On Shunning

The Hopeful Atheist describes the Jehovah's Witness practice of shunning, and his experience on both sides of it.

Update: I've had many people ask whether shunning is really a top-level directive, or whether it's merely believers making a personal choice to cease contact.

It is definitely a directive from the organization.

Here are some scans of the internal publication I mention in the video:
http://www.randytv.com/howtotreatdf.htm

It's also important to note that you get slightly different versions of this directive depending on where you read it. In publications intended for public consumption, such as the Watchtower and Awake, if the policy is mentioned at all, it tends to be worded in a less hardline way that makes it sound like individuals have a choice in the matter. However, in internal publications, the policy is much more explicitly spelled out, as you can see in the link above.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• jehovah's
• witnesses
• shunning
• disfellowshipping
• religion

[AgapeLove2U]

i see alot who want to blame others for their mistakes, not responsible enough to take responsibility for their own actions, we all have the same rules to go by, Jehovah sets it and we are to go by them

[hopefulatheist]

@AgapeLove2U You certainly don't need to worry about that in my case. Since leaving the JWs, my life has been much, much better. I totally accept responsibility for my own life. I don't put off planning for the future because I expect God to whisk in and solve my problems. I'm grateful that I figured out the whole thing was a sham as early as I did, at age 25. I wish you the best -- it's never to late to embrace life.

[AgapeLove2U]

deliberately avoids is shunning, Christians do what Jehovah says to do, it is something Jehovah does to teach us and he wants us to get back to him, we all are sinners but when we make a mistake we can repent, its ones who dont repent and keep doing the sin, they are the ones who disfellowship themselves from the rest

[hopefulatheist]

@AgapeLove2U Give me a break. Now you're just playing with words. You're saying that former Witnesses have "disfellowshipped themselves"? That is clearly not true, since the former Witnesses are happy to have relationships with their friends and family on the inside. The shunning is completely from the JW side. You cut off former Witnesses, plain and simple. You should at least admit that much, since you're eager to explain why that is such a loving arrangement.

[AgapeLove2U]

@hopefulatheist they did the sin and didnt repent correct? they disfellowshipped themselves , they knew what would happen cause they study Jehovah's Word

[hopefulatheist]

@AgapeLove2U You're redefining the word "disfellowship." And you clearly have not watched and understood the video that you're replying to. I left the religion, not because I "sinned and didn't repent," but because I realized it wasn't true. This is exactly the same behavior you yourself expect of people from every other religion. I was raised in a religion that was not true, and as an adult I did the right thing and left it.

[hopefulatheist]

@megthepearl Thanks for your comment. It would certainly be nice if you only shunned people who shunned you, but that's not how it works. I have never shunned a single JW, but they universally shun me, because they are instructed to do so by headquarters. If you feel this is wrong, then I encourage you to directly talk to your local elders about it -- I guarantee you will find yourself in hot water if you don't toe the party line.

[RioAbajoBelen]

A disfellowshipped family member is living with us sinners. He's working his way back in. So, I've seen this practice and it's psychological results. All I can think of is the word DEPLORABLE. I would never join a group like this that practices these kinds of freedom stripping views. Good video by the way, thoughtful and well presented. I'm sorry to hear that your mother and sister remained chained to the Bethelites.

[adaptiveplexus]

Yes just read chapters 19-21 of Judges in your very own NWT BIBLE. Not only did Jehovah purposely send more than 38,000 innocent God fearing people trying to do his will to their death, did this two times then finally the third time as it says in Judges 20:35 "And Jehovah proceeded to defeat Benjamin before Israel". So if it was JEHOVAH that defeated them the third time, WHY NOT JUST DEFEAT THEM THE FIRST TIME AND SAVE 38,000 GOD LOVING PEOPLE FROM DYING?????????????????????

[AgapeLove2U]

@adaptiveplexus and your point is?

[AgapeLove2U]

@adaptiveplexus And they went on to say: “Which one out of the tribes of Israel is it that has not come up to Jehovah at Miz´pah?” And, look! no one had come into the camp from Ja´besh-gil´e·ad to the congregation. 9 When the people were counted, well, look! there was not a man there from the inhabitants of Ja´besh-gil´e·ad.

[AgapeLove2U]

@hopefulatheist read what Jehovah says about it

[lisalisavids]

AgapeLove2U said: "they did the sin and didnt repent correct?"

A: There is no way to know the answer to that question since the elders don't say why a person is disfellowshipped and you are forbidden from speaking to the disfellowshipped person themself. People are disfellowshipped for things like disagreeing with Watchtower teachings (not a sin) all the time.

But you are REQUIRED to shun them whether or not they have sinned, because they have disfellowshipped by the elders.