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Ideas for activist exJWs to raise the awareness effectively
by Johnny Joker 2 Replies latest jw friends
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ABibleStudent
Hi Johnny Joker, I love that you want to raise awareness about the WTBTS. Whose awareness are you trying to raise? JW's or non-JW's? If JW's, I don't feel the aforementioned ideas will be very effective getting past a JW's shields. If non-JWs, most non-JWs don't care about JWs. Non-JWs think the WTBTS is a cult and get annoyed with JWs trying to distribute WTBTS's propaganda unless non-JWs are emotionally depressed, physically disabled, and/or financially poor.
What other ideas do you have?
I would recommend:
- Talking with JWs and asking them simple questions so that they try to prove to you that the WTBTS has the "Truth",
- Talking with non-JWs and help them realize that the WTBTS is a dangerous cult that uses BITE control techniques to victimize JWs,
- Writing www.jwfacts.com and www.freedomofmind.com on WTBTS propaganda and handing it back to JWs like in the thread JWs left about 10 Minutes Ago,
- Writing emails with lots of pictures/postcards to JWs who you know about how much fun you are having free from the WTBTS,
- Creating FB pages to inform your JW friends and family how much fun you are having outside the WTBTS,
- Writing anonymous emails to JWs who you know like in the thread You’ve Got Mail! TM, and
- Writing to politicians to educate them about how the WTBTS uses BITE control techniques to victimize JWs and asking them to revise the IRS tax codes to add additional requirements for an organization to qualify as a non-profit like in It's Back! . . . Round 2.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
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Band on the Run
One idea would be to read biographies of people who actually made change in the world. Since I am American, I would choose George Washington, John Adams, Ben Franklin or Alexander Hamilton. Study what they faced, learned from the struggles, and what they did. The last thing is to read what we are taught in public school. A basic college level text would do. Mandela is one great example. Gandhi is more recent. With the exception of Washington, Franklin, and Adams, all were British common lawyers. They did not hand out leaflets or bark orders. Rather than antagonize their target audience, they honed their message.
Gandhi is very interesting to see old photos of his days studying law in Britain. He dressed British lawyer to the nth degree. It makes quite a contrast with the loin cloth photos were are used to seeing.
Saul Alinksy, a noted labor organizer, wrote Rules for Radicals. His insights can be adapted to any movement. It is an easy read.
There must be good bios/histories of Students for a Democratic Society and the Black Panthers.
The black civil rights movement has a bunch of interesting activists who did more circulate bogus petitions. W.E. DuBois, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, etc. The best single source I have read is Taylor Branch's series of books.
It takes a long time to prepare for action that will bring change. If I were doing the bogus petition, I would take months reading about petition process, examples of successful campaigns, examples of failed campaigns. then I would research the statistics that are reliable. Not phony ones that are on JW Survey. Ones that would have clout with decision makers. Next, I would research who the decision makers are. Is there a pattern to which petitions are viewed favorably or nonfavorably? I would spend days crafting the language. Once it was accurate, I would ask people for their input.
Of course, I would search for examples outside America for religions that were restrained or eliminated. I would always be aware, though, that homeland was America. I would read law reviews dealing with religion and America. There is an enormous body of literature dealing with religion, power, and Amerca. Rather than organize and do something foolish, check with older people who might know things that happened that you do not. Ask neutral people for their feedback b/c we all have biases.
Political movements do not happen magically with a few signs and protest actions. Basically, all I learned as a Political Science major, lawyer, plus several different fields. Perhaps start attending meetings of closely aligned group. Network broadly. Oh, and learn fundraising. This is probably the most important part.
Abbie Hoffman would be an interesting read.
If exJWs want to constrain religion rather than destroy the WT and individual JWs for all time, I suggest studying Abbie Hoffman for his use of humor and creative action. Of course, I am not an activist. Furthermore, I have no street credit. My screeching ability is hampered.