Watchtower Exploitation Begins!

by metatron 36 Replies latest jw friends

metatron

Over the weekend, various publishers/congregations were
instructed to go out in service for a "special work".
Some congregations received letters from Circuit Overseers
emphasizing immediate use of old Awake magazines with articles
on terrorism on the cover.
They never miss an opportunity to exploit human suffering
to increase magazine sales and converts - and to what end?
To get them to look forward to a wonderful slaughter of 99%
of the human race at Armageddon. How wonderful to hope that
God will finish the job Osama Bin Laden only started!
How wonderful it is to deceive people into embracing the very
ugliness and horror they now cry about!
metatron
bugsyme

Hi,
I'm new here but I wanted to share my thoughts to what you posted. I have been around JW's and studied with a few and been to some meetings and so on... but I am not baptized, but I wanted to share with you my response to your accusation that THEY are capitalizing on this suffering.
I remember a long time ago at a study where the subject of Holy War had come up and as I recall they had magazines supporting their view on what the Bible said about it. But, I don't, however rememeber EVER having to pay for anything.
Maybe they are re-surfacing the articles because why print it all over again if it's already been done? Sorta makes sense if you look at it that way.
noidea

Metatron,
We had the same instructions.
literature to be used:
5/22/01 Awake on terrorism (will go into reprint)
8/22/02 Awake post traumatic stress
(brochure)
Does God really care
Will there ever be a world without wars
(tracts)
Comfort for the depressed
Life in a peaceful new world
Peaceful new world when will it come
The scripture to be emphasized is Is. 61:1&2
61 The spirit of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah is upon me, for the reason that Jehovah has anointed me to tell good news to the meek ones. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to those taken captive and the wide opening [of the eyes] even to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of goodwill on the part of Jehovah and the day of vengeance on the part of our God; to comfort all the mourning ones.
proplog2

Metatron:
You have become a confirmed hater. What's your objective? Do you think it is good to take everything JW's do and reframe it?
Offering articles on current event themes has long been a tactic of JW's. It's not exploitation because there are no moral or ethical principles being violated by what they do.
You used to have a thought provoking view-point. This kind of stuff makes you a cheap propagandist.
metatron

Given the extreme nature of your reply, I doubt I will be
able to make you see reason in this matter - or that any part
of your conscience will be awakened to see the glaring wrong
of what is discussed.
For anyone else reading, this subject has been carefully
addressed repeatedly:
It is wrong to play upon people's sympathy for human suffering
while deceptively covering up the proposed solution, namely
slaughtering 99% of the human race. This is classic cult manipulation
- you get people to accept and rejoice in embracing THE VERY
THING THEY HAVE REJECTED IN HORROR - mass execution!
They announced a special effort in response to the tragedy.
Their message of mass death continues, dressed up for the public
to naively accept. This is exploitation.
At the Kingdom Hall after this was announced, I offered the
opinion that this has nothing to do with the END. A sister
said , losing her glee, "We were hoping this was Armageddon!"
As for me being hateful, your comment is absurd.
I am not the party enthusiastically teaching that 99% of the
human race is or deserves to DIE!
metatron
troubled

Metatron,
I too must respond to your posts.
As you know, if you have read any of my previous posts, I am an active JW. However, I do not believe it is a perfect religion, that we have a grasp on absolute knowledge, or that the GB has never made errors. In fact, I have my own personal struggle in certain areas of our religion, which I am trying to weigh, evaluate, research, and come to grips with.
However, it is unkind and untrue to categorize all JWs into a group and portray them as unfeeling, exploitative humans waiting to capitalize on the suffering of others. This is my own personal experience.
My husband and I were on vacation when we heard about the disasters at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The news was devastating to us, just as it must have been to most other humans living in our country. We cut our trip short and returned home. Not because we were afraid, but because it didn't feel like "vacation" anymore. I couldn't keep enjoying the majestic, pristine beauty of the Canadian Rockies, knowing that at that same moment, so many others were suffering such unspeakable suffering and tragedy.
Since that day, I have continued in my normal routine, but things do not feel normal to me. I have a heavy sadness in my heart that weighs me down. I've had trouble sleeping since then. I go back and forth between watching the news and having to get away from it. It feels so emotionally overwhelming. Not because I'm surprised it is happening, but because it still hurts to see people suffer and in pain. (By the way, our congregation was never instructed not to watch the news.)
I went out in the ministry Saturday AM, not to exploit people or play on human tragedy. I went because I knew that if others felt the way I did, they could use some comfort. I almost didn't go. I told my husband, "I don't know if I can do this today. I'm afraid I might cry at the door." He said if I did, it was OK. At least people would see that JWs are people with feelings. Gladly, I made it through field service without crying. But I have cried on and off in the past week and feel deeply for everybody who is grieving, afraid, and in pain.
My goal on Saturday wasn't to sell magazines. I didn't ask for money. I rarely do. Just prepared a few scriptures in case I met someone it might help. The direction we got from the CO was "Just let them talk. Don't preach to them; just show you care and offer comfort if you can." I don't think I was able to do much. I wish I could do more. No, I'm not giving blood, saluting the flag, or advocating war. But I would gladly dig through the rubble myself if I was able. Believe me. It's true.
With respect to your comment about Armageddon, it has always been the hope of JWs that the majority of mankind gain life, not be destroyed. Who said 99 percent of humankind would be killed off at Armageddon? Yes, we believe God is using an organization here on earth to gather people for survival into a new earth. But Jehovah is the ultimate Judge. He sees the whole of a matter and can read the heart. Not us. OK. Maybe sometimes we forget that.
Anyway, I've rambled way too long. But I just needed to express how I feel.
proplog2

