BRAVO BRENDA NAILS BROOKLYN PAPER

by DannyHaszard 15 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  DannyHaszard

  Bearing witness to the Witnesses
  BrooklynPapers.com, United States -
  reminded me of a day when Jehovah’s Witnesses visited my parent’s farmhouse in Pennsylvania in 1971. TheJehovah Witness couple that came to recruit us ...

  Bearing witness to the Witnesses

  The Brooklyn Paper To the editor, Juliana Bunim’s column, “ The Witnesses Next Door ” (Aug. 8), reminded me of a day when Jehovah’s Witnesses visited my parent’s farmhouse in Pennsylvania in 1971. The Jehovah Witness couple that came to recruit us seemed very nice. Within six weeks of studying the Bible with the Watchtower organization, my mom sat me down and told me I could never speak to our relatives again because, according to Jehovah’s Witnesses, Satan might be working through our relatives to keep us from learning the truth. In addition, I couldn’t have a single solitary girlfriend for the next 10 years, nor could I ever enjoy a holiday or birthday again. To say life became bleak is a monumental understatement. I was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness, dedicating my life as a child to a man-made organization, without the ability to understand the fine print. When I left the group at the age of 18 to pursue my own spiritual path, I was shunned by my family. My mother, brother, sister, four nephews and niece haven’t seen or spoken to me in 25 years now. The Watchtower organization’s policy of shunning affects millions of people worldwide. Yes, Jehovah’s Witnesses are very nice — until you decide you don’t want to remain among them anymore. Brenda Lee, Denver, Colorado The writer is author of a memoir, “Out of the Cocoon: A Young Woman’s Courageous Flight from the Grip of a Religious Cult.”

  ©2007 The Brooklyn Paper http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&q=Jehovah+witness TOP ranked on the news wire for Jehovah Witness keywords as I type Send YOUR OWN Letter to the Editor at the page online form send your own masterpiece
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  Stealth453

  Boy, doesn't that sound familiar!!!!!
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  AndersonsInfo

  What a beautifully written letter, Brenda. Without a doubt your words will shine more light on what can happen to the lives of children when their parents become Witnesses. I bet few in the Brooklyn Heights area have entertained such a notion before. When they think "Watchtower," it's usually with property taxes in mind, not abuse of children.

  I'm not saying that Witness parents are not good parents in the usual sense; but I am saying that raising a child, as we did ours, is tantamount to child abuse. How so? They can not give informed consent to being made to follow a way of life that they may not want. To be able to make choices based on likes and dislikes have been removed from them. Witness children are taught to malign others and their beliefs. Witness children are taught that love is conditional. Witness children are taught submission. Personal autonomy and liberty are denied Witness children. Witness children are deceived. Witness children grow with the threat of shunning hanging over their heads if they do something the group disapproves of. And the worst part of all, Witness children lose their family if they speak against, or leave the group as can be attested to by tens of thousands of people who were raised Witnesses as you were. This is abuse!

  When there is sexual abuse of a child, note the following: No informed consent; no choice; conception of love is distorted; loss of autonomy by being forced to submit; punishment if refuse to submit; life forever altered by another's demands. Sound familiar? We did the same thing to our child in the name of Godly love. However, the Watchtower is the perpetrator and we parents are the enablers. We make it possible for them to abuse our childrens' minds because we follow their rules.
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  LearningToFly

  Very good letter!

  Anderson, your words describing the life of a child within is perfectly defined!
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  Pistoff

  I wish this letter would be published in every paper in the nation.
  
  I have a son (df'd for TEN years now) who has graduated college, married, stayed clean and has a beautiful child.
  Not enough for his grandparents, who are active witnesses.
  They have time to travel across country to visit non witness siblings, including those who have attacked their beliefs; not one minute to see their grandson.
  They had the nerve to send my son a card, hoping they could see their grandchild.
  My son just called them up and asked them if they were planning to see him at the same time. They said NO WAY.
  He said, well, I can't feature your being allowed to see my child while you ignore me, end of subject.
  
  I am so proud of my sons; they are the bravest people I know.
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  purplesofa

  How sane and healthy

  the rebellious child is.

  Brenda and Barbara..........thanks

  purps
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  purplesofa

  How sane and healthy

  the rebellious child is.

  Brenda and Barbara..........thanks

  purps
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  Dragonlady76
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  greendawn

  Ah the evils of cults this shunning has caused untold suffering to millions of people and then they talk about Hitler having treated them badly, did they not deserve being agents of such an evil cult to end up in the gas chambers.

  One can understand why a certain "religion" wouldn't want members to participate in its services but to cut them off from their family ties is something totally uncalled for.
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  moshe

  If the Mormon missionaries had gotten to their farmhouse first, then Brenda might be telling the newspaper all about the evils of the LDS Church. For JW's field service door-to-door work is all about finding a vulnerable person at the right time.