The Watchtower Org will continue to abuse and control people...

by Scooby-Doo 9 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Scooby-Doo

  ... unless we become organized as well!

  That's the key to making the public aware of the abuse that gets swept under the rug, the way family relationships become destroyed because of shunning, the changes in doctrine throughout the years, the methods that they use to control people etc.

  The general public in most cases view the Witnesses as nice, harmless weirdos. They have no idea of what the Watchtower Organization is actually like. They need to be made aware of it all. Absolutely everything, and the only way to do that is to have them be told by the victims themselves.

  The Watchtower Organization likes to be in control. They're seen by many here as a major power that can't be stopped. And i can understand why, they grow in numbers day by day. But what i don't think the ex-witnesses, ex-students, victims and shunned family members understand is the amount of power that they themselves have.

  If we were to become organized, we would be an unstoppable force.

  It's great that individuals are doing little things to open the minds of certain Witnesses (the recent 'lost USB' thread comes to mind) but in the grand scheme of things, that's going to have little effect in stopping the Org.

  We need to hit them where it hurts, we need to destroy their public image. What we need to do is protest in large numbers and get the attention of the media. The media is the key to taking them down.We need to target people outiside of the Watchtower Organization, NOT current Jehovah's Witnesses.

  The child abuse victims, shunned family, sexually abused etc. need to contact the media in massive numbers and tell their stories. Speaking out as one voice, for the children and families that are currently under the Org's control.

  If people become aware of the true nature of the Org then they will attract less and less new followers. With their very high turn over rates, it's inevitable that their numbers will greatly decrease. Perhaps eventually, the Org will cease to exist altogether.

  Destroy their public image, destroy their numbers and we would have taken their power from them.

  It would be incredibily difficult to organize something like this. I know that, but i think it would be worth it. We have to work together, become one powerful force and finally put an end to the Watchtower Organization.
• 

  Aussie Oz

  That means we apostates have to become an 'organization' too.

  That in itself is fraught with danger. It gives power to an individual or a body.

  agenda's get made and challenged. Members have to follow the leaders... and we all know how that goes!

  We all entertain dreams of a crumbling watctower corporation...

  personaly, i think the internet tide is rising, but it still wont kill them off. We may hurt them, perhaps even get the law to hold them accountable for some things but it wont stop them.

  People dont care about the nature of the 'Org' ... they are insignificant in the public eye, a mere 5 minute spot on the evening current affairs show. Hell, people dont even care about genocides in countries they cant pronounce.

  They dont care about abused children, because 'it wont happen to them',

  People only care about what impacts their life.

  An organization of EX members (already assumed to be disgruntled) shouting out to an apathic world about a pimple religion will touch too few to achieve what you propose.

  I wish it could, i really do. I just cant see it working.

  oz... sorry for the pessimism.... i know, i know, if everybody thinks like me, nothing will happen!
• 

  Scooby-Doo

  Aussie,

  People dont care about the nature of the 'Org' ... they are insignificant in the public eye, a mere 5 minute spot on the evening current affairs show. Hell, people dont even care about genocides in countries they cant pronounce.

  I agree somewhat. But think about the exclusive brethren stories that came out recently. When the media gets a hold of something, they don't let go. With a great number of people coming forward to tell their stories, people are going to take notice.

  Members have to follow the leaders... and we all know how that goes!

  I think that the majority of us wouldn't fall under somebody elses' control after what we've all experienced. If something like this were to ever happen, there should be only one goal, to spread our personal stories/experiences of abuse/control etc.

  There really shouldn't be any other rules.

  I wish it could, i really do. I just cant see it working.

  I know, it's a big dream. But you have to dream big, to achieve great things.

  "Nothing really worth having is easy to get." - Aisha Tyler
• 

  finallysomepride

  I see where you are going with this, there needs to be a world wide anti watchtower & bullshit society inc (not the jw plp) organised group, much like Green Peace, Amnesty International etc,
• 

  DagothUr

  Aussie Oz is right. People don't give a s...t on anything that does not impact their life NOW. There are too many thing that can screw up your life, like a car accident, a plane crash, expensive oil, terrorism, a rape, a robbery, etc...why would we care about some loonies who knock at doors and advertise a kingdom that will never come?
• 

  finallyfree!

  scooby ur right! look at what is going on with the catholic church! theres a new lawsuit every week it seems and new victims coming out all the time. the wts could be majorly hurt if a similiar series of events were to unfold for them. imagine the scandal in the paper every week! lol!
• 

  Mad Sweeney

  But think about the exclusive brethren stories that came out recently.

  Case in point. Evidently there was some sort of big media story about them but I don't have a clue what that even IS, let alone have any thoughts on it. Now that you've mentioned it, I'll google it and find out, but even with the utmost in publicity it is important not to expect too much in the way of miraculous results.

  That said, I agree that there are way too many individual apostates doing things on their own that would have more profound effects if done in concert.

  For example, just how many ex-JW movies/videos/documentaries are being/have been made? Do we really need a dozen different videos on JWs? Or would just a small handful of really good ones with massive support be more effective? Same goes for websites.

  As far as organizing, I think it would be more productive to band together with other ex-cultists from Scientology, LDS, Church of Christ, etc. in anti-cult education efforts. Maybe we should all just send a hundred bucks to ICSA and let the professionals do their job.

  http://www.icsahome.com/
• 

  PublishingCult

  One of the first experiments in apostate organization, The Vast Apostate Army, has not been without it challenges- egos, infighting, divisions, etc. . . .

  I'm leary of the idea. Getting local xJW's to show for a couple of hours to demonstrate at a convention is hard enough.
• 

  Scooby-Doo

  finallyfree!: Exactly! just look at the Catholic church today. Hell, even the Pope himself has come out and apologised for what has happened to all those little kids.

