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Do Jehovah's Witnesses have a policy for shunning former members? The Watchtower lawyers present arguments to the Belgian court system that it is an individual choice whether to shun family. However, this podcast provides excellent proof from their own written publications that they have a system of teaching their adherents to shun former members. In fact, the Watchtower, Bible & Tract Society has a long history of influencing its members to comply with their teachings even at the cost of dividing families and long-time friendships.
https://foref-europe.org/blog/2021/03/19/belgium-the-decision-of-the-court-of-ghent-against-jehovahs-witnesses/
The following links pertain to written comments by Dr. Introvigne, a defender of JW's who disagrees with the Belgium court:
PART ONE
https://bitterwinter.org/jehovahs-witnesses-fined-in-ghent-for-their-ostracism-a-wrong-decision/
PART TWO
https://bitterwinter.org/the-ghent-jehovahs-witnesses-decision-dangers-for-religious-liberty/
PART THREE
https://bitterwinter.org/the-ghent-jehovahs-witness-decision-dangerous-for-all-religions/
The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Case
On 16 February, a trial started against the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses (CCJW) at the criminal court of Ghent (East Flanders) on the alleged grounds of discrimination and incitement to hatred with a particular focus on their shunning (ostracization) practice in cases of disfellowshipping (exclusion) and disassociation (voluntary resignation).
A former Jehovah’s Witness who had voluntarily left the movement in 2011, filed a criminal complaint against the CCJW in 2015, and managed to have it supported by over a dozen more former Jehovah’s Witnesses.
According to the internal religious practice of Jehovah’s Witnesses, when the elders of a local congregation exclude a member or are notified about a voluntary resignation, they make a short neutral public announcement which states: “[Name of person] is no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses”. The CCJW is not involved in the making of that neutral announcement but is notified about the decision.
In their conclusions provided to the Court before the trial, they said that they do not segregate excluded or resigning members as these can always attend their religious services. They also point out that baptized Jehovah’s Witnesses who no longer actively associate with fellow believers, are not shunned.
Clarifying the relations between Jehovah’s Witnesses and disfellowshipped or disassociated family members, they say: “In the immediate household, although the ‘religious ties’ the expelled or disassociated person had with his family change, ... blood ties remain. The marriage relationship and normal family affections and dealings continue.” In other words, normal family affection and association continues.
In addition, the CCJW had provided the Court with nine statements of individuals who had been excluded and who had since been reinstated as Jehovah’s Witnesses. In their testimonies, they explained how they had been fairly treated by congregation elders, family, and others in the congregation when they were excluded.
The social distancing doctrine stated and practiced by Jehovah’s Witnesses in Belgium and al

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Jehovah's Witnesses Illinois Court Case. Discussion with Mark O'Donnell about the state vs. Michael Penkava & Colin Scott . Mark provides an update about the sentencing of the two Jehovah's witness elders.

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Interview with father/daughter podcast duo of What Should I Think About..? podcast.
Listen to their podcast at:
Podcast – https://whatshouldithinkabout.podbean.com
Website – https://www.evilsheep.co.uk/whatshouldithinkabout
Stephen Mather was a born-in Jehovah's Witness that never truly believed all of their teachings. His childhood was spent thinking about Watchtower attainments: Ministerial Servant, Elder, Pioneer, Circuit Overseer, Missionary and Bethelite. However, once he and his wife had their daughter, Stephen realized that he cannot teach someone something that he does not fully believe himself. That was the start of his journey out of Watchtower.
BIOS:
Celine Rachel Mather is a media graduate of Goldsmiths College, University of London who has been making short films for three years, initially as a writer and now finding a love in directing and producing. She is focused on breaking into the film industry as an independent young female creator. Celine is a partner at Evil Sheep Productions and the Producer and co-creator of Dissonance.
Stephen Mather is a Psychology graduate through the Open University with a Masters in Organizational Psychology through Birkbeck University of London. He works as a Learning & Development professional and improvement coach within business settings. Having left the high control group of his birth he has a particular interest in the psychological processes involved in high control, cultic groups and how leavers construct their identity upon exiting.
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