Advise needed please

by EdenOne 51 Replies latest jw experiences

  • Band on the Run
    Band on the Run

    I wrote a letter for closure decades ago. It was addressed to a specific elder at Bethel who knew my father and uncles. No response.

    Decades ago I was in touch with JW dissidents through either Regis Philbin's NY local show or the New York Times. It was probably the New York Times. Hey, maybe it was Barbara Anderson. The NY Times religious reporter gave me the dissident's phone number. We spoke for a brief while. I was told that 60 Minutes was preparing an investigative piece. Since I was not at work that day, I called the 60 Minutes producer to ask if it were true. The producer said it was in a preliminary stage. She was waiting for the go ahead to commit more resources. I remarked that my feelings for the WT were a mixture of good and bad, mostly bad. I asked the 60 Minutes reporter if it was ethical for her to share her honed journalistic skills with me as to whether the WT was truly bad. The woman said she wrote to Bethel as a reporter. They need hard sources. All she could get was stamped signature WTBTS. Despite repeated efforts to get an actual name from a lawyer or director, she had no success. She said most places are quite willing to give the press this info.

    I said that the stamp showed the culture in a telling way. No individuals. Press as always the enemy.

    Eden One, do it for you. There will never be a reply. In fact, you may end up on the street. We are not allowed to think. Your Witness days may end abruptly.

  • KateWild
    KateWild

    Still waiting 18 years later-cofty

    Tumbleweed comes to mind. I am sorry but I agree with everyone. No point, except to make you feel better. Kate xx

  • gingerbread
    gingerbread

    Eden -

    In your letter you make a great argument however it won't change a thing. You've spent a lot of time and energy explaining why disfellowshipping and the practice of shunning are wrong. However....

    if you forward this in printed form to the service desk, it will be ignored. The only return letter you will receive will tell you to talk to YOUR elders in YOUR congregation. And, to NOT talk about this matter with anyone else.

    They wholeheartedly agree with Acts 5:29 - inasmuch as they don't have to listen to the publishers.

    Remember:

    They allowed men, women and children to be imprisoned and murdered (for the sake of the 'faith') in Germany, Malawi, Korea, Russia, Poland, Chili, Canada, Greece, United States and more. They don't care that a disfellowshipping busts up a family. Period.

    ginger

  • Fernando
    Fernando

    Spiritually blind Pharisees kill those who call them out.

    Possibly you might choose to go ahead once you have managed to lower your expectations to this level?

  • EdenOne
    EdenOne

    I guess, in the words of the TV reporter in "Bruce, the Almighty", I want to see just "how the cookie crumbles" by myself.

    Also, note that I don't disagree with disfellowshipping, although I think it should only be used in extreme cases. What I argue against is the shunning that follows.

    Eden

  • NVR2L8
    NVR2L8

    Eden One...it took decades and numerous loss of lives before the WT changed their blood doctrine and allow blood fractions. They only did it in fear of liability ($$$). Letters condemning shunning will not alter a practice that empower them over the flock.

  • tornapart
    tornapart

    Eden, could you just send it anyway? Without any hope of a reply. It's a good article and who knows, there just may be another 'Ray Franz' in there willing to put his head on the block.

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    If your goal is fundamental change, a letter-writing campaign might be better. Get a hundred active JW's to write on the same topic. Administering all these letters is expensive on their part. Also, a smart organization knows that a hundred letters equals 10,000 unhappy people.

  • Ding
    Ding

    I think of what happened to Carl Olof Jonsson when he shared with the GB his research on the date of the fall of Jerusalem.

  • cognac
    cognac

    All they have to do is put the first semtence or two of your article in quotes and google will direct them straight to your website.

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