the next Service Meeting without waiting seven days. A report of the disassociation should promptly be sent to the branch office, using the appropriate forms.—See 7:33-34.” (“Shepherd the Flock of God,” Chapter 9, pages 110-112)
Disfellowshipped and disassociated persons are treated the same. The above book says in this regard: “If members of the congregation are known to have undue association with disfellowshipped or disassociated relatives who are not in the household, elders should counsel and reason with those members of the congregation from the Scriptures. Review with them information from the ‘God’s Love’ book, pages 207-208; The Watchtower of April 15, 1988, pages 26-30; or the article ‘Display Christian Loyalty When a Relative Is Disfellowshipped’ in the August 2002 Our Kingdom Ministry. If it is clear that a Christian is violating the spirit of the disfellowshipping decree in this regard and does not respond to counsel, it may be that he would not qualify for congregation privileges, which require one to be exemplary. He would not be dealt with judicially unless there is persistent spiritual association or he openly criticizes the disfellowshipping decision.” (Shepherd the Flock of God, Chapter 10, page 116)
http://perimeno.ca/Letters_0511_Disassociation.htm
Hope this helps provide the answer you were looking for. The “Shepherd the Flock of God” book, which is for elders, is available on-line. If you don’t have or can’t find access to it, feel free to contact me on facebook. sallypeterson
I feel this way too John Cedars :“I personally believe there will come a time when all religious organizations who seek tax exempt or charitable status will be answerable to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes an individual’s innate right to “change his religion or belief.” Isn’t there anything we can do?? They are violating our human rights!! Surely there Must be Something we can do????
There is such a lack of love at the kingdom hall nowadays.
IMHO this article will just reinforce the trend of JWs becoming more and more loonier, since no rationale person could believe this is God’s will.
Sally I share your frustration and I have no small ammount of hatred for this cult. My life is destroyed since my family disowned me. I had a heart attack in May which was put down to emotional stress. I have depression and chronic anxiety. I blame watchtower and I know that my basic human rights have been trampelled upon. Thank`s to Cedars and others the truth about watchtower is being made known. Public opinion will someday see of this extremely sinister cult.
Does anybody know if the Universal Code of Human Rights says that a person should be allowed to leave their religion “without retribution?” If it just says a person should be allowed to leave their religion and only that, the Watchtower will get away with shunning for leaving it on that technicality.
Another W,T, comment that indicates the mindset
and personality of these destructive people
W,T, 10/1/1993. “Jehovah’s Witnesses, feel a
LOATHING, toward apostates, but leave it to
Jehovah to EXECUTE VENGEANCE.
Do those words draw you towards Jesus, or to a loving
creator.? Loathing does not appear in the Christian
scriptures, but the opposite word, LOVE, appears scores
of times.
So a wife must loathe her husband, and a husband must
loathe his wife. When the Bible says, “They are one flesh”.
When I left, the elders told my wife to leave me, saying I
would shipwreck her faith. But she reminded them of that
principle, and that she had taken marriage vows. We’re
both free now from their control.
Execute, Vengeance., words that are used just to terrorise
and keep people under submission,
Label locker,
Your story has moved me deeply. I am so sorry for you and you husband.
I would advise you to sue the b******* for everything you can get from them. Get a good lawyer and take these scumbags to the cleaners!
Oh how the mighty have fallen! These so called Christians have been deriding other faiths for decades, bleating on about how loving their organisation is and how Jesus loves them the best! What a bunch of scumbags!
What a blessing it is that we have this site, and others. You are not alone, label licker. All of us here are on your side and we want to help you and your husband if we can.
Peace be with you
Excelsior!
Disgusting just absolutely disgusting is what this religion is!!!!
add to this all the ones still in the congregation who are shunned for missing meetings, not hiding their opinions, being related to a DF’d person (we get shunned by simple association), or simply not fitting in. It is not love. This is a culture of hate.
is the title of this post (in quotation marks) an actual quote from the mag? I can’t find it and would LOVE to share it.
One last thing in the articles in that mag that I find disgusting: the use of the word “holy”. Surely a word of that significance couldn’t apply a human simply because (their version of inherited sin) we eat, drink, crap, belch, vomit, overeat, etc. How could that be holy? The GB may consider themselves holy in their ivory towers but really? Anyone who considers themselves holy is delusional.
