It's an open letter. The Writing Dept. is the direct recipient, but the audience for the letter is huge -- which means that the message is intended for all who are willing to read it. It speaks directly to those responsible for the statements in the Watchtower, but for the rest of us reading it, this direct addressing gives the message greater rhetorical force than if it was simply an essay addressed to no one in particular criticizing the published statements. The direct addressing places the ball in the Writing Dept.'s court. They could choose to ignore the letter, which is what most here think will happen. That gives Barbara the last word on this particular exchange. If they do respond, then this will allow the rest of us to judge for ourselves whether they respond to material issues raised in the open letter, directly and honestly.
Letter to the Writing Department from Barbara Anderson
by Dogpatch 71 Replies latest jw friends
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Celestial
There's two definitions of an apostate.
The dictionary's (secular) definition:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/apostate
1. a person who abandons his religion, party, cause, etc
There's the Bible's definition:
rs p. 36 par. 6 - p. 37 par. 2 Apostasy
2 Pet. 2:1: “These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects and will disown even the owner that bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves.”
Job 13:16: “Before him [God] no apostate will come in.”
Heb. 6:4-6: “It is impossible as regards those who have once for all been enlightened, and who have tasted the heavenly free gift, and who have become partakers of holy spirit, and who have tasted the fine word of God and powers of the coming system of things, but who have fallen away [“if they then commit apostasy,” Revised Standard Version], to revive them again to repentance, because they impale the Son of God afresh for themselves and expose him to public shame.”
I may not be in good standing in the Christian congregation, but I don't think I'm beyond repentance. Those with their spirituality intact are primarily concerned with those with some potential for repentance.
Those beyond repentance seem to be intent on criminalizing, not just criticizing Jehovah's Witnesses. They'll even draw from the Bible's explanation of wickedness to incriminate Jehovah's Witnesses. Much of what is said doesn't make any sense. Back in 1997, the Watchtower society shed some light on their policy regarding child abuse.
w97 1/1 p. 29 Let Us Abhor What Is Wicked
Depending on the law of the land where he lives, the molester may well have to serve a prison term or face other sanctions from the State. The congregation will not protect him from this. Moreover, the man has revealed a serious weakness that henceforth will have to be taken into account. If he seems to be repentant, he will be encouraged to make spiritual progress, share in the field service, even have parts in the Theocratic Ministry School and nonteaching parts in the Service Meeting. This does not mean, though, that he will qualify to serve in a position of responsibility in the congregation.
The only thing that can be done with an unrepentant person where the law of the land doesn't incarcerate serial pedophiles is to protect the congregation by excommunicating the person.
A common sense approach to the societal problem of child abuse was implemented in Jehovah's Organization and disseminated to congregations throughout the world. Corrective action should obviously be taken if there's any deviation to the public policy. The most serious violation would be if a member of the governing body issued a decree for the protection of a pedophile. A letter written in 1985, when the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was the head of the Vatican's doctrinal unit, resists a request for the defrocking of an American priest with a record of molesting children, for the "good of the universal Church." For whatever reason, the overall membership of the Catholic church doesn't call for the resignation of his position as the pope.
Barbra Anderson didn't just criticize the writing department on MSNBC-Dateline in 2002 as she alleged in her letter, she assaulted the public policy enforced by the overall membership of Jehovah's Witnesses (“sexual abuse policies that protected pedophiles— policies that you helped formulate”) and thus assaulted individuals that implemented instruction from the governing body using twisted logic and outright lies. She then condemns the disfellowshipping arrangement even though it serves as a protective agent to the Christian congregation against pedophiles and those that bring in destructive sects. This is why she was disfellowshipped. Her dissent from Jehovah's organization was likely the result of some sort of power struggle initiated by her with staff members at Bethel headquarters. A power struggle she still seems to be waging with the administrative position of Jehovah's organization at the expense of her family. Her grandchildren will much more likely be repelled by her travesty on MSNBC-Dateline than anything stated in the Watchtower. Barbra Anderson's son or daughter is obviously one of Jehovah's Witnesses that will explain the truth to her grandchildren. -
diamondiiz
Latest wts policy thanks to the efforts of people like Barbara, and the lawsuits that forced wts to adjust. Even though the revised policy isn't all that great. Two witness rule still applies.
