Courtesy of Raw Story:
In a disturbing video being shown to Jehovah’s Witnesses during their regional conferences this summer, parents of independent teens and young adults are instructed to shun their children when they are unable to bring them to heel within the strict confines of the church’s rules.
The video, uploaded to YouTube, is in Spanish only but with English subtitles, shows that by cutting off all contact with children they will suffer and become depressed –which hopefully will bring them back to “Jehovah.”
That's right as every parenting expert will tell you the best thing to do when a child does not embrace the strict tenets of your belief system is to throw them out onto the street, do nothing to make sure that they are safe, and stubbornly stick to your guns until they are finally so broken down they have no choice but to come crawling back to beg your forgiveness.
After all it's not as if they might be victimized by predators, get hooked on drugs, or even die alone and in pain, right?
Gee what a loving and generous religion, where do I sign up?
Damn, I should go see the video in person. The JW caravan pulled into San Diego last weekend and finishes today. Think they'll mind having a transwoman in attendance and using the wrong restroom? ah fuck it! I wonder if the Palins are still shacking up at the Hilton by the convention center?
ReplyDeleteYou'll know if they're still there by the overwhelming stench of unwashed flesh and booze breath.
DeleteThe JW cult has been doing this for decades. One of my husband's aunts joined the cult in her fifties (empty nest syndrome/menopause?) and when her youngest son rejected the religion, she kicked him out and told the rest of her family not to have anything to do with him. After about 6 months, he begged forgiveness and was allowed back into the family. They are the loveliest people on the outside, but inwardly they really are cruel.
ReplyDeleteKeep spreading the wisdom, Gryph. I really appreciate these posts on atheism.
ReplyDeleteIf it were not for your blogroll, I'd never have found The Freethinker. Thanks from a NC proud atheist! Came for the palinstompin and stayed for the atheism.
:-)
Deletehttp://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/05/getting-abortion-now-anti-choice-harassment-can-go-straight-your-phone
ReplyDeleteShunning is never a good idea. I cannot imagine anything less Christian or less humane than "shunning" your children.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
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Delete3 2 1......waiting for our ever present Jebus lover to tell us xtianity is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's not just the JW's that use shunning if their children have different views,many cults of xtianity use shunning. Remember quite recently you had an article about a xtian church school that was shunning children if they had a gay relative.
christianity, bringing hate to the world for over 2,000 yrs and counting.
xti
This is child abuse.
ReplyDeleteGeorgiaPeach
I met a woman on a plane who left the Jehovah Witnesses. Her family had shunned her for years........in fact apparently most of her small town did. She had a five year old daughter who her parents had never seen.
ReplyDeleteI have known some Jehovah Witnesses over the years. They have invariably been extremely nice people who are perhaps not the sharpest crayons in the box, and extremely gullible too. Who in their right mind would follow an order to shun their own child? The religion got rid of the whole idea of "Hell" but they replaced it with an even more insidious punishment. As in, shunning children is an absolutely horrible practice (and real), and hell is just an imaginary punishment.
In Spanish?
ReplyDeleteWell, that certainly explains the growing gang enrollment.
When their families turn from them, they find a "new family". And that is the local gang.
You need to pass a driver's test to get a license.
You need to pass some sort of competency test to buy a gun. (At least in some states.)
Why do we not have parenting licenses? It's literally the most important job in the world and we let any idiot make babies. And in some cases even when there is abuse the government still can't step in and protect the child.
It sure wouldn't hurt for prospective parents to pass a parenting class before they get a parenting license.
Who writes the parenting class materials? Who decides whether an individual 'passes' the class? Should parents be monitored to ensure they effectively apply what they learned? Will there a religious exemption? Freedom?
DeleteWhat's the difference between a non religious family disowning their children, and having no contact thereafter, and JW? Nothing. But, I guess if you have to hate, you may as well hate on the one group that actually teaches, and lives by the Bible. They don't involve themselves in politics. They will quit their jobs if it interferes with their beliefs. They will go to jail for their beliefs.They do not celebrate any holiday. They do commemorate the Passover, the ONLY commandment that Jesus gave.
ReplyDeleteNo, I am not a JW, but, I do know many, and they are good people.
I used to be a JW and my family has shunned me for ten years. I don't believe you're not a JW as you know too much about what they will or won't do. Shunning your own family is cruel -- and I have the emotional scars to prove it. They live by their own version of the bible....translated by people who only had two years of training in Greek and Arabic. So don't be so quick to defend them.
DeleteI couldn't find it in my heart to shun an animal, and these "people of God" have a playbook on how to do it with their own flesh and blood? When my church kicked me to the curb, my parents still supported and loved me, just as they did before. Some relatives, not so much, but I'm sure, in their minds, god forgives them.
ReplyDeleteMy mom just gave away everything she owns and drove 2300 miles to live at a compound in Jasper, Arkansas. They are called End-Time Handmaidens and Servants which is a cult. She did this in secrecy. Wouldn't tell anyone where she was going including her family and friends. I'm afraid I may never see her alive again as she is 71 and in poor health. She had a heart attack 2 months ago and refuses medical attention cuz the cult (missionary group) is going to heal her. This so-called Christian group has turned her against her family. Anyone know anything about the E.T.H.S. cult?
ReplyDeleteIf she has money and has signed it over to them, you might be able to get her declared incompetent or in need of a conservator, then use legal means to take her from them. Especially if they are endangering her life by encouraging her to refuse necessary medication.
DeleteVery Interesting. Neighbor is JW. She told me she and her children (40s and 50s) were "estranged." I felt sorry for her until I saw this post. Now I know why.
ReplyDeleteJehovah Witness is a Non-Christian Cult and it's a scam. I'm a Non Jehovah Witness and hate the organization that tell lies. This religion should banned.
ReplyDelete