I remember when I was not long baptized, I did field service with an elderly sister. And she told me about a disfellowshipped man whom she knew very well, who had been thrown out because of some weakness – I think it was an alcohol problem – and she tried to let me know how sorry she felt for him. But me, I thought I had an obligation to answer in an “organizational” way, trying to impart to her that it was surely the best solution and the only way that the man can come to his mind again, and it must be righteous, it must be God’s will and so on and so on. Looking back now, I am so appalled and horrified, realizing how rapidly the Watchtower had managed to kill my normal human and emotional feelings.
The hate, and violent language, and murderous intent,
towards people who think differently, is in fact the whole
history of religion. At this moment we have Jihad’s
(Holy wars) being waged by Muslims,. Israeli soldiers told
by their commander, ( Ofer Winter,) that they are in a holy
war against the Palestinians. In the 12th century, people
we’re burned alive for exercising freedom of thought.
The Bible religion exceeds all others in depravity and
cruelty. Men,Women, even pregnant Women, and small
Children slaughtered, on the direct orders of their god
Jehovah, (a fiend worse than any Satan). Deuteronomy,
2/33-34, Joshua, 8/24-27, 10/40, and much more.
When horrific things like that take place today, there is
universal outrage. Does it make it any less cruel because
it happened in ancient history. Is it acceptable because it’s
written in the bible.? If Jehovah himself, put a sword in
your hand and ordered you to kill a child, could you do it.
Evidently Jehovah’s henchmen in New York are ready,
and eager, can’t wait to witness wholesale slaughter,
Even asking their followers to imagine their dissenting
relatives have already been slain.
I’m not drawn any longer to their religion or their God,
Why? Because I read the Bible without the W,T, and
used my own reasoning, instead of theirs. And I’m
happy and at peace with myself, and wish evil to no one.
@labellicker – 26yo elders, huh? This is competing with Latter-Day Saint denomination which ordains elders fresh out of college, or high-school, and sends these individuals on missions–the bikers, but are not seen as “ward”[congregation] primary leads until seasoned. Now, given that elders render counseling, comfort and so forth to all congregation attendees–seniors to children, can someone tell me how a 26yo has “a wealth of knowledge” to contribute to someone’s sound mind, spiritual health, physical health, and marital counseling?
Is the Watchtower Society/Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Inc. having a nervous breakdown?
(as corporate entities are persons in the eyes of the USA legal system)
As it increasingly seems, the corrupt, ambitious types (the lunatics) have come out of the closet, taking over the Watchtower Asylum and are emphasizing more style than substance. But, this is alarming in the sense that it would be identical to the isolation that Jim Jones’, David Koresh’s and Elizabeth Clare Prophet’s groups took before armed and sometimes violent confrontations.
But, let’s put this into perspective–not that I’m inured to the impact of the Watchtower’s control and inhumanity, but just scant weeks ago, we saw the Watchtower congregations stringing beads and stamping medals to give to delegates as momentos–heck, even DANCING to secular music in the sanctuary (kind of like bringing a Moabite woman into camp of Israel). Yet, in what could be a paranoid schizophrenic episode, the Watchtower lashes out against any liberal behaviors and snaps back into a strict, moralistic and legalistic stance in being humane to family. Then, in another disjointed behavior, we see the Watchtower sheltering and protecting elders accused of child abuse, rape and physical assault.
If you had a family member whose mental and emotional state was this disjointed and jumbled, wouldn’t you take them to seek mental health [if you could as a JW, that is]? or, at least limit their mobility so as not to harm themselves or others?
Come on, let’s go back in the house, “Auntie Watchtower”; it’s time for medications “Auntie Watchtower”! Come on, dearie, let’s put your house robe back on, people will think you’re a harlot.
***Yep, it’s “Snark Week” in the good old USA!
Vengeance – punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.
The term is valid in the context of way Scriptures are traditionally interpreted from Hebrew / Aramaic /Greek to English. However, it the root of the term has a broader meaning by adding “deliverance” from an oppressor. God not only brings retribution but release.
So, to counter, I pray that the Lord has mercy on their souls in His Day of Judgement and Release.