Metatron:
JW's are simply the messengers. Making sure that people are warned is NOT exploitation. Even the Bible indicates that Jehovah doesn't delight in the destruction of the wicked. The buoy that lifts the spirits of Christians amidst turmoil is the prospect of deliverance.
However, I disagree that Armageddon means eternal destruction. That would be as unjust and out of harmony with God's love as eternal hell-fire. The only "thing" thrown into Gehenna at Armageddon is the Wild Beast and False Prophet. Symbols are the only thing destroyed forever at Armageddon.
Without divine (or some other extra-terrestial) intervention 100% of the people on this planet will surely die leaving the playing field for another attempt by evolution.
Is the idea that a solution that results in the survival of 1% of the earths population "bad"? Not if the alternative is 0%. And that's the direction the world is heading.
You continue to wear the blinders of technology as the best hope. Yes technology has prolonged life. But what will be your opinion when you and your loved ones are at the final stage of an antrhax infection. Three days of bleeding lung and intestinal membranes. That's the next step for terrorists. They DO have the stuff. They WILL use it.
Part of JW's worship is a message of divine intervention. I listened to the words of the interfaith services in Washington. The hope they hold out is that everyone alive today will die and get on the heaven express. The only religion that talks about a material paradise on Earth is JW's.
troubled

PS
One last thought about Armageddon. Who knows what circumstances might happen between now and then that might move many others to embrace God and Truth? In a case like that, 99% of humans would not be destroyed.
Also, since Jehovah is the reader of hearts, if he sees many, many loving persons would embrace Truth if they had different circumstances, exposure to information, biological makeup, opportunity, etc., I'm sure He will take this also into consideration.
Sometimes I think about Ninevah. How he had Jonah give the warning of destruction. But due to the hearts and responses of people, He did not bring such a destruction after all. We know what He has said in his Word, the Bible. But we can't see the whole picture. The details, extenuating circumstances, and complexities behind each person's life decisions, etc. Or the situations where persons have been hurt by the organization. But Jehovah knows these things. It is He who will ultimately decide who will live in his righteous new world.
There's so much more we don't know. But I believe Jehovah will be fair in his decisions. More and more, I see how flawed, vulnerable, and human we all are. Truly, we are dust. Myself included. Despite the flaws and errors in the organization, I have chosen (up to now) to stay in this religious organization. However, I do not ever pretend to be the judge who will decide the fate of my fellow human or determine his/her worthiness for everlasting life.
I love God and people. I admit my weaknesses and lack of full knowledge. I see where the BG has made some serious errors with people's lives. But for now, Jehovah's organization is the place I want to be.
I think I am different from most of you in that I was NOT raised in this religion. Therefore, I did not feel FORCEd to do it. Also, I had a great deal of freedom before becoming a JW. And while I prize freedom and use of intelligence and reason, I did not find complete fulfillment in this world's hodgepodge of abstract ideas where no answer can ever be pinned down, where a thousand various ideas are all right, and where every truth is "relative."
Despite the many flaws and failings in myself, in my fellow JWs, and in the organization, at present it is still the place I want to be. I don't know if I will be next month, next year, next decade. As I said, I have some serious spiritual issues I am dealing with myself.
But to portray all JWs as callous, exploitative automatons simply isn't true. I don't want people to be killed at Armageddon, I do not refer to non-JWs as "goats" or joke that after Armageddon, "I want that house!" I hope only for a happy outcome in the end. There are many good and loving people in this world.
larc

Troubled,
I think that most of us here are not angry at individual Witnesses. I think that most Witnesses are kind, sincere people. I and many others are against your system. While many of you are charitable, your system does not promote charity. While many, like yourself, feel sick at heart over last week's tragedy, your system does not promote these emotions. I have read many comments received here from Witnesses where many emphasised the "exciting" time we are living in and de-emphasized the human tragedy. I also read comments on WOL where the comments were mixed. At least two of the JWs there referred to the event as "sad, but exiting". I can't think of people of other religions using that phrase. One exception might be Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell who made very inappropriate public statements.
troubled

Larc,
Point taken. Thanks for expressing your feelings.

Watchtower Exploitation Begins!

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