by cedars 54 Replies latest jw friends
Does it invite legal trouble to create a poster or leaflet that supports JW's ridiculous beliefs and then claim sponsorship by JW's? I figure if we could anonymously attach them to poles or other places where you usually find posters no one would know who it was.
For instance...
WE WANT YOU
(picture of your cliche horribly dressed (in a suit) elder pointing a finger at reader)
TO (insert ridiculous JW belief)
Hm, I'm not sure with that one. With most of these ideas you need to view them from a legal perspective and weigh any potential contraventions. That said, it's often surprising just how much one can get away with.
Cedars
Well if we put in fine print in the bottom left "Sponsored by Jehovah's Witnesses" and we got people who weren't disfellowshipped to put them up, are we really lying?
I like that one Ubermensch!
>
Remember the PARTICIPACTION ads encouraging exercise ... well how about something along those lines?
Large 'garagesale type' signs hammered up in neighborhoods where jw's will be going d2d. Leaflets or ads in local papers. Canvass d2d ahead of the jw 'service' groups For instance how about this?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
WHAT IF THEY ARE WRONG?
WHAT IF THIS LIFE IS ALL WE GET?
ARE YOU in a CULT? ... GET OUT!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
clarity
Bump
an elder was threatened and attacked in the ministry this week in London. He was doing first call with an MS. The man who came to the door shouted abuse, pushed the elder, tore off his hat and threw it to the ground and snatched all his literature and threw that to the ground too. His shouting was so loud it attracted the attention of neighbours who formed a little group to watch. the Householder shouted that he knew the name and address of the PO and was going to pay him a visit.
The elder was very shaken and quickly warned the PO and his family. No one in the congregation knows this guy and as far as they know he has never had a study although he said he knew the PO (former PO anyway) very well. The former PO has never met him.
I'm wondering if he has been reading some of the recent publicity regarding hate speech.
Also I understand why newspapers may be reluctant to publicise controversial stuff. Some members of the public are likely to react like this.
edit: the elder is not going to report the incident to the police but I think he ought to. Mind you if he did make a report the police are likely to tell him not to enter blocks but always to use intercoms. I think witnesses, as a matter of course, ought to be told to use intercoms instead of going into blocks of flats and that the WTS ought to implement this policy. There are many vulnerable people living in these flats - elderly, disabled etc and it is these ones who are likely to be in during the morning. People are more likely to react angrily if they feel that witnesses are taking advantage of periods when blocks are made accessible for the postman, deliveries and tradesmen.
Thanks soft+gentle. Whilst I sympathise with the elder to a certain extent, and would never condone violence of any kind, I don't think you can blame the "recent publicity on hate speech" for this incident. Firstly, if it is the case that the man reacted so violently because of what he read in the Independent or elsewhere, then he was only reacting indirectly to the words printed so carelessly in the Watchtower magazine, which reflect the feelings of the Governing Body. Secondly, we have no way of knowing exactly why the man reacted angrily without asking him personally. I was often surprised that I wasn't violently set upon myself during my many years on the ministry, because you simply don't know what state of mind people are in at the moment you call at their door. All it takes is to interrupt a violently-disposed person (perhaps suffering from behavioural problems) at an inopportune time, and all hell can break loose.
You'll forgive me if I don't lose too much sleep over how the Society implements its policies towards blocks of flats etc. Knowing what I know now, the preaching work that these people engage in is a pointless endeavor, since it only serves to promote the Watchtower Society and encourage people to enslave themselves and their families to its twisted teachings which are demonstrably false.
Any more ideas, or suggested text for information leaflets etc??
cedars- Hi punkofnice - I can see where you're coming from. A letter-writing campaign is a good idea, but it might be difficult to get off the ground from a logistical point of view. Postage stamps aren't as cheap as they used to be! Or did you have another idea for distribution?
soft+gentle - an elder was threatened and attacked in the ministry this week in London. He was doing first call with an MS. The man who came to the door shouted abuse, pushed the elder, tore off his hat and threw it to the ground and snatched all his literature and threw that to the ground too.
@cedars - Who mails letters anymore with the wide-spread use of email? Emails are easier to write, don't cost any money to send, can be sent anonymously with a little effort, and can be sent to individuals within a single household without arousing suspicions of JWs.