I am thoroughly convinced that this is not the truth… I am married to someone who is is so loyal and not even remotely compared to every day witnesses. For example, all superheroes are symbols of violence, therefore our son can’t have anything in this category… I can go on and on… I’m worried and lost. I don’t know where to go… I have been deeply embedded in this world for most of my life… I have young children, makes things extremely difficult… I would appreciate any advice. I’m crying for help!
Hello Queen Elsea. I’m very sorry to learn of your predicament. Especially with young children involved it must be very stressful, as you won’t want to mislead them. Please understand that you are not alone and many are going through the exact same issues at the same time as you. I have prepared the following video to help people who are just waking up. I hope you find it useful…
http://youtu.be/9qSq_ImQh5o
It is terrible!! Read the following from their own publications:
*** w77 6/1 p. 345 Mourning and Funerals—For Whom? ***
there were those whose deaths were not mourned. For example, there is not the slightest hint that Noah and his family mourned the death of the wicked and violent generation that perished in the Deluge. Nor is there any record that Lot mourned the destruction of the grossly wicked people of Sodom and Gomorrah. When Pharaoh and his army were drowned in the Red Sea, Moses and his people, far from mourning, exultingly sang a victory song.—Ex. 15:1-21; see also Jeremiah 22:18, 19.
Why, in all these instances, did God’s servants not mourn or were they not to mourn those who had perished? Because they had been executed by Jehovah God. To have mourned over them would have been tantamount to finding fault with the execution of Jehovah’s righteous judgments. So Jeremiah was commanded not to mourn over the calamity that was to befall his apostate people Israel. And in the book of Revelation we read that although Babylon the Great was mourned by some of her political and commercial paramours, the hosts of heaven rejoiced at her destruction.—Jer. 15:4-7; Rev. 18:9-20.
Most fittingly, therefore, when King David so greatly mourned the death of his ambitious, perfidious, immoral son Absalom, his general Joab justly reproved David. (2 Sam. 19:1-8) But, on the other hand, when David mourned over unfaithful King Saul, he was given no reproof. (2 Sam. 1:17-27) Why was this? King Saul was Jehovah’s anointed. So David was mourning the individual in loyalty to the anointed office occupied by Saul. (See The Watchtower, October 1, 1938, p. 297.) Besides, David did not want to allow for any suspicion that he rejoiced at the death of his enemy.—Prov. 24:17
Hello Cedar. Just wanted to say thank you for your video, It was amazing to listen to you and your top tips for leaving the JW’s. Having spent 29 years in the Exclusive Brethren (or Plymouth Brethren) the likeness between the two cults is amazing. One of your tips about not relying on ex members to be your friends is very very true. God bless you. Pete.
be greatfull for Christs ransom sacrifice ! otherwise it would be the death penalty as under the mosaic law .
Thank you very much. I see that depression can be bad on every person that’s DF. I’m trying to get reinstated but its not easy for me.
DO you want to get reinstated, Richard, purely for family reasons?
I hope, for your sake, that you are fully confident that there is no truth whatever in JW TRUTH.
Richard why on earth would you wish to be in a cult so vile that its very name conjurs up images of the Waffen SS! Thank your lucky stars that you are free from bondage free to use your talent against this abomination. Fighting from within is noble but take Cedar`s example. One more out is one more voice to shout foul!
why in the world would you want to go back to a religion that preaches hate and family disunity?
Off the subject a little. But here goes. Are we to believe,
That because a woman listened to a lying snake, and then
her husband who we are told was created in perfection,
and ( we assume therefore must have been highly
intelligent,) was also fooled,? And because they ate a piece
of fruit, the whole human race is condemned to death.?
Apart from being an insult to whoever created this awesome
universe, and this amazing life support system that we all
live on, and depend upon. It is against all principles of justice.
If my father committed a crime, and was sent to jail, is there a
law court in this world that would demand that me and my
innocent brother and sisters should also go to jail.?
So if it’s offensive to HUMAN justice to make the innocent suffer
for someone else’s crime, can we accuse God of having a lower
or inferior sense of justice, than that which we with our God given
intellect have agreed upon.?
To compound the unreasonableness of it all, God now has to send
his son to die an horrific death, nailed to a piece of wood, in order
to redeem us from something we didn’t do in the first place.
And again if I committed a murder, which court in the land. would
allow a substitute to hang in my place.
The whole thing in my humble opinion is nothing more than a fable,
like the monster God Jehovah. And does no credit to an intelligent
creator.
