Hi all!
All this hoo - hah about the WTBTS being in bed with the UN will certainly get the JW elders in quite a flap, we can expect much heart and soul searching to be taking place before too long amongst the R & F.
The troublesome part comes when you try to explain all this to a non-JW. It's not much of a big deal at all if you don't recall how the WTBTS used to heap derision upon the UN.
If you want to get the publics attention via the media, we need to "Tell it out", to quote the title of an obsolete Kingdom melody. The way to do this IMHO, is to make Joe Public aware of the DF'ing policies of JW's as a part of the UN debacle story. Most decent people are very family minded and are absolutely astonished that an organisation such as the WTBTS can tell one family member to shun another.
It doesn't take much to convince people to stay well clear of an organisation that can actually print something like this (an instruction to JW's not to invite DF'd ones to their own families weddings!) which appeared in its Flagship magazine, The Watchtower: (Sept 15, 1981)
SOCIAL GATHERINGS AND DISFELLOWSHIPED RELATIVES
Normally, relatives are often together at meals, picnics, family reunions or other social gatherings. But when someone has unrepentantly pursued sin and has had to be disfellowshiped, he may cause difficulties for his Christian relatives in regard to such gatherings. While they realize that they are still related to him, they do not want to ignore Paul s advice that faithful Christians should quit mixing in company with an expelled sinner. There is no point in looking for some rule as to family members being at gatherings where a disfellowshiped relative might be present. This would be something for those concerned to resolve, in keeping with Paul s counsel. (1 Cor. 5:11) And yet it should be appreciated that if a disfellowshiped person is going to be at a gathering to which nonrelative Witnesses are invited, that may well affect what others do. For example, a Christian couple might be getting married at a Kingdom Hall. If a disfellowshiped relative comes to the Kingdom Hall for the wedding, obviously he could not be in the bridal party there or give away the bride. What, though, if there is a wedding feast or reception? This can be a happy social occasion, as it was in Cana when Jesus attended. (John 2:1, 2) But will the disfellowshiped relative be allowed to come or even be invited? If he was going to attend, many Christians, relatives or not, might conclude that they should not be there, to eat and associate with him, in view of Paul s directions at 1 Corinthians 5:11.
Thus, sometimes Christians may not feel able to have a disfellowshiped or disassociated relative present for a gathering that normally would include family members. Still, the Christians can enjoy the association of the loyal members of the congregation, having in mind Jesus words: Whoever does the will of God, this one is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35.
Can you believe that some of us used to adhere to this crap?
Englishman.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be....