Interview Regarding Shunning (Disfellowshipment)

The Silence of Shunning: A Conversation with Kipling William

Here is a fascinating discussion about shunning with Kipling William. Although he is specifically talking about being shunned at the workplace his discussion is all too relevant to those of us involved with the COGs, which traditionally "disfellowshipped" unwanted members and made church members shun them. This vicious practice continues in some of the more nasty COGs.

Here is a part of the interview.

But the most important thing is to maintain bonds with people. “Social support, I think, is probably the number one thing; you don’t need to have a ton of friends . . . what you really need is one or two people. . . just form strong social bonds somewhere and then you can distance yourself [from the ostracizers] a little bit, think of the workplace as a sociological experience . . . it distances you a little bit from the pain and allows you to be more analytical about it. . . it’s not going to get rid of the ostracism; it’s still going to be awful to be around them at work, but it gives you something to look forward to.”

And that’s something that targets of shunning need to remember. No matter how awful it is, there is always something to look forward to, and that is the world beyond the ostracizers. Make no mistake, shunning is not a noble act. It is an act of aggression, and can be every bit as damaging, if not deadly, to the person who is targeted—and it damages those who engage in shunning, because the longer they maintain it, the harder it is to end it. So if you’ve been a member of the crowd shunning a person who failed to please your leader, rethink your “non-actions” and reach out to the person you’ve erased and are so painfully hurting. And if you are a person who has been shunned, don’t turn to your ostracizers for approval. Move on to a kinder, gentler environment, where you are valued, and treated with the humanity you deserve.

Examples of Roderick C. Meredith disfellowshipping WCG members, thus committing this "act of aggression" which "can be ... damaging, if not deadly, to the person who is targeted" may be seen

• here, 

• here,

• here (This one is particularly nasty as Meredith order ministers to "disfellowship any who consort with GTA or any of his fellows."),

• here 

• and here.

These occurred while he was head of WCG's ministry in January-August 1979.

Another example of disfellowshipping within WCG while Meredith was head of the ministry may be seen here.

Hat tip Cult News Network.