@thenortherngoddess: Most people have heard about Jehovah’s Witnesses shunning former members. What’s discussed far less is what can happen while someone is still inside the organisation. “Soft shunning” describes the more subtle social distancing some Witnesses experience when they’re perceived as less spiritual, questioning, or no longer considered “good association”. There may be no formal punishment, yet the social and psychological consequences can still be very real. I experienced this myself during my 22 years as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I shared more about the reality of life inside the organisation and my eventual exit in my memoir, The Kingdom Hall Effect. Link in bio for my book. #JehovahsWitnesses #ExJW #Shunning #CultAwareness #ReligiousTrauma
Never stay where you aren’t being warmly welcomed. All of that you can still come to the meetings is simply a humiliation ritual. Humiliation turns in to depression and depression into anger and anger into separation. That’s not Jehovah disciplining. It’s narcissism dispensed. Ain’t enough organization in the world that would make me suffer under that. Human nature exposes the truth of what happens to those who are deemed ‘second class’. The whispers, the self righteousness separation, the coldness. People aren’t praying for you, they want to know your business to justify their judgment and treatment of you. So never stay in places where you aren’t welcomed, no matter how much people tell you to continue.
2026-08-27 19:46:52
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Royalty :
Especially gossip , my family was always unfortunately the target for bullying and gossip , they threw their parties and never invited us, the hatred was very loud, because we were no in the same social class.
2026-08-27 09:59:51
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I'm.a.seagull :
The f*cking brainwash is surreal. It makes sense when you're in but there's always a doubt in the back. From a distance I'm seething at the time and lived experience taken by deception.
2026-08-26 20:22:19
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Plant lady :
As I single mum this is how I was treated. No invites to anything, no help when I needed it. I heard through the grapevine that the reason I wasn’t invited was incase I had feelings for a man there. So glad I got out.
2026-08-27 18:25:10
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Shawn Shover :
Wow, I was marked for nothing as a teenager. Even with my father being an elder. Never part of the in crowd. Never invited to participate in any activities or parties. I grew up thinking I wasn’t good enough. Left at 18 . Being out 45 years has taught me I am enough in God’s eyes
2026-08-27 12:38:41
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Ginge.Sir.Barks.A lot :
I never once thought of it as soft shunning, but that’s exactly what it was. I was so freaking lonely 😭 but I’m free now!
2026-08-25 12:37:23
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Marcy Lynn :
Yup, that anxiety led to so many issues for me. I never could understand why attending a meeting at the Kingdom Hall left me in such despair. Other were talking about how encouraged they were and I just felt like I was damaged. I hated those boring meetings since birth. I don’t care who dies or who gets married. I’ll never step foot in that prison again.
2026-08-26 00:26:09
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TheStoneCarversDaughter :
Thank you for posting this. You give confidence to others to speak up. I’m starting to get my voice out there too.
2026-08-25 14:34:14
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Megan :
One hundred percent accurate
2026-08-26 22:17:26
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Elle :
THIS illustration is the total truth 💯 and this depiction is so visually accurate that it's astounding how we've all seen it done or experienced them doing it to us!!!!
2026-08-25 22:19:20
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Dr. Skeptictok :
Before I left I showed up to meetings late and left early so I would have to talk to anyone
2026-08-25 16:42:14
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Linda Clark :
The elders told my 16 and 14 year old daughters I was, "A bad parent" because I allowed them to go to a party at a witness house with other witnesses and some of them snuck in alcohol. My girls were brought before the elders, my husband who was not a witness was pissed because I allowed other men to discipline our girls. Private reproof as it was called. I HATE that I lived that life for 50 years. We are finally enjoying life with our daughters and grandchildren, birthdays, Christmas and Halloween.
2026-08-25 18:08:01
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Alissa’s Awake :
It’s truly so sad this is the reality for many in that org 💔 and so many will accept it thinking they deserve that treatment.
2026-08-25 14:20:16
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Glenn Anthony :
A young girl baptized disfellowshipped, sister parents gave her the ice shoulder from 15to her 18th b.d. Bags packed sent away.
2026-08-26 06:35:32
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Writer Babe ⛱️🦋❌ :
They don’t see how women are treated. They don’t see the mental and emotional abuse (physical too) of the children.
2026-08-25 18:14:36
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mari4 :
this video is 100% truth
2026-08-25 19:26:10
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Cameron Monroe285 :
damn, this religion fckd me up. part of the reason I go to therapy once a week.
2026-08-25 23:03:54
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ElectricDade :
This is happening to my sister. I don’t know how to help her out. I am so sad.
2026-08-25 17:45:08
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Ginge.Sir.Barks.A lot :
This was me because I refused to be in any clicks, pioneer, or be at every event
2026-08-25 12:34:53
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DLT :
I hated having to make an effort to talk to these people after the meeting. It was just mundane conversation.
2026-08-25 17:07:51
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Lush :
Marking is incredibly cruel. Your name is not announced for any wrong doing , you are just ostracised from socialising. The gossip is terrible. A young girl in our congregation was marked , for nothing.
2026-08-26 14:18:04
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Luna Viola :
io son sempre stata la pecora nera 🥺
2026-08-26 15:34:47
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Syerra :
I was told I would be marked if I married my “worldly” partner. That’s when I knew I would never be enough.
2026-08-26 20:15:54
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Gbear :
wrong dont have windows 😂
2026-08-26 04:25:19
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Patrick Per :
True.
2026-08-26 19:43:52
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