"Shunning"....has anyone experienced this? >>MOD WARNING<<

MOD WARNING!!!

This 'shunning' crap has been on my mind a lot lately. I will never understand it - it is so CRUEL.

A close friend called me a few days ago, really upset about her nephew, who she's always been very fond of, now being shunned by his own family and the members of the Jehovah Witness Hall that he had gone to all of his life.....and why is everyone shunning Kurt? Because the 21 yr old guy listens to rap music.

I had heard of the religion shinning members, but for God's sake! For listening to rap music?!

Has anyone here belonged to a religion like this and had been shunned.....by your own FAMILY?

If so, how did you handle it?

 

I consider it my "reward" from those of the opposing view.

 

Nope. And my parents are/were fundies.

Its creepy though that every now and then my mom ask me if I'm worried about going to hell.

 

I would too.....altho I would have never been in that church or any church that would tell the members to shun family/friend if they do something the elders or minister didn't approve of. But Kurt was raised in the JW Hall and tho't of everyone as 'family'......

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Fundamentalist Mormons?

 

Nope. Church of Christ.

 

I was married to a JW woman. She told me about shunning. But to be shunned, the way I remember this, one had to appear in front of some Elders who were dealing with some sort of infraction.

Her kids listened to rock and roll and I don't recall rap being played.

As to the quip about Mormons, we don't shun members. If a person violated some part of church doctrine, they could meet with the Bishop but though I am 77, I never heard of Mormons being shunned. If there is a serious infraction, they can be excommunicated. The JW also excommunicate people.

 

I might have looked at that as a blessing. Instead I received numerous newspaper clippings about how Metal music was of the Devil and I was going to hell. Now, 30 years later, a father of 2, married 22 yrs, stable job.........those people that sent me all of those.......don't seem to know what I'm talking about. They are in their 80s now though, so maybe they aren't lying.

 

Oh.....I've always believed that 'fundamentalist' anything is not a good thing to be. What does the Church of Christ expect of you?

This shunning (*)(*)(*)(*) is mind-blowing. There isn't a person on this planet or any God that could tell me not to talk to my own CHILD or anyone and I'd obey. That is nothing but cold-blooded cruel.......

The JW's, Amish and Church of Scientology has shunning as part of their faith and beliefs.......

 

I was shunned on a BB because I had more conservative views than most of the posters and the folks that ran the BB

 

I've never heard of Mormons shunning either. Only Scientology, Amish & JW's. I will admit I don't like the Mormon faith itself, but the Mormons I've know, I really like them...great people and very kind.

But then I don't like man-made, organized religions. I think they're all about power and $$$.....I am a Christian, but of no denomination.

 

I have fond memories of CoC. I've never been shunned, they just think I'm going to hell when I die.

peace

 

I hope I don't sound dumb, but what's a "BB"?

 

You know, a person does not like Mormons yet likes Mormons they happen to meet. Funny how that works.

As to liking the religion, sure nobody likes a church they do not attend. I don't like the Jews because I never attend their church. Same with Catholics. Same with protestants or, name the poison.

 

I am the same way. I read the Bible, but I have a mind of my own and can interpret scripture for myself. I do not need an "elder" or preacher to tell me what it all means. I believe most of it is metaphorical. I am the kind of woman they would have burned at the stake for heresy back in the days.

 

I was shunned for awhile by my parents. Had nothing to do with religion. It was probably for the best for all involved.

 

I apologize for offending you, Robert. I didn't mean it the way you took it. I've always tho't you're a good person and ant to keep it that way.

Never said I don't like Mormons per se, I said I don't care for the religion and I feel that way about ALL religions. BUT the Mormons, JW's, Catholics - knowing the people of those faiths, I really like them - very good people.....their faith works for them, it just wouldn't work for me.......

Anyway, hope you accept my apology.....

 

Yup! I don't like being told what to think,or not think, what to do or not do..... to each their own.

This shunning of Kurt has caused a firestorm in his extended family and Gail, my friend, his aunt was really vocal about his treatment from his own family. Her sister, Lynn, Kurt's grandma, told Gail she'll never speak to Gail again.......more shunning.

