UK newspaper interest in "mentally diseased", any Witnesses want to come forward?

by cedars 47 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  AndersonsInfo

  My husband and I are branded as "mentally-diseased" and worse by former JW friends and JW relatives because I was a whistle-blower who appeared on many important US news programs exposing JWs cover-up of child sexual abuse that I discovered was a serious problem within the Watch Tower organization internationally.

  For exposing Watch Tower's secrets of pedophilia, in 2002, I was disfellowhipped. Their charge: I caused divisions. My husband, an elder at the time, was also disfellowshipped because he believed that Watch Tower child sexual abuse policies were inadequate and in many cases protected pedophiles which, consequently, allowed them to molest more JW kids. As an elder, he believed that any molestation accusations should be reported to the authorities and not to the elders. In most cases, reporting was discouraged or ignored at the behest of Watch Tower leaders and my husband was punished for expressing his opinion in a letter to headquarters.

  I discovered this problem when I was a staff member of the Watch Tower's Writing Department at their world headquarters in Brooklyn, NY. Since our disfellowshipping we have been shunned by our son and his family and have not seen our grandson in almost ten years. He will be twelve years old in a few days and believes from his required reading of the Watchtower magazine that his grandparents are “apostates” of the worst sort.

  Barbara Anderson
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  TimothyT

  I was raised a Jehovah's Witness and was recently excommunicated because I am a homosexual. The Jehovah's Witnesses claim to follow the bible and the loving, merciful teachings of Jesus Christ, yet they are quick to slander and excommunicate those who have opposing views, brandishing them with such terms as 'mentally diseased'. Not only do I find this sad and inappropriate, but the bible also clearly condemns such behaviour. It is shocking to think of the influence that these so called ‘Christians’ are having on those they preach to. Certainly, inciting hatred towards those who have differing views seems to be on the agenda.
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  Lied2NoMore

  i was a born in, not too indoctrinated, left for 10 years, studied and landed back in the cult, thought i really found "the truth" got very active, made MS, but now i see, with my own "perceptive powers", how blatantly corrupt the org is, sick of lies, stupid unqualified "gifts in men" serving as elders. I would like to see the GB prosocuted for the "mentally diseased" diagnosis of emblem partakers and so-called apostates as practicing psychology without a license. I mean who do these clowns think they are throwing a blanket over these ones and using those kind of terms. i believe a psych professional goes thru years of schooling and gets up close and personal with a patient before assessing someones mental condition. and they certainly dont use demeaning or harsh words to describe them as such. i still am MS in good standing in the cong, but boy would i like to go to local churches and speak to locals about the "truth" about "the truth".
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  dozy

  My experience is the 3rd one down:

  http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/experiences/shunning-experiences.php

  The WTBTS seem to label anyone that disagrees with them as "mentally diseased" , including those in the "truth" who claim to be anointed , so I feel that I am in good company.

  I suppose what I might take exception with is the claim that there is "unrest within the organisation." I'm not really aware of that - any dissenters tend to leave & move on & if they are in any way outspoken are DFd , so it does silence dissent. Most JWs are quite relaxed about the situation , as they never have any contact with those who have doubts , and regard them as bad association.
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  cedars

  Thanks dozy, you raise an interesting point. However, if you think about it, how are you supposed to know how your fellow publishers truly feel about the organization, even in your own congregation? Everyone is in fear of speaking out lest they be labelled an apostate, so there is really no way of knowing for certain the exact percentage of publishers that disagree with the Society. There are enough Witnesses on this forum from various countries to suggest that there is a large number, as evidenced by this thread alone. Just because not all dissenters are "outspoken" doesn't mean that there isn't a significant amount of unrest in the organisation, as evidenced by the increasing number of reformist websites.
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  cantleave

  Cedars asked me to contact the Journalist involved, I had a short discussion with him this evening.

  I outlined what DFing is. and how it is used as a form of maintaining control and is a bullying tactic.

  I pointed out that consequences are not just the same as being kicked out of an exclusive club, but results in severe shunning of both friends and family. That those expelled from the congregation are as "dead" people.

  I also explained why using terminology such as "mentally diseased" and "evil" will result in a hatred of aposates. I made sure he realised that when the Watchtower directs that ex-jws should be shunned, it no longer becomes a choice of whether you can remain in contact with the DF'd one, continued association would be constituted as disobeying God and would result in sanctions for the ones who continue to associate.

  He will now approach to the Branch, for their comments. It will be interesting if this is published.
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  Mickey mouse

  This is true cedars. In the past year, there I know of two in our congregation who have faded for what the society would term as apostasy. Including myself and my husband, we would constitute 5% of the congregtion. These are just the ones that I know of.
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  troubled mind

  The words in the Watchtower breed hate and fear . When someone leaves it is assumed it was because they wanted to persue some ungodly course as stated in the article above .

  I was raised a Jehovah's Witness and walked away at the age of 44 . I had been in the same congregation over 30 yrs. When I stopped attending immediately people became suspicious instead of concerned . Many old friends just stopped talking to us without asking us why we left . My daughter in law also just stopped attending ,she was told by her best friend and sister in law that she was "bad association" ,and that their friendship was over unless she came back to meetings . Control over others is a major issue with in the organization and was a major flag of concern for me .

  I have Witness family members that no longer have any contact with me . My husbands family also has begun shunning us with out ever speaking to us about why we ended our association . My husband's sister in law walks right by us in the grocery store refusing to acknowledge our 'hellos' ,why ? Because she has been conditioned by the Watchtower to believe saying a greeting would mean she approves of our apostate ways and taints her somehow .

  The religion has gotten away with this behavior of spreading hate speech under the laws of freedom of religion, and it always will . My hopes though ,are if more journalists speak out about what is going on people will be educated ,and forwarned about the sect that knocks on their doors Saturday mornings .
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  Mickey mouse

  Well done cantleave.
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  cofty

  Very good to hear about press interest in the Watchtower's hate mongering.

  I think its likely that the branch will lie and make a statement inplying its an indvidual bible based decision to shun ex-members.

  Paul Gillies specialises in this sort of prevarication.

  Can you tell us which paper it is?