Spinning these fables has made the W,T, Org, rich and allowed them
to maintain control, That’s what religions all about. In the Catholic
Church, if you were rich you could buy your way out of hell.
As a J,W, you need to avoid blood guilt, by selling literature and
recruiting more literature sellers, That’s the bottom line.
Off the subject a little. But here goes. Are we to believe,
That because a woman listened to a lying snake, and then
her husband who we are told was created in perfection,
and ( we assume therefore must have been highly
intelligent,) was also fooled,? And because they ate a piece
of fruit, the whole human race is condemned to death.?
Apart from being an insult to whoever created this awesome
universe, and this amazing life support system that we all
live on, and depend upon. It is against all principles of justice.
If my father committed a crime, and was sent to jail, is there a
law court in this world that would demand that me and my
innocent brother and sisters should also go to jail.?
So if it’s offensive to HUMAN justice to make the innocent suffer
for someone else’s crime, can we accuse God of having a lower
or inferior sense of justice, than that which we with our God given
intellect have agreed upon.?
To compound the unreasonableness of it all, God now has to send
his son to die an horrific death, nailed to a piece of wood, in order
to redeem us from something we didn’t do in the first place.
And again if I committed a murder, which court in the land. would
allow a substitute to hang in my place.
The whole thing in my humble opinion is nothing more than a fable,
like the monster God Jehovah. And does no credit to an intelligent
creator.
Spinning these fables has made the W,T, Org, rich and allowed them
to maintain control, That’s what religions all about. In the Catholic
Church, if you were rich you could buy your way out of hell.
As a J,W, you need to avoid blood guilt, by selling literature and
recruiting more literature sellers, That’s the bottom line.
Mike and Kim on one their latest videos made a really good point at 1 Samuel 1:13-27 how David was allowed to mourn over the death of Saul even though Saul had turned away from Jehovah. It also shows in verse 15 how David struck down an Amalekite for saying how he had killed Saul (even though he didn’t really kill Saul afterall) because that man bragged about killing an anointed one of Jehovah. What makes this scripture important is because of what the Governing Body did to Ray Franz in disfellowshipping him, an anointed one who had been personally appointed by Jehovah.
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml#atop
Articles 18, 19 20 cover this topic, but your right their (ironically) university educated lawyers will cling to the technicality you mention. However its clearly morally and ethically wrong and flies in the face of the overall purpose of the human rights charter.
I have had a few days to ponder all this. And I’m not sure it’s me or everyone else but I just can’t wrap my head around all this shunning garbage. How could a family member such as my son choose to follow a man made rule? How could he alow all the positive attention and support i gave him up until now to basically end up as nothing? How could he be so swayed by the opinions of other (many) GB who are not even family men themselves?
This shunning thing is Pschilogical death to any family member. If we take the basic laws of human behavior it goes against every fiber of human relationships especially when it comes to loved ones. In the end anyone involved in this religion is being brainwashed into submitting to their rules and then they are held hostage by their shunning adherence with anyone who does not agree with their teachings. And even when presented with information from their own publications. It is clear INSANITY.
This is a CULT period!!!!!
Perhaps my son who I love with all my heart will come to his senses sooner then later.
Family should be your only religion
PERIOD!!!!!!
As a child JW I had been convinced of the truth of the eistence of this Jehovah monster who was set to execute the bulk of humanity for the capital crime of not living, breathing and thinking according to the ever changing and crazy diktats of some bossy blokes in Brooklyn.
That is the only achievement of this malign cult in its 135 year history. It has mastered the dark arts of cult mind control.
OK, maybe it has a second achievement to its credit (debit?). It has used its mind control techniques to amass a vast global publishing and property empire by means of a slave labour force and tax exempt status.
I no longer attend meetings for moral reasons but the last one I went to was a return to my original congregation (this is in South London). There I noticed a young lad who was son of the overseeing elder sitting on his own. I used to get on with him so I started to approach him and was told by his mother who step in front of me in these exact words “Do NOT talk to it”. It? She really did call her disfellowshipped son ‘it’. I just looked at her stunned, looked at the lad (around 19 now) and he looked deep to the floor not only because he heard his mothers words but because I am sure he gets shunned by all in the family home. I have also been the victim of shunning and some abuse (via email) by JWs and while yes it annoys me, I know I am the bigger man. Shunning after all conflicts with the act of forgiving. Now I did not do anything wrong to be shunned, it was the fact I stepped back from this so called religion of my own free will. The announcement on the platform was “NAME is no longer recognised as a Publisher of the Good News”…that simply does not tell a true story. It was MY choice to go but when the others in the congregation here that said from the platform, they assume I must have done something really bad which again, is not the true case.
