I remember popular English papers being sold outside Twickenham stadium, around 1978, with such front page large headline as "JWS TAKE THE PLUNGE" and JWs all exited buying those papers at the end of the assembly thinking, as Barbara mentioned, what a wonderful witness was given to outsiders.
In the past, FAKE newspaper coverage of WT "International Conventions" in the US
by AndersonsInfo 57 Replies latest jw friends
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truthsetsonefree
Wow, I learned something here for sure.
Isaac
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cameo-d
Media is still p*wned today by corporations and big bucks. They are all whores. Anyone who believes ***is fair and balanced is brainwashed and that also goes for every other media outlet.
It's always about the money and power. It's always about corporate favoritism. It's always about hiding the truth under the rug.
Just goes to show you that evil has a lot of company and many bedfellows.
This is why we must learn to rely on our own conscience and intuition instead of listening to others who have a motive and something to gain. If a party has a vested interest in some way, then they can never be unbiased.
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Hadit
Thanks Barbara. I had never heard of this. Yet another deception to add to their very long list. First thing I thought of when I read that it was being sold near the conventions is that they are making money on it. So much for Jesus' words of "receive free give free."
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carla
marking.
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AndersonsInfo
brotherdan and cyberjesus:
It's an honor to be viewed in some ways as "mom" to those who have lost precious parents or could lose loved ones if they left the religion.
As a child I was attracted to the Witness cult because I was idealistic and wanted to help others. I certainly had no idea what I was getting into when I joined. Over the years, I enjoyed the security of the group and had no idea of what I was really sacrificing to be a Witness because I was content to allow them to control the information. Long before I left the group, there were fleeting suspicions of things not right, but I didn't want to disturb the life I had created for myself. It took being in Bethel's Writing Department to wake me up to the facts. It took years though to get out even though I knew the WT did not hold absolute truths about anything, or, in other words, their knowledge of spiritual matters was not absolute.
I have a deep fellow-feeling for all those who are still involved with JWs and would rather not be, but due to certain circumstances can not exit. In time, I have found from experience, all situations have a way of resolving themselves, so be patient and things will work out., probably in ways you least expect.
Even as a non-Witness, I still have an idealistic personality and want to help, so I do it through offering information about the Watch Tower. There's a certain mystique that for years has surrounded Watch Tower leaders and the operations of the organization. It was while I was in Bethel that I saw for myself that there was nothing special about the group and that they damaged lives by fostering extreme beliefs and inaccurate information. Years later, when I finally had enough of it all, I left it no matter what might be the consequences. My circumstances were such that regaining power over my life that I unknowingly lost in my youth was very important and I was determined to live a happy and normal life without the control from a small group of misguided men.
If I can be of some help in the autumn of my life to anyone, who was in the past or is presently connected with JWs and suffering from that connection, through any knowledge or any information that I may possess, I'm happy to share it. I'm no martyr who lives for exposing the WT, but rather a caring person, once an insider, now offering a candid and truthful look at a very non-transparent organization hoping that what I write about helps others in their pursuit of freedom.
Barbara
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designs
Hawking news and self promotion seems to be a part of the history of the Bible Students and Witnesses. Russell hired Non-Bible Students to pass out flyers for his speeches made up his own Headlines about conventions. Rutherford, inadvertently, let everyone know that he was into 'Advertising' the King and His Kingdom back in the 20s. Knorr and company spent our hard earned money on himself and his endless 1st Class travel arrangements.
The sun may be setting on the Watchtower Empire but they will drain the friends of every last dime on their way down.
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wasblind
I compare Barbara to E.F Hutton, its an old commercial over thirty years old so most may not remember
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AndersonsInfo
It was no accident that the WT used the newspapers for their own ends and the newspapers used WT for their own ends. This practice goes back to Pastor Russell who used the newspapers too but, as usual with WT leaders, not in the way they led us to believe.
