I called HQ under this guise: I am an interested person who has two JW's
visiting me periodically. I think they are very nice people and we have good conversations,
but recently something disturbed me. I was suprised that they had no knowledge of the recent
lawsuit settlements and actually denied it was true. Showing them the newspaper article
didn't move them. I would think they would want to contact the newspaper demanding a retraction.
I'm calling to confirm whether it is
true, and if so why those going from door to door haven't been informed.
The brother on the line said it was true, there had been settlements and he couldn't tell me
why the decision was made to
not inform all JW's as to the lawsuit. He just worked in the office and could only
say that anyone that had questions about it could call as I did.
I asked him if he understood that from my perspective as an outsider it appeared
they were hiding bad news about themselves, which I found odd because in their
literature they are very vocal about other religions pedophile problems. It also made me wonder
what else they might not be telling about themselves. I also asked him why they would choose
to allow their members to remain uninformed and therefore lose credibility with those
they speak to at the door. He said they spoke about other religions pedophile problems in
the context of it being just one of many things that showed they were false. I said don't
you think it would be better to prove them false without mentioning things that you are
also guilty of? To talk about others while keeping quiet about yourself appears hypocritical to
me.
I told him I needed to know if my donations were going towards making more literature
or lawsuit settlements, because if it was the latter I could not take the magazines any longer.
He said I didn't have to donate but I should definitely read the magazines. I asked why, when
as I read, I will have to weigh what is being said against what is not being said.
I could hear the discouragement in his voice, as he commended my sincerity and told me that
he recieved many calls like mine and that I raised some very good points, he was sorry he
could not tell me why the decision was made to not make the settlement known to all JWs.
He told me I could have the JWs that visited me call as I had for more information.
It sounded as if our conversation had deflated him, I kinda felt sorry for him.
