BBC Programme tonight "Westboro Baptist Church"

BluesBrother

I am still watching this documentary . The Phelps family are described as "The most hated family in America" .

Why does so much of what they say sound so horribly familiar? That is scary ... Why does what they say in public sound very much like what dubs say among themselves in private.

We used to believe that America and Brittain were the "wild beast" described in the Revelation and that God hated the institution of those nations . We used to believe that God hates and plans to slaughter practising homosexuals, adulterers and those who support the actions .

The Witnesses are more tactful in public , but at heart they are not so different ...Are they ???????(Please tell me we did not used to be like that...

Brother Beyond

I have just finished watching the documentary too. Like you I found the similarities quite frightening. Whilst its true that during my time as a witness I would have never have publicly been so outspoken, it is so true that behind closed doors those exact kinds of coments and beliefs were evrywhere. That same bigotted attitude that God was with us and only us was consistant.

BB

south african beef

I've just watched it too.

They reminded me of the pictures in the older literature showing 'brothers' 'sisters' and children marching up and down the streets declaring that 'religion is a snare and a racket' etc etc.

I found I was watching it half with my old witness hat on thinking that though extreme there was (was - not is) some truth in it. Then I jolted myself back to reality and thought what a bunch of weirdos.

It just shows what grip religion can have on people, including little children and no where is this more prevalant than in the JW community.

Crumpet

Ah thank goodness. I had no new topics and desperately tried to aslert people via another of my threads.

Yes I watched and it made me very irate. I watched with slightly-related and free2think. very irate - in fact I wondered why with such an awesome gun culture in America no one had volunteered for a Waco Tribute group.

It made me comment that once I was like that girl - the pyscho who would have chuckled indulgently at the poor soul who tried to reason with me that didnt I care that they were going to die. The truth is I did care but just like them I had to switch such thoughts and feelings off. And when argued into a corner yep I was just as self righteous.

Did no one notice that gramps sat down like he took it in the ass - maybe that's where all his rage came from.

Anyway - if a programme comes on like that in future and anyone wants to watch with me via msn please PM me. i usually have someone else watching too so its cool to have a discussion during and after.

AnnOMaly

There's a BBC page that shows extracts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/noise/?id=louis_theroux

Crackpots. Those poor brainwashed children.

AK - Jeff

Are they showing it on BBC-America anyone know?

I have not heard of the Phelps family myself - so they may not be the most hated in the world - still I would like to watch if it is on here.

Jeff

Crumpet

AK Jeff you dont strike me as the type that necessarily watches the Tyra Banks show, but they were on that and I think that probably gets a fairly big audience.

slimboyfat

That was a hoot! Did you notice the girl: "friendship with the world is enmity with God". Spooky stuff.

But seriosuly it is a bit of a shame. You can see the 21 year old girl is not fully convinced.

And what about the outsider who joined them? - supposed to be a jounalistic invesigator to start with and got caught up. Doh! What did he get himself into?

But the presenter did an excellent job in emphasizing that there are positive aspects to the life they have carved up - the sense of community and togetherness, "us against them".

And the poor wee boy who was hit by something by a guy passing in a car: such a shame.

"Gramps" was clearly crazy and bad. I don't think Rutherford was as bad as that, but it did remind me of how Rutherford is presented by apostates on here.

Slim

slimboyfat

Oh, one of the most interesting bits for me was where the presenter attempted to interview "gramps" and he pointed out to "gramps" that he did not actually know anything about him to make judgements. But "gramps" responded something like: "I know everything there is to know about you".

I am ashamed to say I sometimes felt like that as a Witness. People on the outside could be nice and good people, but if they weren't interested in the "truth" then I felt I knew everything there was to know about them: an utterly shameful outlook when I think about it!

Slim

tim hooper

slightly related, Crumples? Wrong forum honey...

It was very interesting, if only to reinforce the knwledge that the majority of people will continue to believe into adulthod whatever nonsense they've been indoctrinated with as a kid. That was the scary bit.

tim

BBC Programme tonight "Westboro Baptist Church"

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