Silencing former Jehovah's Witnesses

by The wanderer 18 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  The wanderer

  Silencing former Jehovah's Witnesses

  Often times there would be an article about a web site
  being shutdown by the Watchtower Bible and Tract
  Society.
  
  A number of individuals have had to appear in court
  and some were even incarcerated by the instigation's
  of the Watchtower Society.

  The traditional methods of silencing dissenters

  In years past, we were always warned about accepting
  "apostate" literature and for the most part it was easy
  for the Society to handle.
  
  An "apostate" would approach you at an assembly and
  you could either avoid he or she and throw away any
  literature that was either handed to you or placed
  under your windshield wiper.

  The internet comes onto the scene

  Now the problem comes with the advent of the
  internet. It has been reported that the Society
  monitors sites such as this one.
  
  The question regarding the Society's methods in
  silencing dissenters are:

  ---

  • In what new ways do you see the Society trying
    to stop individuals from educating the public
    regarding its real history?

  • What other methods have you heard about the
    Society, regarding the persecuting of former
    Witnesses?

  • How are they now "protecting" the flock
    against finding out about who they really
    are?

  Please post your thoughts and
  comments for a lively discussion.

  Respectfully,

  The Wanderer

  P. S. Dropping in for a little visit.
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  OUTLAW

  Wanderer..Welcome to the Wild West..With the internet it`s a whole new ball game..The playing field has been evened..WBT$ can shut down a person or two,but they can`t get all of us..Gorrila Warfare at its best..Look at us,people from all over the world..Stiking in different ways,with different methods..We are an unstopable virus..It`s just the begining...OUTLAW
• 

  AlmostAtheist

  I don't think they can do anything to silence those that use the internet. Quotes got burned because of copyright infringement, but that didn't get rid of the information. And of course there are scads of sites out there that tell the truth about the "troof".

  The best they can do is what they've done -- provide very lame answers to the scandals or deny them entirely, and instruct the flock to stay away from that bad ol' internet.

  Clearly, the flock isn't going to stay off the 'net. It isn't going to get any better from here for the boys in Brooklyn.

  Nice to see you, Wanderer!

  Dave
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  megsmomma

  I think the internet is going to really make a dent in the people getting into the org. I had an experience showing how the people curious about the JW's may react when they are concidering getting into the religion. I had a couple mormon girls come to my door, and I had some questions I wanted to ask them about. Well, they had been trained on how to direct the conversation, so I didn't really get my questions answered straight. Just like the JW's go into things. So, I looked up the mormon web-site and found the answers easily and decieded not to keep on with talking to them. So, hopefully all reasonable persons will do the same and not just listen to the JW's at their door who don't even know what they themselves teach.
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  choosing life

  Judging from the information available on the internet, I think it is inevitable that the real truth will continue to spread. They are trying to discourage education and use of internet, but who is listening? Just in my little area I have seen many leave the local congregations. They just walk away or are shunned for apostacy.

  From this board, I see an influx of new ones continue to grow. Once a person learns they have been deceived about only 1 thing, they are going to start listening more carefully and be more open to think for themselves. And then there are the thousands that are only in it for family. Without the shunning policy, the religion would be gone.
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  Sunspot

  In my 30-year stint in the WTS army.....I recruited ony ONE that became and stayed a JW....my oldest daughter. In the last few short years since I left the WTS....I have been successful in getting only ONE out.....(that I know of) and several that didn't make it t baptism after conversing with me. I don't know how many have been affected by what I have written on a DB or in an email when I was invited to write to them....

  ...but the fact IS that the internet ROCKS and that the communication is far better and far more effective than banging on doors of people to tell them that their religion is false!

  Annie
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  LovesDubs

  I believe the internet is the reason that the only real growth you see in the society now is in 3rd world and internet-less countries. Poor countries...easily swayed by the promises of hope, and a better life offered up by the Dubs.
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  lonelysheep

  Hearing what you should stay away from 3 days out of the week can make a person rather proud to stay away from any non-official WT site that speaks about jw's. So with the repetition from the meetings and fear of shattering one's faith, it can make it easy to stay away from so-called apostate literature on the net.

  At some point, the average person is going to have the ability to come to terms with what is true and what is false on the internet--whether it be here at jwd or the wt's own site. Being ready and willing accept the real truth about the wts can lead some out of the falsehood and into reality.

  Wanderer, I am so glad you are here.
• 

  JWdaughter

  The WT has this to say on its own site: "Internal Squabbles

  While some religions are at war with one another, others are beset by internal squabbles. For instance, in recent years the churches of Christendom have been split by ongoing debates on matters of doctrine. Clergy and laity alike ask: Is birth control permitted? What about abortion? Should women be ordained as priests? How ought the church to view homosexuality? Should a religion sanction war? In view of such disunity, many wonder, ‘How can a religion unite mankind if it cannot unite even its own members?’

  Clearly, religion in general has failed to be a force for unity. But are all religions marked by divisions? Is there a religion that is different—one that can unite mankind?"

  Easy for them to say-the minute someone 'squables' they are kicked out! Silencing the dissenters is very effective in eliminating internal squabbling.

  OK, I really love the word 'squabble'. Looks funny, sounds funny, IS funny. (I am trying to quickly work out of my bad mood as in a half hour I need to be room mom at the not halloween party.)
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  AuldSoul

  Welcome back, Richard...

  (psst!) Hey, Almost Atheist...didn't he say he was done with the article style format thing?

  They couldn't shut me up while I was in and they can't shut me up now.