Eydie: Shunned for Thinking Differently

I was born and raised in South Africa, speaking Afrikaans. My journey with Jehovah’s Witnesses began when I was six years old, as my mother started studying with them, followed later by my stepfather.

 

My childhood was controlled by the strict rules of the religion—no competitive sports, no choir, no higher education. My life revolved around preaching, meetings, and studying Watchtower literature. At 17, I was baptized, fully committing myself to what I believed was "the truth."

 

In 1982, I married a Jehovah’s Witness, and in 1988, we welcomed our son into the world. That same year, we moved to the Netherlands, continuing our active involvement in the organization. But when a close family member was disfellowshipped, I refused to shun her—so did my parents. As a result, we faced silent punishment. Congregation members ignored us, never visited, never invited us to anything. Even the elders instructed us not to let her into our home.

 

Eventually, she was reinstated, but the experience left a lasting impact. My parents quietly faded out of the organization, and my husband and I moved to another congregation.

 

For years, doubts lingered in my mind, but it wasn’t until 2007—after 18 years in the Netherlands—that my husband and I saw the Watchtower organization for what it really was. We spent the next decade researching outside of Watchtower materials. The scandals, the sexual abuse cover-ups, the Malawi-Mexico hypocrisy, and the ever-changing doctrines confirmed our decision: this was not "the truth."

 

In 2017, we wrote our disassociation letter. The congregation publicly announced it, but that wasn’t enough for them—they also informed the congregation I grew up in. Overnight, my social media went dark. Friends, cousins, my aunt—everyone vanished from my life. When I see them in public, they look the other way, pretending I don’t exist. Even at my mother’s funeral, Jehovah’s Witnesses ignored us completely.

 

The pain of shunning is indescribable. Over the years, I have known seven former Jehovah’s Witnesses who took their own lives—seven friends lost to this cruel practice.

 

For the past 3.5 years, I have been an activist, fighting against Watchtower’s shunning policies. We regularly go to Bethel, demanding to speak with the Watchtower chairman. We have climbed the walls, faced arrests, and won legal battles for our right to protest. We speak with the media and parliament, ensuring this inhumane practice is exposed. A Dutch television company, Videoland, created a documentary highlighting the Watchtower’s shunning, its abuse cover-ups, and its harmful teachings. After watching it, many Jehovah’s Witnesses have left the organization.

 

I will not stop fighting. No one deserves to be shunned for thinking differently.

 

To all who are still suffering, you are not alone. You are valuable. Keep going.