What Was the Final Straw for Barbara Anderson Leaving the JWs? Here it is..

by Seeker4 33 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  Seeker4

  Barbara's experience was similar to my own in that she left and later was DFed. I left quietly, using the remodeling of an apartment for my Mom as an excuse for missing meetings at first. Then, after several years of having faded, the elders came looking for me, at the instigation of the WTS in the form of a CO. I stopped being so quiet after that!

  This is how Barbara explained her experience to me:

  "I left the org. quietly in 1998. Joe was an elder and sort of protected me from the other elders. I stayed quiet. I was not looked at as a threat, so everybody left me alone. Joe told those who asked that I was suffering from burnout! I was dfd just before Dateline aired for causing divisions which I hadn't caused yet."

  Good night all!

  S4
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  TopHat

  Thank You for that reply seeker, Now I am not so confused.
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  Seeker4

  Good morning to a less confused world!

  S4
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  jwfacts

  Barbara's story is at http://jwfacts.com/index_files/Anderson.doc
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  Burger Time

  I was talking to my Mom about this last night and for the first time the wall kind of came down for the defense of the men at the top. She asked what possible purpose could releasing these documents positively effect the R&F in the org. Of course we were talking under the assumption that the JWs are God's org. I was able to make her speechless by using what every single JW says, "When it is God's time the facts will come out", so I said, "well the facts are out so it must be God's time for punishing the body". I was able to make it clear by saying that when Jesus was talking about Stumbling your brothers it was things like this. Why else would he talk about stumbling unless you had to be responsible for actions you make? If you can't be found out, or if it is always blamed on Satan how could anyone stumble by anyone else? If Jesus was talking to only the anointed with the Slave parable then who was he talking to about throwing yourself into the sea if you stumble your brothers? She had to admit that I was correct and that the GB had committed serious error and it couldn't be blamed on some angry apostate. It also opened up the argument about "good" apostates, and bad apostates. If these facts were coming out and God was punishing the GB you can't claim that these people are "bad" apostates if God is using them. Anyways just thought I would explain the convo me and my Moms had.
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  stillajwexelder

  dynamite
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  metatron

  The saddest aspect of this is that there's no real hope for reform. They will react to legal events, of

  course, but they have no moral sense of having done anything wrong or anything that might require

  an apology. After years of accusing others of being corrupted in mind and heart, they refuse to see

  the same in themselves.

  However, there is one benefit to all this: it is harming their cherished image! Keep advertising their

  crimes! It puts them in the same category as the rest of Christendom! There are many who will hear

  about what they've done and avoid the "truth" accordingly.

  metatron
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  AllTimeJeff

  Great thread. It was Barbara's releasing of that information that sort of got me back here in this forum.

  I just want to add a "ditto" to seekers comments about the idea that the victimes cause their own abuse. Elders to this day all over the country (USA) STILL have it in their mind that little boys and girls can "ask" for it. It makes you sick.

  FIVE WHOLE YEARS!!!! And what was their motive? Why did it take them so long?

  1. Fear of negative publicity
  2. Money and legal issues

  They didn't care about the kids.

  The letters that elders have to review have NOTHING to do with helping the victim. If anything, elders are to get the parents to do something in the way of legal action and support. The borg doesn't want the elders to put themselves in a position to get Bethel sued. It has A TON to say about confidentiality and calling that !@#$% Legal Dept.

  Thank you Barbara Anderson!
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  sf

  I was dfd just before Dateline aired for causing divisions which I hadn't caused yet."

  Snap!

  sKally
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  Seeker4

  ATJ,

  Glad you found these threads. It would be nice to have you post more often.

  At Gilead, what instructions did you receive from the Legal Dept., if any?

  Yeah, when my son's abuser was revealed, and it turned out that he was then a Bethelite, not once did we get a phone call from anyone at Bethel inquiring about the welfare of the victim.

  Not one word.

  S4