  Just imagine the higher-ups in the Watchtower Org doing something similar. The people within the Org who have abused or covered up the abuse of children need to take responsibility for what they have done. And it needs to be done publicly.

  Mad Sweeny: Really? all i heard on the news for a few months was coverage about the exclusive brethren's cult-ish behaviour. Kevin Rudd even claimed at one point that they were an extremist cult. The thing is, a lot more people view the brethren as an unhealthy religion that should be avoided. And that's all because of the flood of ex-members coming out.

  PublishingCult: See, i don't believe that protesting at their conventions does any good. The JWs are just going to view you as evil and the onlookers are going to see you as nut-jobs.

  We need to target the very same people that the JWs target. So that they are aware of their true nature and don't get sucked in.

  Perhaps an organization-type group isn't the best way to spread the message. But i do believe that we need to become organized in some capacity and work together.

  I'll give you an example in regards to child abuse within the Watchtower Org. (I know, i'm beating the death out of that issue but i believe that it's something that a lot of people are passionate about and it hit's the nerve, so to speak.)

  Let's say around 50 former Witnesses who were abused (sexually, physically, mentally etc.) as kids all come together. Every single one contacts a TV show like Oprah. Now Oprah does child abuse stories all the time. And who are her main audience? women and MOTHERS! Now you can't tell me that all those mothers aren't going to care about kids being abused. The Oprah show is aired across the entire globe. Imagine the amount of people their message would reach.

  And then another group of ex-witnesses could come together, inspired by the people speaking out. Let's say that they were all disfellowshipped and shunned by family. They could all contact the Dr. Phil show, to make the public aware of the amount of control the Org has over it's members. After all, he has done a show on cults before and the Org ticks every one of his warning signs.

  The movement would spread like wildfire and people all over the country, the world, will be inspired to tell their stories through all forms of media.

  I know a lot of people would be afraid to speak out because of the WT legal team. But think about it... If one person speaks out, they can possibly be sued. If we all speak out, then they won't be able to do a thing.
• 

  Aussie Oz

  I was thinking some more on this thread on my way home tonight...

  What the world really needs is not an organization to bring down the Jehovah's Witness 'religion', It needs an organization to bring down organized religion as a whole. Sure, people need their belief systems naturally, and one cannot squash or stop peoples thinking whatever they wish or 'need'. If people need to believe in invisible gods, so be it as long as they keep it private.

  If you go looking you find forums just like JWN, one for SDA's, another for Mormons, another for catholics etc etc. Probably one for every religion out there. Each one trying to address or overthrow the powers that be in their own way. All religions have ex members, many looking for things as varied as comfort and understanding, to revenge and destruction of whatever religion screwed up their lives.

  Sure, the JW,s teach that the UN will turn on religion and wipe it out. Whether or not we agree with this interpretation of bible passages by them matters not.... but it IS an idea for sure, maybe the UN even thinks it.

  Perhaps the undeniable rise of Muslim populations in many western countries may precipitate such a thing. Not that the majority of Muslims are going to try to take over by violence. Perhaps the take over may well be a very gradual peaceful happening. It may or may not bode well for 'christians'. I believe that in general Muslims want the same as everybody else. Peace. But just as christians seek and abuse power, so do Muslims, no religious group is immune from corruption.

  The reality of the growth of Islam is fear, whether founded on fact or fiction. There are undeniably extremist fundamentalist Muslims out there (as there are christians too) and it is this part of Islam that is scaring the bejesus out of a lot of people. That may be a catylist for a global squash of organized religion. (disclaimer... I am not anti muslim! I am anti religion) Most of the history of at least the last 1000 years has been one of Christian V Muslim. Holy wars, crusades, Bosnia...it goes on and on.

  The problems caused by dogmatic fundamentalist religions of any breed are far greater than the Watchtower Society. They are just a tiny percentage fraction of the greater problem mankind faces. They ALL need to lumped together and killed off together, for if you only kill one, another will surely rise.

  As for the Exclusive Bretheren, here in austrlaia, sure they get some airplay, a politician may get 15 minutes of fame for tackling them. But you know what? 99% of people who watched the news shows on both the Bretheren and the scientologists probably sat in their arm chairs and though '' fucking weirdo's! Well they dont affect me so yeah...crazy story!"

  In fact the only time the public care is when they want to build a giant compound on their door step. Then they care because it does impact their cozy little life.

  The focus of TV shows like Oprah and Dr Phil needs to be on the problem of religion. I agree that a show dedicated to the Witnesses would do a lot of good at least in educating people who may be inclined to join them. But those TV people need to look at the same issues and crazy dangerous shit that many many religions get up. Compared to some of them, the JW's look like saints! Dont forget too, these TV shows survive on advertising dollars not stories. Stories have to be large enough, or socially huge for them to take notice. Advertisers are not going to put their money before an audience of people who have no way of identifying with the story. Put on a story about ''My mum wont talk to me because i am gay'' or ''my mum wont talk to me because i left the church''... you know which one will rate well in TV land.

  Yes, the Pope had to say something, and they are getting sued frequently. Dont forget though, there are billions of catholics to get upset. Jehovah's witnesses? 7 million mostly loyal blind souls that dont even bother most people... i have not had a visit for 6 months so far and most people are just 'not home' to actually get bothered. Nobody but ex members to get upset most times.

  I think, unless the United Nations or some global 'anti all religion society' does something serious about the coming religious storm, we can only chip away at the little parts we can, as best we can.

  I dont mean to minimize the efforts so many put in. I myself have entertained ideas of destoying the WT. I dont think we should stop what we do either. I just think the real problem is so so much bigger than the Watchtower Bible and tract society.

  oz