Christadelphians know that this awaits them if they leave the ‘truth’. It is just another of many powerful devices the Christadelphians have of locking people into their stupid cult.

J. R. Brown, the Watchtower Bible & Tract corporation’s Public Affairs Officerd has been quoted as saying that it ANNUALLY disfellowships (i.e., excommunicates) “between 50,000-70,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses”. He suggests that eventually up to half of them will come back to the organization. God only knows how many suicides result from this destructive practice.

Here is a thought to ponder–Jesus, in whose footsteps Jehovah’s Witnesses proudly proclaim they walk, was able to say to the Father that “I didn’t lose a single one you gave me”. (John 18:9) Yet, Jehovah’s Witnesses have, excommunicated over 1,000,000 of those baptised followers in the last generation. How proud would Jesus be of THAT record?

In the recent Pew Survey on religion, no denomination in America loses a greater percentage of children raised its faith. More than 60 percent of those “raised in the truth” by faithful Witness parents will leave the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses as adults.

Many times the scriptures admonish Jesus’ followers to feed the hungry; clothing the naked, heal the sick, but never once does it mention the need for an ecclesiastical tribunal (as Judicial Committees are referred to in court) in Christian congregations. Have you ever heard of a Watchtower soup kitchen to feed the hungry? A Jehovah’s Witness hospital or clinic for the sick in its community? Any established ongoing charity for the poor/naked/hungry/widowed or orphans? There are none. But…what every single congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world has is a Watchtower appointed “Judicial Committee” to act as police; judge, jury and executioner for any and all members of the local body. Job No. 1 of these committees is “to keep the Organization clean”. Would you say that Jesus’ job No. one? Or was his primary goal to SAVE those very ones deserving of death? Jesus was famous for casting out demons (in fact he told his followers to do the same). Jehovah’s Witnesses have made themselves famous for casting sinning members out TO THE DEMONS!

Sheeez, it’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation isn’t it? Didn’t China ban religion a few years back? What’s the JW situation over there?

Also I wonder if we could get a head-count on all the exJW’s - would there be more out than there is in, I wonder?

Article 1.
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

At an early age, children of Jehovah’s Witnesses are deprived of reason. They are brainwashed with the esoteric teachings of the Watchtower. In adult life, Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t share in the universal “spirit of brotherhood”. They are “no part of the world.”

Article 2.
“Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.”

In the exercise of religion, the Watchtower violates Article 30 of the declaration, that is, it tramples on the inherent rights of its members.

Article 3.
“Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.”

The Watchtower deprives its members the “right to life, liberty and security of person.” It sees to it that members don’t get blood transfusion. It doesn’t have the well-being of members foremost in mind.

Article 4.
“No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses are practically slaves in the name of religion.

Article 5.
“No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

The Watchtower controls every aspect of life of Jehovah’s Witnesses, even prohibiting masturbation. They are made into robots.

Article 6.
“Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.”

The Watchtower withholds the full development of Jehovah’s Witnesses as human beings. It prohibits competition of any kind in arts, music, sports, science, etc.

Article 10.
“Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.”

All congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses have kangaroo courts they call “Judicial Committees”. They are partial and not public.

Article 12.
“No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”

Within the congregation, a Jehovah’s Witness is subject to “arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence” and to “attacks upon his honour and reputation”. Even personal matters as lovelife and employment are put under humiliating scrutiny.

Article 16.
(1) “Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses are prohibited to marry “worldly persons”. That being the case, many female members become old maids.

(3) “The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.”

Because of shunning, many Jehovah’s Witnesses lost families and relatives.

Article 18.
“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

The Watchtower deprives Jehovah’s Witnesses the right to change his or her religion without dire personal and familial consequences.

Article 19.
“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

“Freedom of opinion and expression” is not tolerated among Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is discouraged in bible studies. They are obligated to only consider what the Watchtower has to say on various matters.

Article 20.
(2) “No one may be compelled to belong to an association.”

Born in Jehovah’s Witnesses are compelled to join the group at an early age.

Article 21.
(1) “Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot join politics.

(3) “The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not vote.

Article 23.
(1) “Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot join politics, the police or military and the United Nations as a means of livelihood.

Article 24.
“Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.”

Sunday for a Jehovah’s Witness is like a working day. Two hours of congregation meeting in the morning and another two hours of evangelizing in the afternoon or vice versa.

Article 25.
(1) “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.”

The Watchtower deprives its members economic development. It coerces members to get into full-time evangelizing without compensation. Jehovah’s Witnesses are always reminded to “keep their eyes simple.”

(2) “Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.”

The Watchtower employs child labor by ordaining baptized children to perform evangelism.

Article 26.
(1) “Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.”
(2) “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.”

The Watchtower discourages education and academic excellence. No “full development of the human personality” among Jehovah’s Witnesses.

(3) “Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses bastardize this right by homeschooling their chilren, especially, in the US.

Article 27.
(1) “Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.”
(2) “Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.”

The Watchtower doesn’t believe in the personal rights of its members. It shuns classical music, arts and culture or any endeavor extolling the person.

Article 28.
“Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.”

The Watchtower doesn’t believe in the capacity of the world to govern itself and maintain peace and order. Instead, it advocates the theocratic “new system of things” as the only hope for humanity.

Article 29.
(1) “Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.”

The Watchtower doesn’t engage in any humanitarian work outside of its members.

(3) “These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.”

The Watchtower believes that the United Nations is the “wild beast” in the Apocalypse.

Article 30.
“Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.”

The Watchtower teachings are detrimental to the “rights and freedoms” of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They destroy childhood dreams and lay waste the prime of youth of so many hapless victims.