Major anti-cult campaign in autumn? Post here if interested (page 2)

freedomisntfree

Im anti cults in general and I would agree that the wts hurts people people who stay in and leave BUUUUTTT we live in a society that is increasingly indifferent to what people want to do or choose to believe.So untill groups like the wts are hurting society in general more then just waking them up early on a saterday morning i dont think much will be done.

Gayle

Yes,,probably it would only be one person, probably the PO or CO or an elder. I don't expect it would get beyond that. However, there are individual elders re-evaluating,,it does happen, I know several in the past that used to be elders.

I know some hope for a 'mass exodus' some day. However, in the mid-80s many of us hoped that too. Many wrote some government officials, and my brother did get a letter responding from Jon Kyl, Arizona Member of Congress, no opinion but a thank you. We (anonymously) even sent all the elders in the congregation (to their own home) a "Crises of Conscience" book each. We also sent one to Michael Jackson. We got no response but it wasn't returned either. Also, in '87 we had a huge gathering at a convention room at a hotel in Metrocenter, Phoenix. of ex-JWs, including Ray Franz, James Penton, Ed Dunlap, Ron Frye and several others. The television came out to film the group and did a news on that. A talkradio show was done that same weekend. My dad and brother had a huge full page article in the Phoenix Gazette then. Also, a couple of other ex-JWs, one who comes on this site here a lot had a huge article on him as an ex-JW. (I will scan some of these articles to send if you wish.)

I had hoped for a huge impact with all leaving then, with Ray's book and other books that the organization would be effected. But it didn't seem to. The organization grew ('75 a little over 2 million, now over 7 million) and was buying dozens of high end Brooklyn property). Was discouraging. It would have been so great to have the Internet then and YouTube. I, my siblings and our dad moved on with our lives, but not truly forgetting our past JW lives.

Of course, things seem to be different for the Watchtower now. Seems to be many factors/circumstances. Internet and YouTube are great. I am hopeful again. I cannot dare hope for a 'mass exodus' yet but I am 'watching' and willing to send letters again and emails. (Any who have addresses or emails for me, please PM me.)

BizzyBee

Nope active apostates that want to act detrimentally towards the witnesses very actively as this thread proves without doubt!

Correction: I don't believe that ex-JWs here are against Jehovah's Witnesses. They are against the WTS. Huge difference.

BTW: I think Rebel has some great ideas and I may find a way to be involved. In the meantime, while there are a thousand reasons that this will be difficult and may not succeed, why not keep the dialogue to constructive and positive thoughts about this effort?

WTWizard

Regardless of the effectiveness, if everyone would at least stop supporting the Washtowel Slaveholdery totally during August, it would make a difference. And everyone can do that, regardless of whether we have computers, connections to newspapers, or are willing to risk sending letters to editors. The laziest person on the planet can stop going to all boasting sessions, not go out in field circus or turn in a time slip, and refrain from donating any money during the month of August, and especially starting August 24.

And that will be effective in putting a dent in their means of sustenance--empty Kingdumb Hells, empty Worldwide Pedophile Defense Fund boxes, and no-shows for field circus will discourage those taking the lead within the congregations. And, if they are not making any money, sooner or later the Kingdumb Hells will have to operate without electricity--further discouraging those from attending. And pretty soon that will make it into the news, as they see those ugly structures getting sold off en masse because they are not making enough to pay their bills.

rebel8

Gayle: Your suggestion to post mailing addresses of individuals cannot be carried out on this forum.

Personally I feel contacting individual jws/KHs is much less effective than contacting newspapers and a major letter writing campaign to headquarters (which could garner media attention, reaching millions of readers/viewers).

JWN Posting Guidelines:

Invading people's privacy
Please don't post private addresses or phone numbers, including your own. You may post email addresses so long as you make it clear who they belong to.

rebel8

If anyone is unfamiliar with the counter-cult actions taken by a group called Anonymous (ex-Scientologists), here is a quick overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Chanology

Now of course these folks did some much more radical stuff that I'd ever in a million years be involved in. BUT--if you want to make a difference in the public's view, media attention by far is the most effective way to do so.

A million letters to headquarters + educational materials to child abuse clinics/physicians + a gazillion letters to the editor all in the same week = newsworthy

What we'd need at this point:

Consensus on a date for the action
Committments for people to write letters to editors during the selected week, ensuring at least major newspapers in the English-speaking world are covered (Could people post what papers they're willing to cover on DT's blog? Would that work?)
Committments for people to write letters to wt headquarters during the designated week (25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483). Is there a way to sort of measure how many were sent? (Or email them--during the designated week.)
Does anyone have the ability to post plans on ex-jw sites that are non-English speaking (once plans are finalized)?
Committments for people to mail this to physicians, can be done anonymously: http://www.ajwrb.org/physicians/brochure.pdf
Committments for people to mail brochures to child abuse clinics or pediatricians, can be done anonymously: http://www.silentlambs.org/assistance/brochure.cfm
Someone to bring this to the media's attention once the date nears

while there are a thousand reasons that this will be difficult and may not succeed, why not keep the dialogue to constructive and positive thoughts about this effort?

Thank you. No one is being pushed to participate, and there's no reason for anyone to spew negativity if they don't want to participate. Just saying that based on upon past experiences. ;)

One letter sent is success as far as I'm concerned, so this isn't going to fail. Disempowerment is post-cult baggage IMHO.

rebel8

Hopefully this is obvious to everyone who might be reading this from across the globe, but in case not:

No religious hate speech, crimes of any sort, threats, harassing, vandalism, hacking, etc. P.L.E.A.S.E. And no lying or exaggerating. The truth is powerful enough on its own.

cameo-d

I would be interested in hearing how other letter campaigns have worked out.

Wing commander started one a while back and people exchanged their mailing lists with one another so that the postmarks would not be local.

Letters were sent to private individuals per request from their loved ones here.

I would like to hear from those who sent letters for others....did they hear of any response?

Did it ever make any difference?

rebel8

I doubt sending letters to individuals does more than make 1/10 of the recipients mildly uncomfortable with their beliefs.

I'm always surprised there is so much interest in helping individuals when it is the most laborious and least effective??? Oh well.

Mickey mouse

Some excellent suggestions here. I like the idea of a coordinated letter writing campaign to media outlets.

Major anti-cult campaign in autumn? Post here if interested

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