| Subject: Finding our Place in the Shun |
Author:
Joy Waterbury
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Date Posted: 10:27:32 06/05/17 Mon
Finding Your Place in the Shun
by Joy Waterbury
Our family, and several others, left a certain religious organization a few years ago. For various personal and arbitrary reasons, its leadership decided we should all be shunned.
We were never informed about the actual shunning nor the reasons for it. I guess that’s because once you’re shunned no one is allowed to communicate with you, which would include any communication informing you of the shunning. I mean really, how would it look...
Dear Brother X,
This is not a communication to communicate that you are being shunned and will receive no communication. We cannot communicate the reason for your excommunication because doing so would be communication, and communication is prohibited under shunning. Disregard this communication as something we shouldn’t have communicated and perhaps through osmosis you will understand what it is you’ve done that deserved shunning.
Shuncerely,
The Leadership
So shunning becomes this military, clandestine operation, communicated on a “need to know” basis, and if you’re shunned, you apparently don’t need to know. Now, if you are the “shunner” this information is critical. If you don’t follow a shunning order precisely, you will be shunned.
Anyway, our specific shunning came as no surprise to us. As it goes, people are shunned because the leadership says to shun them and you stop shunning them when the leadership decides you should stop (which they never do). Shunning in these cases is used to exercise control over a group of people and keep them in a constant state of fear so they don’t even consider seeking information outside of the regularly scheduled feedings.
And what a remarkable job of shunning this method produces! If the Olympics held a shunning competition, it would be gold medals all around in events like the 10K Shun or the Triathashun.
It goes one step further. Now the organization indicates that it has authority to control those being shunned, even if those people are no longer in the organization. I say this because, despite being shunned, I have received communication from one of the shunners in which I’m admonished for not fulfilling my responsibility as a “non-believer” (or “shunnee”?). So not only do I hold the stigma of being shunned, but now I learn that I’m not even doing that right.
As a “non-believer” I’m told that it is my duty to refrain from contact with anyone who is a “believer” (no supporting scripture was given). So, apparently it’s my responsibility to enforce upon myself the shunning decision of an organization, I no longer belong to? All the work of shunning now falls squarely on my shoulders. I should not risk defiling a “believer” with my perceived heresy. I should be the one who crosses to the other side of the street when a “believer” approaches. Self-enforced shunning. I suppose I should desire to make the job of shunning easier on my persecutors. It’s the brotherly thing to do.
As one shunned, I really don’t think about it at all. I don’t feel compelled to sew a scarlet letter “S” on my pinafore or throw myself off a bridge. We persevere, continuing in the faith, praying, studying, learning, growing, asking forgiveness, forgiving others, fearing and pleasing Yahweh rather than fearing and pleasing men. It’s liberating when you can focus on the word instead of fear.
Shunning has its place, in the scriptures, in life, in certain circumstances outlined in the bible. But, if we don’t fully understand the entire scriptural process of shunning, we shouldn’t do it. Shunning in the hands of the arrogant, becomes a tool of hatred and bullying. I don’t think it’s wise to go around boasting our skills of shunning people just to prove our own righteousness to others. We also don’t need to get superstitious or overly dramatic with our displays of shunning either. We certainly shouldn’t violate other commandments, like showing kindness to your enemy, in favor of our desire to perfect our shunning skills. When the act of shunning incorporates a man-made agenda it clearly identifies who really are the ones that should be shunned.
So what do we do? 1.) Study shunning, so we don’t misapply the practice. 2.) Use the word of Yahweh to determine whether shunning is an appropriate measure. 3.)Pray to Yahweh guidance. 4.)Pray also for those who don’t understand what it is they do. And, even though you can’t reach those people (because you’re being shunned), know that Yahweh can, if he so wills, and we hope he does.
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