Nemesis Rising Twins Excommunicated for Being Gay
Speaking of Montana, just north of where I'm at a meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses took place to decide the fate of Jacob and Joshua Miller, the identical twins who practice the faith and whose band Nemesis was followed this season in a LOGO reality show. The outcome was, well, what you might expect, according to a statement released by the brothers:
"The two of us were just informed that last night a Jehovah's Witness meeting took place in our hometown of Kalispell, Montana. At this meeting it was announced to all members of the Jehovah's Witness organization that we have been, as Jehovah's Witnesses would say, "disfellowshipped" (excommunicated) because of our homosexuality and our participation in our reality show, Jacob & Joshua: Nemesis Rising, on Logo.
According to Jehovah's Witness doctrine, being "disfellowshipped" means that we have been found guilty of unrepentant gross misconduct. Our immediate family is to have limited or no contact with us. And all other practicing Jehovah's Witnesses around the world are not to speak with us ever again.
Although we are no longer Jehovah's Witnesses, we have nothing but love for those individuals who have been asked to shun us. We will continue to be in contact with our family and those who truly love us unconditionally as long as they're willing.
We find it ironic that a religion whose members are asked to knock on the doors of strangers with a message of acceptance into paradise on Earth will not accept two of its own children for who they really are. Our wish for them is one of tolerance and understanding and we send to all of them a message of peace and love."
Another great example of how organized religion can be buckets of fun, love, and inclusion.
Posted Dec. 21,2006 at 3:48 PM EST by Andy Towle in Jehovah's Witnesses, Montana, Music, Nemesis, News, Religion | Permalink
Religion without love is toxic.
Posted by: KJ | Dec 21, 2006 3:54:58 PM
Amen.
Posted by: Brett | Dec 21, 2006 4:15:37 PM
As obnoxious as these two guys come across on their TV show, my heart goes out to them.
"What the world needs now, is love, sweet love..."
Posted by: Todd | Dec 21, 2006 4:40:23 PM
I hate this fucking religion so much!!!!!!!! My neice just joined them and she's getting my poor nephews into it as well. I'm sure that few people realise what a fucked up religion this is. If ever you are baptised in the Jehovas Witnesses and you decide to leave, your own parents will no longer even talk to you on the phone. My boyfriend is an ex JW and has told me so many horror stories. I'm hoping one day for the government to make cults like this illegal, especially for children -18 as they grow up brainwashed and are so fucked up when they get out of it they are screwed for life!
Posted by: Jamie | Dec 21, 2006 4:44:35 PM
religion is for the weak... and easily manipulated...
Posted by: m | Dec 21, 2006 4:55:52 PM
My heart goes out to them. I was raised and practiced JW til I was 21. I came out to my family and was immediately disowned. I haven't talked to them in three years. And if they talk to me, they would be excommunicated.
The good news is you learn things about yourself, unconditional love and spirituality you never knew existed. The bad news is you lose everything.
I wish them the best and to hang in there, it gets better.
Posted by: billy | Dec 21, 2006 4:57:40 PM
Right, Jamie - the only solution *must* be to ban "cults." And I'm sure you'd like to be included in the government task force that determines what exactly a "cult" is and what actions should be taken against those who are a part of them.
Maybe next the government can barcode us all and tell us where to work and where to shop and when we can have fun. Assuming they allow us the choice of having fun.
Posted by: Jordan | Dec 21, 2006 4:57:52 PM
No, the government has no business banning the Jehovah's Witnesses. That's a slippery slope.
But they're still a cult.
Posted by: mark m | Dec 21, 2006 5:01:26 PM
What's this task force you're talking about Jordan? Sign me up!
I used to be a firm believer of freedom of speech and freedom of religion, but have you turned on your TV or radios lately? We now have fascists killing animals live on air, amongst other things, and spewing their hateful endoctrines. Unfortunately, most of the population are raving idiots and buy into all that shit and not to mention the young children growing up with it. Anything "uncool" these days is called "gay" unfortunately, and we have a whole generation of children growing up with this perception of things. It's just my opinion, but any organisation that preaches hate and intolerance should be banned.
Posted by: Jamie | Dec 21, 2006 5:14:57 PM
I love those boys, today's youth is marching on.
Posted by: gay is the new straight | Dec 21, 2006 5:19:17 PM
Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion makes the point that tagging children with the myth of religion is tantamount to child abuse. I agree. There is plenty of precident for the goverment involving itself in the protection of children from religion when it is deemed harmful. Example would be intervening in a child's health when their Christian Science parents won't seek treatment. Granted, it will never happen...but I do see the expansion of what we think of as child abuse could include religious teaching.
Their show is vapid. But you can't help but feel for these two. My own partner won't come out to his parents for fear of being shunned. It is very powerful a threat so I do admire the courage of these two.
Posted by: Trey | Dec 21, 2006 5:25:50 PM
Good point Trey!
Jehovas Witnesses don't "believe" in blood transfusions, and if their child needed one to survive, they would tell the doctor that it is "against their religion", and let their child die.
Al Qaeda should have targeted the Watchtower in NYC instead of the WTC.
Posted by: Jamie | Dec 21, 2006 5:33:05 PM
The boys are probably better off now. To practice a religion weather it be JW, Mormon, or catholic just never made sense to me. It all boils down to God being God. If your religion doesn't accept you move along to one that will.
Posted by: Wolf | Dec 21, 2006 5:36:59 PM
Jamie that was an idiotic thing to say. It puts you in a category far worse than those you are criticizing, and suggests that terrorism is somehow rational if directed at the "right" target. THINK before you type, fool.