Chid Abuse
18. You should immediately call the branch
office for direction if you learn of an accusation of
child abuse, regardless of the age of the victim now
or at the time of the alleged abuse, even if it occurred
before the alleged perpetrator's baptism. The branch
office will then give direction based on the circumstances
involved in each situation.
19. Child abuse is a crime. Never suggest to anyone
that they should not report an allegation
of child abuse to the police or other authorities.
If you are asked, make it clear that whether to report
the matter to the authorities or not is a personal
decision for each individual to make and that there
are no congregation sanctions for either decision. -
Listener
Celestrial sair =
(Barbara) "and thus assaulted individuals that implemented instruction from the governing body using twisted logic and outright lies."
Are you saying that individual JWs used twisted logic and outright lies to implement instructions from the GB or that Barbara attacked individual JWs who were following GB instructions by using twisted logic and outright lies?
If it is the latter could you explain the lies she told?
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stillajwexelder
Excellent
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Band on the Run
I understand it as a vent. The letter is written in what I perceive as a hostile, rather than neutral, voice. It may be impossible to write in a neutral voice when you know so much. Frankly, I did not find this an extraordinary letter. It was a nice booster for the already converted choir. This will make me unpopular but I believe it was posted for comment. It could be tigher, too. Perhaps it is a good first draft. I find it lacks polish. It seems to me that the Writing Department will find it a joke.
I wonder if there are still close ties from years of knowing each other if personal letters, without rancor, would mean more to the recipients.
How would we respond if a JW apologist wrote such a letter to this forum? Rage, triggered feelings. Sometimes a velvet glove is nicer.
It is not the best letter ever written. There are all forms of letter. This reads as propaganda for the already converted to her point of view. I enjoyed that aspect of it.
And now I am truly hated.
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dgp
The letter may not have been read by anyone at the Watchtower headquarters, but it will be read outside. People who may be thinking of joining the cult find it much easier to understand just how bad it is from the personal accounts told by former members. Even if the letter is not read by them at the Watchtower, it makes sense.
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Fernando
Hey Celestial!
Religionists define apostasy as abandoning their particular religion - how convenient!
The correct definition for apostasy is very different and unsurprisingly renders all religionists as apostates due to their spiritually immoral relationship with the "god of religion" and rejection of the "God of Abraham" and his message the gospel.
Religionists practice and pursue self-righteousness (works-righteousness). Believers or simple Jesus followers yield to and embrace IMPUTED righteousness (gifts-righteousness) and IMPUTED holiness.
It is no accident that religionists are unable to identify, explain, embrace and obey the one key ingredient of the gospel referred to in Acts 20:24 (2009 year text).
Definition: apostasy or heresy is spiritual unfaithfulness, fornication, adultery, prostitution.
Watchtower library searches:
- apostasy unfaithful*
- legalism
- prostit* (select "most occurrences tab at the bottom, then display results from Bible only, notice 37 hits in Ezekiel)
PS - Did you know that around 1950 the Watchtower suddenly became a "religion"? Did you know that before then ALL religion was deemed "a snare and a racket"? Did you know that the concepts of "false religion" versus "true religion" were invented by Hayden C Covington for expedience and were unknown to Judge Rutherford?
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Fernando
I agree the Watchtower is beyond repentance, since this involves a level of awareness of their dysfunction that would lead them to admit their apostasy, irrelevance and illegitimacy. Their wilful ignorance of dysfunction has long been shown to be militant. Their self-righteousness (resisting IMPUTED righteousness) has also long been shown to be malignant.
However letters such as these cause them to react in more spiritually insane ways which exposes them as wolves in sheep's clothing to more R&F who are ready to see.
The escalation of their siege mentality, threats, bleating, rationalisation, justification, self-aggrandising, and surreptitious calls to be worshipped as VISIBLE golden calf or pseudo-mediator between God and man, all point to a mounting fear of mounting dissent finally exposing them as spiritually naked, blind, confused, inebriated and insane for all the world to see.
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Refriedtruth
Barb is the best