The WT Society has long claimed that newspapers printed Russell's sermons at no cost to the Society for newspaper space. On page 50 in the WT's 1959 publication, Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, they say, "The newspaper space was given free and the telegraphic expense was borne by the Society."
The truth is that the Society most often paid for newspaper space or offered a "deal" in that the Watch Tower would advertise the newspaper if it would handle Russell's sermons. The Society even sold subscriptions to these papers. I have no problem with this, but have a problem with WT misleading us.
And then there were "clubbing" deals. Peoples Pulpit, Vol. 1, No. 5, p. 4: Pastor Russell's Sermons Weekly.
"Many of our readers desire Pastor Russell's sermons weekly as delivered. We are pleased to be able to announce that we have secured special clubbing rates with the papers named below. The prices given include three papers in each instance--"Peoples Pulpit," "The Watch Tower" (of which Pastor Russell is the Editor), and one of the below names papers which contains weekly Pastor Russell's sermons. Send all orders to us. Sample copies of any of these papers will be cheerfully sent free."
The Watch Tower, September 1, 1909, p. 269:
"The friends of the Truth will be glad to know that more than three hundred newspapers in the United States and Canada are now publishing sermons. We trust that they will be encouraged by you all in proportion to their general worthiness and especially because of the sermons, and that the editors will receive frequent commendations and encouragements. The "Peoples Pulpit" for June contains a list of such of these papers as give us a clubbing rate and special price. Give these the preference and send subscriptions to us."
Now what I'm going to tell you will probably get the ire up of the Bible Students, but here are the facts about another operation of the early WT Society that has not been truthfully dealt with. In the Proclaimers book, on page 58, Karl Adams wrote:
"How, though, did Russell manage to get a weekly sermon printed even when he was traveling? Each week he telegraphed a sermon (about two newspaper columns long) to a newspaper syndicate. The syndicate, in turn, retelegraphed it to newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe."
When I was doing research for Proclaimers, I was surprised to find out that "the newspaper syndicate" was not what I was led to believe and when I read what Karl wrote in the book, I was annoyed to say the least because these are the facts:
This syndicate went to great lengths to portray Russell as one who had an extravagant lifestyle, and one who appreciated 'the finer things in life.' This lifestyle presented a problem for some of his followers, who he had asked to "sacrifice the present good things." They had been accustomed to seeing him live a modest life. Russell assured them that it wasn't his idea, but that he must cooperate with the wishes of the newsmen (syndicate) who believed he should be presented to the people in somewhat laudatory terms:
What the Newspaper Syndicate now handling Brother Russell's sermons may sometimes say of him in laudatory terms, by no means represents Brother Russell's humble estimate of his own talents. WT, R4351
"Brother Russelll proposes a very hasty European tour. Incidentally, at the instance of the newspaper people connected with the publication of his sermons, he will extend the journey to Jerusalem and the Great Pyramid in Egypt." WT, R4586.
"For the benefit of our readers we remark that Brother Russell is very anxious to co-operate with the Newspaper Syndicate which handles his weekly sermons. While he retains fullest liberty in respect to the subject matter of his discourses, he yields other points considerably to the Syndicate's wishes. This will account for his greater care in his clothing, his more frequent use of cabs and parlor cars. The Syndicate insists that Brother Russell's personality has much to do in placing his sermons far and near. And Brother Russell is glad to yield to the Syndicate's business judgment because he desires that his Gospel message shall be heard the world around." WT January 15, 1912, p. 26.
Who exactly made up the Newspaper Syndicate? On page 50 of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose it states that the syndicate "was really composed of four members of the headquarters staff at Bethel."
I have quite a bit more to say on this subject, but will stop here and save it for the future.
Barbara
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Bonnie_Clyde
Barbara - I was at the 1958 international convention--all 8 days. I was newly converted and attended with my uncle, aunt, and cousin. I remember being in euphoria hearing about the impact our convention was making on the city and on the world. Had no clue it was all hype. Thanks for the info.
Bonnie