An article in today's news feed talks about Jehovahs Witnesses and how they shun and ostracize members who do not strictly follow church doctrine and policies.

The article highlights the story of a woman who was shunned after she divorced her abusive husband. This same woman, at 8 yrs of age, witnessed her 21 yr old sister's suicide after the sister was shunned for becoming engaged to a non-churchmember. Shunning includes the family, so those shunned are left without any social network whatsoever.

Another aspect discussed in the article was instances of individuals killing not only themselves, but other family members as well at the prospect of being tossed out, or doing so after being "excommunicated" from the church.

This is how harmful, how devastating religion can be. Why would anyone want to be a part of it?

That's because fundamental christians are assholes..

I can't stand the religious trying to force their beliefs on everyone else. They think letting gays marry will ruin the sanctity of marriage. I say it doesnt hurt anyone to be allowed to marry the person they love. Im a straight woman with gay friends and it does not bother me if they get married, heck in fact two couples are married, a white guy and his russian husband and two black gals Im helping get a start in goats when they are ready. Dont let them get you down, we got your back here.

And it always makes me laugh that these are the same jack asses that view all Middle Easterners as terrorists and savages.
Some sects approve of child marriage in the Middle East. Maybe they can use that as a talking point to see how similar they really are.
Hah! I doubt they'll ever do that. Hypoctrites never look at the shit they do as being wrong.

Had this conversation with someone the other day. Thee is NO circumstance in which a 14-year-old getting married is to the benefit of that child. It is exploitive, it is predatory, it is child abuse.

It's hard to put those two words together: Religious and morality. Especially since religion effectively has brought iron and bronze age morality all the way into the 21st century. Also if the only thing that keeps someone from not being moral is the threat of eternal damnation they really were not moral to begin with.

I don't think there is anyone who 'intended' to do anything of what you are talking about. I is US who are doing the doing. I think we have a natural god - the universe - that is happily awaiting your soul-pair to get to whaever place is it that we go when we die, in order to have your experiences here analysed. We let people do the things they do. US, no one else.

1 marriage was enough to possibly scare me off from going there again. I get tired of jeezuz freaks being all sanctimonious about staying in their bad marriages for life because God, and Vows. Life's too short to stay in an unhappy marriage.And forcing children into arranged marriages is disgusting and child abuse.

And let us not forget the holier-than-holy clergy, leading their flocks in worship on one hand, and diddling the alter boys with the other ...

When people stop using common sense and buy into "myth and magic" common sense goes out the window. As I told my grandkids, NEVER EVER stop thinking for yourself.

Jasuz Loves the little Children..

We have to have a morality based on decency, not religion. This is not moral behavior by our culture's standards and our civil morality should override any religious "morality" that breaches the right to choose what we do with our own body and that violates protecting children, from their own parents if necessary.

The religious justify their every action and choices using their dilusion regardless of how absurd it is or how much it contradicts their bible.

sick sick sick

This is the stuff that wants to tip me over from "Atheist" to "Rampaging Atheist against reglious people.".