A "Soft" approach re the UN to my sister

bluesapphire

I just sent her the following e-mail. Guess I'm trying to use the ole "bait and hook" routine. I would appreciate your comments.

Hi XXX, I was wondering when your talk is going to be? Or was it this past weekend? I heard there was a special meeting and wondered if your talk was going to be at this meeting. How did it go? I'm sure you did well. (Making sure she doesn't delete the e-mail before reading on.)

Also, did you get a chance to finish looking up articles on the UN in the CD Rom? (She promised to do me this "favor" since my "CD Rom is broken") I have been going to the UN official website and finding very interesting information about different religions who are involved in spreading the United Nations ideal. They have to register as "Non-governmental Organizations" first and go through this complicated process just to become an associate of the UN. They even have to pledge their allegeance to the United Nations. It's interesting stuff! I always wondered how religions *could* become associated with the United Nations since only governments can be official *members*. I never knew about this Non Governmental Organization business. It did remind me about how the Revelation Climax book talks about the "harlot" riding the "wild beast". Always wondered how it could be done. Guess now I know ha!

Well, gotta go. Just wanted to touch base with you.

Love, XXX

Well, what do you think? I'm hoping to engage her in dialogue about this. You know, getting her mind focussed. Hoping she will utterly condemn any religion who would even think of becoming an associate of the United Nations as an NGO, etc. Then I will reel her in. Gotta go slow with this little one. She's totally brain dead at the moment.
I'll keep you posted.

Ranch

Sounds great!
Let us know what happens.

OhHappyDay

Yeah...sounds really great. I am all ears...!Let us know.

LittleToe

BS:
Ya beauty!!!

What an excellent way to handle it!
You are right to go softly, softly. Don't rush it.
A few references to some of the "despicable" religions involved, might to a good follow up.

LT

hawkaw

Nice start but it needs a lot technical work. Go through the big thread and all the other threads to help you.

They have to register as "Non-governmental Organizations" first and go through this complicated process just to become an associate of the UN. They even have to pledge their allegeance to the United Nations.

Remember your "optics" and stay with the facts and keep your letter short (which you have done).

The facts are that the WTS is already a NGO. The Watchtower, as an NGO, VOLUNTARILY APPLIED to the DPI to gain an "ASSOCIATE" status with the UN's DPI.

I (like Mad Apostate who corrected me) do not like the term "pledge allegeance". What the WTS has done as per the UN's critera is VOLUNTARILY AGREED to "SUPPORT" and "RESPECT" the UN's charter and promote the good policies and things the UN does through their pamphlets and magazines.

Hope it helps. Remember to read over Randy's site on how to talk to witnesses etc. and stay in non-confrontational style and questioning style.

One other thing - I find Email gives you a "compassion" disadvantage. If you are personnally talking to her, you can show your compassion and emotions that would be missing in a letter.

Email Randy - He has worked with people like Steve Hassin in getting people out of cults.

hawk

Edit - You are doing a great thing for your sister and you should be very proud of what you are doing to help her take the coloured glasses off.

Moxy

this is just my opinion but i wish people would stop using the 'bait-and-hook' routine. this is EXACTLY what apostates are expected to do. sly words and tricky questions. how slow-witted do you think people are that once you get to the meat of the argument they wont realize that thats where you were headed all along and you were playing your cards one at a time in an effort to 'trap' them?

sure, youll win the argument but youll antagonize the person youre trying to help. which is more important? now i havent brought anyone out yet but i havent had anyone stop talking to me either so i cant speak much for my personal success rate--but i think the best approach is an open and honest one. lay your cards out clearly and demonstrate that you have the ability to critically analyze information regardless of how much it supports your argument or not. above all, avoid emotionally loaded language.

this article from skeptical enquirer has been posted a few times. i repost it here. please read it if you havent yet. read at least the last subheading if you want the short version
http://www.csicop.org/si/2000-11/beliefs.html

mox

hawkaw

sly words and tricky questions.

Moxy,

Great post, well done but .....

Expand on your statement to help bluesappire.

Like how would you edit the letter to help others. Also note that it appears bluesappire has already sent the letter. So what would you do next to break the Theocratic War Strategy?

Yes, Moxy, I agree the article is a good one to understand how the brain works wrt to "beliefs".

hawk

Moxy

one can see the value of laying out the cards from the beginning considering whats happened today. if the name is pulled off the site now, the bait-and-hook approach will have an anti-climactic wrap-up.

i spose if it were me, i would actually apologize for giving the impression i knew less than i did and just lay out the facts plainly and concisely without editorializing. demonstrate rational thinking by saying things like, 'what does this mean? some people say this. some people say that. we dont know for sure. i, myself think the truth is probably somewhere in between. here's why...' this also means that whatever exactly this new development is, the person we're talking to will be able to keep up right along with us and see what's happening.

mox

LittleToe

Hi Moxy,

I see your point, but I have to be honest...
...having seen the shutters come down behind the eyes, far too many times, I don't know if you are necesarily right.

Just another 2p,

LT

bluesapphire

Thanks for your advice and encouragement. I guess I should explain a little bit.

My sister WILL NOT VISIT WITH ME. She is courteous to me in front of family members FOR THEIR SAKE so as not to *stumble* them. So e-mail was my only option.

Secondly, she will not give me 30 seconds of her time if I want to discuss anything *spiritual* related. She views me as an apostate of the worst kind.

The only hope I had and the only window was to 1) ask her to do the research on the United Nations FOR ME because I NEEDED IT. This gave her some kind of hope that I was at least interested in something written by the FDS; and 2) I sent the e-mail so that when and if any news comes out regarding the United Nations she will have JUST FINISHED doing the research on HOW THE WTS FEELS ABOUT THE UN.

I am hoping and praying that a press release is issued, that the media gets a hold of it, that a good article comes out in a good paper(I frankly think the Guardian article sucked). Then it will at least cause her to THINK for herself.

Moxy, you're right. She might think to herself, "My sister KNEW something was up and so she set me up." But what the heck! She will also have to think, "I read the WTS saying this and this re the UN and now they are disassociating themselves from it?" She will probably do the PUSH PUSH BACK BACK with the thoughts. But enough of these thoughts might do some good down the line.

My sister is a gonner. She is so deep. She broke up with her fiance because the elders advised her to if she wanted to get baptized. It's been four years. She is still in love with him. And he is with her. She is waiting for him to come into the "truth" and he is waiting for her to come out.

This is a sad situation and calls for desperate measures. See I am the one who sucked her in with me seven years ago. And I can't go on with my own life until I get her out.

So my e-mail was probably not the most accurate. And it probably was "theocratic war strategy" but it was done with love. I miss my sister.

A "Soft" approach re the UN to my sister

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