Opening the Eyes of JWs Wasting Their Lives Away in Prisons Because of...Nothing

Tempest in a Teacup

Is there any practical way to let these people see the light? Has anything been already done to get the valuable information they need to them? If yes, what has been the outcome?

Nowadays most ex jw materials have shifted from hard support to essentially online content. These people may not have free/easy access to computers and the internet. Is there a way of compiling objective, relevant and pertinent information for their attention? Could this be a collective project to embark on?

Here are some stats from jw org:

WHERE?	IMPRISONED
Eritrea	52
Korea, South	599
Nagorno-Karabakh	1
Singapore	18
Turkmenistan	9
Total	679

List of those imprisoned as of November 12, 2013

T in a T

Watchtower-Free

DesirousOfChange

List of those imprisoned as of November 12, 2013 --679 persons.

Frankly, I'd say there are more like 7,000,000 imprisoned (plus another 1 million who are faking it).

These millions are not behind bars, but they are captive or imprisoned just the same.

Doc

SAHS

For everyone who hasn’t been unlucky enough to be put in prison (yet) but are at risk of going there because of their JW “conscientious objector” status, we can upload such valuable information with eye-opening warnings tailored specifically to such ones.

But for those already in prisons, somebody should be finding out which inmates are there as JW “conscientious objectors” and writing letters directly to them. (Perhaps a group such as AAWA.) It would only be fair, because the WTS often encourages people to participate in their own letter-writing campaigns addressed to hard-to-reach not-at-homes and those in the media recently suffering some tragedy – so, therefore, we should be able to do the same; i.e., send letters directly to imprisoned JWs, in the hopes of at least causing them to question why they’re there.

Tempest in a Teacup

Wf & d o c, I would not equal the two groups, given that one group has access to the information and the other one doesn't. To say the least.

SAHS: I think that would be a good start.

Island Man

I think sharing TTATT with those in prison could be a bit risky as in it could potentially do more harm than good to the individual.

It's one thing to find out that you've been misled by Watchtower and having the freedom to escape most of the ills that have resulted. But its quite another thing if you can't escape the greatest ill that has resulted from it - imprisonment.

For many JWs in prison, the misguided faith born of Watchtower indoctrination is a source of great strength helping them to cope with their difficult circumstances. To learn that they're in prison for a lie could utterly devastate them and lead to a mental breakdown or deep depression resulting in suicide.

Also, the very fact that such ones are suffering because of loyalty to Watchtower, actually makes it more difficult to reach them. Psychologically, humans don't like know that their sacrifices have been in vain; so when presented with proof that that is the case they tend to resist such evidence and continue in denial.

The reasoning is something like this: "I didn't spend all this money or go through all this trouble for nothing. My money and suffering is not going down the drain! It has to be true! I refuse to accept that it isn't true!"

blondie

I would suggest reading Steven Hassan's book. He left a cult and has written 3 books on how cults operate and how to help someone leave.

https://www.freedomofmind.com/

https://www.freedomofmind.com/Info/books.php

Island Man

In my opinion, some JWs are actually better off not knowing TTATT. They include:

~ Elderly JW parents who let their child die by refusing them a blood transfusion. Such persons would be utterly devastated to know they essentially killed their child for a lie.

~ Very sheltered adolescent JWs who are curbing rebellious, self-destructive tendencies, due to Watchtower indoctrination. Such persons are prone to go over-the-top, living very reckless lifestyles of drug abuse and sexual promiscuity once they find out that Watchtower is a lie.

Let me revise my statement. It's not that these people don't deserve to know TTATT. It's just that you have to be very careful in how you share TTATT with them and offer them help to counteract the devastating psychological or behavioral ills that may result when the Watchtower mental shackles are taken off.

Esse quam videri

Why have no members of the Governing Body ever been imprisoned because of their faithful stand for righteousness?

Tempest in a Teacup

Island man: these people are in prison because they are jws. If they discover the religion to be fake they'll take a decision for themselves. Just like all of us here.

In case they don't wish to remain jws there's no reason for them to kept in prison any longer.

To learn that they're in prison for a lie could utterly devastate them and lead to a mental breakdown or deep depression and suicide.

This would be the most extreme reaction. All humans don't react the same way to things so we can't predict scenarios as facts. The normal reaction of a human deprived of his freedom would be to regain it. In any case, it's better to be damaged and physically free.

All I'm trying to put forward is that these people who are cut away from the world should also be given the information we have access to in order to make their own decision, like all of us.

In all honesty I believe we can't pre-decide for them if we ourselves have never been imprisonned for being jws.

This is worth pursuing, even if it will free ONE PERSON.

Blondie: great idea. The only challenge will be to get it to them.

Opening the Eyes of JWs Wasting Their Lives Away in Prisons Because of...Nothing

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