Since December 2013 I have stepped away, I only have contact with 4 JWs and one of those I am finding it hard to remain civil too especially when she said child molesters should have their identity hidden. Since then almost all the congregation has ignored me, no email or text replies and no answering my calls (so I no longer bother). It is all so obvious to ANYONE who has spent a month or so in this crack pot religion that shunning happens and more than you might even think.
What makes me sad is when you dare talk to a JW they simply see you as foolish and ignorant. Even if you show them cast iron proof of something the WTBTS has put on paper they will not answer what you asked they will answer something else so to avoid the question.
I doubt very much Jesus would give any JW a big thumbs up for creating pain, misery and suffering and if Jehovah is a God who enjoys these things then maybe I need to forget Christianity once and for all. Of course I wont but I tell you any “thinking” man or woman in the WT surely cannot last long. I stayed far too long in it but I am happier now than I ever was.
“There I noticed a young lad who was son of the overseeing elder sitting on his own. I used to get on with him so I started to approach him and was told by his mother who step in front of me in these exact words “Do NOT talk to it”. It? She really did call her disfellowshipped son ‘it’.”
Jim, that is despicable! The loathing I have for this cult gets stronger and stronger the more I hear stories like this.
following on from my post
I was thinking, if this sister who said child molesters should remain unidentified and thus forgiven…why can’t a brother or sister who smokes a cigarette not also be forgiven?
Is smoking one or even two ciggies a worse crime than child molesting? It would appear in the mind of this sister – yes it is. Bizarre and they call us mentally ill
I know I have said this before, but in my opinion the only way that things will change is if somehow this corporate religion is hit in the pocketbook. If the witness religion lost its tax exempt status for violating human rights due to shunning, the lawyers and accountants that probably make all the decisions would tell the GB to bring out “new light” and things would change with respect to shunning.
Unfortunately I know how slowly things move when it comes to changing any type of legislation and appeals to the change in legislation would probably tie things up in the courts for years.
Therefore, I am not optimistic that things will change in the near future but I do hope that more and more people will realize how sadistic and inhumane it is to shun any individual and I believe that Jesus would be appalled if he walked into a Kingdom Hall today and saw the ice cold blood that permeates throughout the veins of the hardline witnesses who enforce these archaic rules for Brooklyn.
The shunning policy is what makes it so evil and the Watchtower has it’s backside covered by making everyone think that God is really backing that decision to shun those people and that God will withdraw his “spirit” from the congregation if they go against the Org’s rules. There are tons of people in my small town who no longer attend meetings and or disfellowshipped and I am afraid to even speak to them because I am so afraid they will “tell on me” to somebody they know and it will get back to the elders. Who wants to belong to such a religion that makes a person so afraid? I sure wished there was some way to get across to the governments to look into this religion and see how much of a dangerous cult it is. At least, hopefully, maybe more and more people will look at this web site and others like it before they get “dunked” and make a wiser decision than I did way back when, when I was so naive’ and made such an unwise decision to get baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
My beloved son choosing to shun me is heartbreaking. As a mother it has devastated me that he has chosen this cult over his family. His shunning has also extended to his step-father and his siblings, all non witness (why are they shunned – For the sin of living with the d/a parent?).
The mind control that this organization exerts over him and his choices to not even see his siblings, barely communicating through the occasional text or email with them, is horrible. There is no Christlike love in this religion that pits family members against each other and destroys them. And now telling members to treat those who have left like they are dead and to not mourn them??? I am disgusted, but not surprised – the GB is scrambling to keep control.
The LIES, DECEIT, SCANDALS, THAT is why I stopped attending meetings, and no longer would go door to door. Why would I want to tell people that JW’s have the truth – Study the bible with us and leave your families and friends behind to join our “loving Brotherhood”!?! ABSOLUTELY NOT!