I guess the main concern w/JW's is that they believe they will live forever if they obey the elder's orders to shun a member until he repents and is accepted back in the fold.......crazy.......

 

Thank you but I was not angling for that. It looks in print as if you offended me but really, I am not offended. You are so kind to apologize. It is my fault for the way I phrased it.

An Elder stopped here this AM and told me this story. His daughter wanted to change from her ward to the Stanford Ward. She hoped to land a good Stanford Student since she was single. She did not get to change her ward yet met a very great person she married. But before she would marry him, she explained he had to join the church.

Well, he not only joined, and is now a member, baptized, etc, and is super happy. Both went to Utah for him to complete his education.

He took a chance and it worked fine.

Actually, for the heck of it, you should go to our Sunday service in your area to get a look. It is not going to harm you and I think you will like the people very much.

 

My sister is a charismatic/fundamentalist. She hasn't talked to anyone else in the family in years. We are all being "shunned". In fact, when my dad died, she knew six months before he died that he was on his death bed. She forgot to tell the rest of the family. I didn't find out he died until 10 days after he passed. I never got to say good bye--nothing. I know it was because she prayed to God and asked if she should tell her sisters; and 'god' told her not to tell anyone. Curiously, she told us we were all written out of the will.

 

Look, no personal offense to Jehovah Witnesses, but from the standpoint of Christianity, they are heretics.

They are not in any way, shape or form...Christians.

So please don't lump Christians, those who follow Christianity among the heretical followers of this gnostic cult.

 

THE Preternatural disposition of Americanism.To be privy to a
mindset or clique.Not merely the Obvious like being an Italian
vs. an Irish. Or Polish vs. German. Brit vs. American.
On an On. A Mets fan vs. a Yankees fan or Reds fan.
It IS what constitutes the average mindset.How to be part of
a clique.I dread having to bring this up.But there was a time
where admittance into Country Clubs involved Collusion.
No Italians or Jews need apply.Not just because Jews and Italians
were forbidden entry based on References.Because references meant
fellow members.
Exclusion is actually more a part of Americana than anything else.
Maybe it's just a right of exclusion. I doubt many Jewish synogogues
openly accept gentile converts.Like many Christian denominations do.
But Maybe it has to do with the ways Jews Have been persecuted over
the years and denied,aggressivel, admission into Country Clubs.
However this hasn't been the case as far as Top Tier University's.
Go Figger !

 

Wanna make sure I have this straight......you're a Mormon and your church has Elders instead of preacher? minister? Don't know that part of your church.......

Nice story about the young woman and how it ended well for her, w/new husband joining her church and he's happy w/it....

But, for myself, that wouldn't work....being told I had to join his church if we were to be married. I would study up on the religion, but if I felt it wasn't right for me....no marriage. That's what happened when I was 17 and my HS sweetheart, who was one terrific guy and a devout Catholic, went into the USAF and left me w/an engagement ring on my finger. I spent my evenings reading up on Catholocism.....the more I read, the more I knew I couldn't be a Catholic and his faith was important to him, but I love my Catholic friends.....

 

"Cult" - that's what Gail shouted at Lynn, grandma who's shunning Kurt. "You belong to a damn CULT!" and Lynn denied it, of course, said she'll never speak to Gail again.......what a shame.

Both Gail and I hope t his is a wake-up call for Kurt to realize there's a lot of living out there for him, where he won't be judged and shunned.

 

First, exclusion from a church or specific function is different from 'shunning'. Is perfectly possible for a church group to decide that Joe's membership is not 'working out' for a variety of reasons and still allow for social interaction outside of the church.

Shunning is really about enforcing discipline and more to the point, the exclusion and censorship of ideas that are perceived as dangerous. Its actually a tool for brain-washing. Any church that using shunning to stop members from associating with outside ideas, is acting in a fashion consistent with a cult practice, IMO. This is dangerous to the congregation as well as cruel to those being shunned.

 

OMG! "God told her not to tell anyone"....yeah, right. You said she's 'charismatic'? That's a very dangerous personality.... they're con artists, shysters.....well, I guess you'd know that.