Bronzefist,
What mistreatment by us wicked Bethelites are you speaking of? The only person I disfellowshipped had committed statutory rape and was promoting drug use to underage children. I saw to it that another molester had no chance at reinstatement for as long as possible. Should I apologize for "kicking them to the curb"? Shall I give them your address so that they can come and shack-up with you?
WT has survived because so many believers are good, loving people. They believe what they are being taught. When you were "in" did you believe that you were in a destructive cult designed to kick people to the curb? Why were you ever a part of it then?
Dude, I helped widows and orphans in their time of need. In spite of having little to no income, I contributed money that was used to rebuild homes in Florida and Texas after hurricanes. That was real. That is the part that I am proud of. I went down and helped rebuild homes after Katrina. Did you?
BTW, let me clear up the biggest lie that I've heard on this board. When I was down during Katrina rebuilding, WT didn't tell the homeowners they had to sign over all their insurance money to the org. They said that the owners would need money for furniture and other items that the building crews weren't providing. If the homeowners had money left that they wanted to donate, feel free. That message was repeated several times over the loudspeaker while I was down there. And you know what, Bronzefist? During the time I was down there, no other such organized construction crews were in sight. I worked on one nearly completed house in an area that was abandoned for blocks around. If anyone was told that they were supposed to cough up all their insurance money, it wasn't by Watchtower. I swear that I heard exactly what I say now... Watchtower never really expected any money from the victims, plenty of support was coming from Witnesses around the country and world. But of the homeowners that I knew, they had little insurance, or their company was not paying them anything, or they had no insurance an all. But we were still there working, fixing their homes. Some that I knew stayed down there for an entire year and lived off personal savings, money sent by friends and family up north, and by support from Watchtower.
That is the organization I supported. That was the kind of thing that kept me in the organization for the very last... but it wasn't enough.
Bronzefist, I'm sure it's very easy for you to read all the truly heartbreaking stories here and start believing that every Bethelite must be a wife-beating, child-molesting, puppy-kicker. But we're not. I had a roommate that was a mechanic and spent more time fixing cars of needy witnesses - for free - than he spent on anything personal. I knew hundreds more like him that were genuine, wonderful people. That is the people that have kept this organization alive. Now that we're treated like trash, are you going to trash us too?
I recommend that we all welcome them.
B the X
