For the record, Celestial has responded to her comments above on this thread
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/forum/announcements/221967/1/My-apology
Letter to the Writing Department from Barbara Anderson
by Dogpatch 71 Replies latest jw friends
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flipper
BARBARA - Great letter. Well written. Hope someone on the GB reads it . Doubt it will change anything but it's a good thing that you sent it anyway just to let them know a lot of people disagree with their ethics
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lrkr
Great job Barbara. Did Martin Luther think the pope would read his letters nailed to the door of the church? Of course not! It was the broader audience that created the revolution!
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Balaamsass
Great job Barbara!
Very personal letter and it recieved a HUGE worldwide reading when Randy re-posted it. Like hundreds of thousands around the world I have set my Google email with "alerts" for whenever "Jehovah", "Watchtower Society" or my company is mentioned in a widely read newspaper or on-line forum (most notices are obits) . In every hall at LEAST 2-3 JWs do the same (forwarding a "newspaper clipping" or "alert" raises few JW mind control alarms). Randys RE-POST of your letter put your letter SMACK DAB on top of my AM EMAILS two days ago....and in the "In Box" of JWs all over the World, AND at Bethel Departments. VERY EFFECTIVE. KUDO's !
I personally was contacted by active JWs incensed at your treatment, who then googled your name, and then checked out your restrained and well researched site.
Do logical, heartfelt letters like Barbara's have an effect? Yes. When I was at Bethel I knew of Brothers on the Desk who began to doubt, had sleepless nights, and "nervous problems" ...not all the brothers..but honest hearted ones.
Like many, work keeps me off this site most of the time, but like millions, I DO check my email.
All the best,
B.A.
P.s.- someday your grandchildren will be VERY proud of you.
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3rdgen
I agree with Balaamsass
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Pistoff
Here is the thing about Watchtower leadership.
They don't care what anyone thinks, or if people suffer needlessly from their policies. They may pretend to, but they don't. Cases in point: Malawi brothers, who were persecuted and killed for lack of a cheap meaningless political card when Mexican brothers faked military service with WT's knowledge.
They don't care that children in California and other states were abused, even raped, by men they knew had accusations of molestation against them.
They don't care in the least that Barb's grandchildren will think of her as mentally diseased; they know perfectly well that theirs is a mistranslation, that there was no concept of mental disease in the first century. They know that if they call apostates mentally diseased, that the rank and file will accept it.
The rank and file no longer think for themselves, and WT knows it. So when a conscientious whistle blower, Barbara Anderson, tries for years to change a policy that is damaging people and then realizes she has to go public, they know that the rank and file will not question it when they kick her out.
They don't care if victims suffer; they have no avenue in place for the questioners. The very ones who could move the religion forward, and benefit the fellowship (like Barb and Joe) are kicked out because those at the top have no leadership skills (not that they don't have corporate skills in terminating people) and they are paranoid about losing control.
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3rdgen
@ Pissedoff, True, there is no way to prevail if the intent is to convince the GB or 7 million braindead followers to reform. However, an open letter is just that, open. There is no way to know how many Jws will read the letter and file it away in their minds only to pop up when a personal doubt/problem arises with the WT$. This letter could be a straw that becomes the tipping point for some.
How do I know? Because her story on her website was just that (tipping point) for my hubby and me. It was literally the LAST STRAW that made us leave mentally for good. Hubby e-mailed this latest letter to some dubs we know with doubts. ALREADY it is having an effect on them. It is bringing people to this site and they are reading. It's only a matter of time.........at least for some. If only ONE person is helped out isn't it worth the time it takes to write a letter?
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Pistoff
@3rdgen:
I agree wholeheartedly, the experience and contributions from Barb and Joe are pivotal for many in leaving.
And the letter was intended for public consumption, and it will do a lot of good.
(I was just on a rant about the WT and their anti-social doctrines and policies; sorry.)
I guess that is why we are all here.
When I first learned about the sex abuse policies of the WT, I felt like I had been hit in the head with a 2x4; I just couldn't believe it. I was still attending, although the cognitive dissonance was creeping in.
I was determined to see if those who were exposing it were for real, and so I called Barb after Dateline broke the story in 2002. I found out, like so many, that she was and is for real, she was calm and rational, is not a raving apostate like some had described her, and had the facts to back up what she and others were saying.
I owe Barb a lot for being where I am at today, healthy, sane and getting over being raised in the WT; THANKS Barb!
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3rdgen
Pissedoff
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Mary
An excellent letter Barb. For those that view the letter as a waste of time, or pen and paper, I would like to say that I doubt very much that Barbara thinks that they're suddenly going to reverse their view of all of us as being "mentally diseased" for leaving the Borg. But since it hit close to home, she probably found it very therapeutic.
I called the Writing Department after my brother in law died and asked them point-blank how they can sleep at night knowing their policy on blood transfusions is killing people. I did not phone them thinking that they'd suddenly do an about-face, but because it was therapeutic.
I actually would have loved to have seen the look on whoever opened the envelope and started reading. LOL!