@soft+gentile Thanks for sharing information about an attack on JWs. It is so important not incite individuals to abuse any JW. I feel it is better to portray JWs in general as individuals who are victums of the Watchtower, which can be classified as a dangerous cult by Steve Hassan's BITE control model. When I wrote letters to the editors of several Australian newspapers in http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/child-abuse/217999/3/Victoria-Australia-Results-of-November-8th-Steven-Unthanks-Court-Hearing, I tried to portray the Watchtower as a dangerous cult and to provide valuable resources on the internet for readers about cults and the Watchtower.
After reading posts from other posters, I thought that exJWs should send letters to local newspaper editors to inform communities of the Watchtower's "Do not call list", an example of how a "Do not call list" door sign should look for the Watchtower, and to include internet links to www.jwfacts.com, www.watchtowerdocuments.com, www.freedomofmind.com so that readers can do some additional research. Also, exJWs should talk to their neighbors about the "Do not call list" when JWs actively go D2D in a neighborhood. When developing flyers, I believe that it would be better that flyers be thought provoking, target emotional hot buttoms of people, simple, written in font sizes greater than 14 Arial, and promenantly display reputable websites such as www.jwfacts.com, www.wikipedia.com, and www.watchtowerdocuments.com. To me it is more effective to reference reputable websites for readers, who are interested, to research additional information and to not alienate individuals, who don't care about the Watchtower and JWs.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
AGuest - Thanks for your input.
You are quite welcome, dear cedars (peace to you!)
I don't fully agree with you though I'm afraid.
To each his own, dear one. While I agree it might not work with those who are "mad" at the WTBTS/JWs for some reason (usually, missing out on their "childhood", unfulfilled prophecy, the blood issue, the UN, various sundry lies/falsehoods, etc.), there are some for whom the WTBTS propaganda is quite strongly entrenched, as well as some who truly believe they are "following" (if not at least seeking) God. As one who left a religion but not God, and who has helped many other similar folks (leave a religion but not God), I have learned that it is what's in the Bible... or, in some instances, what is NOT in it... that makes them at least stand up and take note. Because, how, of course, can the "Spirit-directed Faithful and Discreet Slave be wrong on what's in the Bible!? Sure, they may have their dates off... or might not have full "light" on a matter... but regarding THESE matters (those I shared)... 'the Bible SAYS'..."
Imagine their... well, flabbergatedness... when they read, for themselves... from THEIR Bible... what "the Bible" says... or does NOT say... about these issues. In spite of what the WTBTS publishes that it says.
Does the reasoning book cover Mexico/Malaxi and the UN/NGO scandal?
I don't believe so (though I could be wrong, so...). But what I've run into with these issues has been (1) "it's not true and/or your source/letter has been falsified," (2) "Well, I'm sure the FDS has its reasons and we're not privy to everything, so...; or (3) "Yes, well, but the Society are the ONLY ones who have the truth." When I show them in their Bibles that not only does the WTBTS not HAVE the truth, but are NOT "the truth" (only One is - John 8:32, 36; 14:6), I find that what the WTBTS, the WT, the Reasoning Book, the Live Forever book... or any other WTBTS "source" SAYS... become irrelevant. SOME care about the WTBTS' involvement in the "world," yes. Most, however, are misled by their claims of knowledge or and a relationship with... God.
But, no worries: as my daughter would say, "You... do you." Just offered a suggestion and the basis for it, is all.
Again, peace to you!
A slave of Christ,
SA
cedars
I think people need to be aware that if they react with violence or extremes of hate to jehovah witnesses they are liable to suffer consequences - for example they could lose their council accommodation. The elder who was attacked and abused in the ministry could report the individual to his local council and this could eventually lead to the violent, abusive individual losing his flat and this would be true even if he was on meds or suffering behavioural difficulties.
Regarding the newspaper article about apostates being mentally diseased - the newspapers were careful to quote the Watchtower directly plus a little bit about how a particular group of xjws were reacting - and there is nothing wrong with that imo. Abiblestudent, trying to get newpapers to say that Jehovahs witnesses are a dangerous cult is a different matter. Also extreme and abusive misrepresentations of watchtower articles, as on facebook, could be seen as inciteful and what's more these can be traced if the police or council was asked to investigate.
I think that if you are going to discuss ideas about public awareness re JWs then these need to come with warnings about going too far.