Posted by: rascal | Dec 21, 2006 5:40:26 PM
Jamie,
Any organization that preaches hate and intolerance should be shunned, but there are ways of going about that which don't involve the government.
The government doesn't need to be heavily in the business of telling people what they can and cannot believe/preach/say. If you don't like what an organization has to say, then ignore them. Or counter them, and get your friends and family to do the same. You have the right to do that. You don't, however, have the right to not be offended.
Posted by: Jordan | Dec 21, 2006 5:46:08 PM
Rascal, when did I ever say that terrorism is rational? I'm saying that I would have preferred it to be the Watchtower than the WTC, but of course I wish it never had happened at all. I've been called worse things than "fool" btw. Do you have anything to add that is "on-topic"? Or are you just blowing off steam? I'm highly emotional about the JW's at the moment because I have alot of recent personal experiences with them. And I am far from being an idiot.
Posted by: Jamie | Dec 21, 2006 5:52:06 PM
"Another great example of how organized religion can be buckets of fun, love, and inclusion."
Except that these young men seemed to learn to turn the other cheek rather well. Something positive obviously rubbed off on them from their upbringing. I'm not excusing the actions of the JH hierarchy, but if all JH stood for was hate, then the boys would have reacted in-kind and not responded in the open and heartfelt way that they did.
Any tool held in the hands of the evil can be made to do evil.
Posted by: David M Pasteelnick | Dec 21, 2006 5:52:53 PM
"Rascal, when did I ever say that terrorism is rational? I'm saying that I would have preferred it to be the Watchtower than the WTC"
"Al Qaeda should have targeted the Watchtower in NYC instead of the WTC."
Posted by: Jamie | Dec 21, 2006 5:33:05 PM
Jamie that is when you said that terrorism is rational. That is similar to that bitch Ann Coulter saying she wished they blew up the NY Times instead of Oklahoma City. Words have powerful meaning and weight Jamie. Think before you type. Then check your words before you post. You may not be an idiot, but your comments were very idiotic.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Dec 21, 2006 6:15:44 PM
Ok there's a reason I called this a slippery slope. If the government gets involved in determining which religions are dangerous to children, then what is stopping the government from determining that homosexual parents are bad for children?
I don't want the government getting that involved in parents' lives. It's a bit of a leap to go from two parents refusing medical treatment for their child to parents who "indoctrinate" children with their religious beliefs being akin to child abusers.
You're entitled to raise your children to beware of religion and you are entitled to speak out against it. Please do. I empathize with parents who want children to think for themselves!
Just don't ask the government to intervene. That's a scary proposition, not to mention it goes against everything America was founded on.
Posted by: mark m | Dec 21, 2006 6:17:40 PM
I'm gonna spit cum on the next Jehovah's that knock on my door.
Posted by: Crixi Van Cheek | Dec 21, 2006 6:38:05 PM
Josh and Jacob knew that they would be disfellowshipped for revealing that they were gay in such a public forum. They made that decision and choose to live with the consequences. I feel badly for their parents who must now choose between the children they truly love and the faith they have held all their lives. I wish them the best. Misguided as we all think they are, our hearts should be with them as they cope with this situation.
On a lighter note, at least we know how to rid ourselves of JWs at our doors.... one big, wet, sloppy kiss should ensure they never grace our steps again.
Posted by: Norm | Dec 21, 2006 7:37:44 PM
I grew up as a Jehovahs Witness.
I am Gay.
I was disfellowshipped.
Jehovahs Witnesses are willing and weak victims of a very successful cult.
Knowing these things, I still believe that 99% of Jehovahs Witnesses are good and well meaning people. Do not blame them. They are sheep.
Now that I've said that, my brother who I have not spoken with in 16 years works at the Watchtower headquarters in Brooklyn Heights, NYC.
So when someone says: 'Al Qaeda should have targeted the Watchtower in NYC instead of the WTC.' Please know that these are real people with real families and not some unreachable, unknowable group of people.
We are all intertwined. Please think before you judge someone else.
Posted by: Toby | Dec 21, 2006 8:34:17 PM
After growing up a Church of Christ preacher's kid in rural Tennessee I have little sympathy here. They knew the rules as did my gay brother and myself. This is a religeon that will NEVER accept anyone for being gay. It is just the way it is....accept it and move on.
My goal is to make people think twice about what they say and do in "public" about my being gay and NOT their real inner thoughts. We will NEVER change the real bigots and trust me here, those bigots are Jehovah's Witness.
They are not alone, but they are bigots none the less!!! There are many religeons that fall in this category but for the purpose of this thread they are the topic.
Posted by: RB | Dec 21, 2006 9:16:14 PM
I am also a disfellowshipped gay ex-Jehovah's Witness. My father was the presiding overseer for our congregation growing up and my sister married an ex-Bethelite. When I was disfellowshipped at 18 I didn't hear from my family for nearly 8 years. Speaking from personal experience, they are indeed a very destructive cult. They refuse to allow blood transfusions for their children and also prevent them from attending college. Countless families and innumerable children have been destroyed because of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Posted by: David | Dec 21, 2006 9:30:25 PM
Doesn't it seem odd to anyone that JW's will not speak to former members but will most probably talk to "never-was" people? Wouldn't it be more logical to simply treat all non JW's the same? They must put enormous pressure on their members to conform.
Posted by: Anon | Dec 21, 2006 11:00:24 PM