I mourn – I mourn for a lost childhood, and the lack of friendships and support I didn’t cultivate outside of the organization; I mourn for the lost opportunities I had to pursue sports and hobbies, having some athletic & artistic ability that was not being realized; I mourn for not getting an education beyond high school. Yet, I am so thankful that my eyes were opened to the real truth about this religion/cult, and I am trying to make up for all those things lost; I pray daily that my son will someday will start thinking for himself.
Thank you John for all the hard work you put into this site and your YouTube channel, it is so appreciated!!
T
@ tipper
I read this out to my husband through tears and anger. I understand everything you say. Old friends of mine no longer want to re kindle our friendship. Fortunatly my kids were never interested. My mum however is fully indoctrinated (not her fault) she cannot think for herself. She is 84 and i do not want her to hurt like I do. My love goes to you. Xxxxxxxxx
Please post this petition about JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES on ever forum you can think of.
http://www.change.org/petitions/launch-an-investigation-to-determine-if-jehovah-s-witnesses-have-a-right-to-use-coercion-forms-of-mental-torture-to-force-its-members-not-to-leave
Today I tried to bring up Mike Kim on Youtube and their channel has been terminated because Youtube said because of many 3rd party complaints. Yesterday I posted on jwsurvey about one of their latest videos about how David was allowed to mourn Saul’s death even though Saul had turned away from Jehovah (1 Samuel) and killed the man that bragged about putting one of Jehovah’s anointed to death.
I am thinking that the Watchtower has people watching your site John, and they were afraid that too many people would watch Mike and Kim’s videos and see how the Watchtower did something to Ray Franz (disfellowshipped one of Jehovah’s anointed) that David wouldn’t do to one of Jehovah’s anointed and slew the man that bragged about putting Saul to death, so they got a bunch of people at Watchtower to put in these 3rd party complaints to Youtube to make sure Mike and Kim’s videos would not be watched so people would see how the Watchtower goes against the Bible’s principles in disfellowshipping so called apostates, in affect calling Jehovah’s principles null and void when it comes to what they do to keep “apostates” quiet.
Quoting James A. Haught and Steven Weinberg, Watchtower wrote in 2007:
“Anything that divides people can spawn hostility, and religion is one of the strongest dividers,” writes journalist James A. Haught. “Despite the universal belief that religion makes people ‘good,’ it’s obvious that it makes some people commit heinous acts.” Author Steven Weinberg holds a similar view. “For good people to do evil,” he writes, “that takes religion.” ( http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/l/r1/lp-e?q=w07+12%2F1+p.+3 )!
In my opinion, that’s true and this applies first to Jehovah’s Witnesses: “For good people to do evil, that takes religion.”
I am afraid they have diluted Steven’s word! He actually said: “Religion is an insult to human dignity. Without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.” ( https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/86758.Steven_Weinberg )!!
Do you agree with Steven Weiberg, WTS “Religion is an insult to human dignity”!!!
@ lindan,
I thought the petition expired! Is it still valid?
@anonymous
Even more PROOF that the control freaks are now on the run! These bully-boys are not scared of jail or beatings (so they say), but they ARE scared of all of you here on this blog and people like you. YOU THINK FOR YOURSELVES! People that think are the WTS worst nightmare; especially those who come from within. You don’t believe the lies that they tell you, or you don’t fall for the fear that they attempt to instill in you. That’s scary stuff to the GB, and it must be quashed at all cost! Their lies and tangled webs they weave together in the WT and Awake are now coming to ‘light’. (Pun intended!)
Hey, it’s obvious the GB have a whole new pet devil to rail against. It’s called knowledge, education, and information transferring by word-of-mouth and by forums like this. The GB can try to slow it down, but the internet genie is out of the bottle now. The more they pump their website, the more that people will see the numerous OTHER websites that expose their deceitful evil ways. The GB’s control is slowly slipping away and they are trying every scare and bully tactic they can to reign in the masses that are leaving.
How can the words “shun” and “loved ones” even exist in the very same sentence?
As difficult as this situation is for those of us who are d/fd or d/a has been, I’m sure its just the same for our “loved ones” whether a parent , child or sibling. I try very hard to respect their stand knowing why they do what they do, with the hope that someday this will change. We must be the better Christian in this matter and continue to let them know they are still “loved ones” to us !