Dateline - reactions the morning after.

dmouse

What happens the morning after dateline? How will most JWs react? These are my thoughts on the matter, which, of course, are open to debate:

Will JWs even watch the program? Most JWs won’t know about it, and most people they know won’t care or dare to tell them.

It’s airing on a meeting night, accidental viewing will be minimal.

And even if they do know the issue this Dateline episode is revealing, Satan controls the media – attacks on God’s people are to be expected.

It’s all apostate lies, spread by the evil slave class.

The brothers are not perfect, so mistakes happen.

So what? It happens everywhere, why should we be any different?

Jehovah will sort it out in His own due time and way, wait on Jehovah.

Even if it’s true, where are you going to go? We have the Truth ™, we are the only organisation God is using today, and He will sort it out.

Bad things happen, even in God’s Organisation, being loyal to God means being loyal to the ‘faithful and discrete slave’ no matter what.

(Fingers in ears) I’m not listening, I’m not listening, I’m not listening, I’m not listening, nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah …….

(This from an actual elder, whom I spoke to recently)
“Problem? What problem? Nonsense! We always obey the law, expel paedophiles and protect victims. Why, once I was on a case where we begged the victim to report her molester to the police but she wouldn’t. When the elders decided to report the molester the victim sued us! We always do our best but some people just don’t want help. We have to protect the legal rights of the brothers too you know.”

Immediate result – Lots of shouting. Some press coverage, embarrassment and BCE (Butt Covering Exercises) from the Society.

Short-term result – no change, no mass fallout.

Long-term result – gradual filtering down from the top of slight changes in policy and ways cases are to be handled.

In the end, common sense and decency wins.

But why did it have to come to this? Why does change always seem to come the hard way for the Society?

Will Power

Who cares if they watch it. The unsuspecting public are the ones that need to be informed. The CARING public will see to it that justice is done, protect the innocent ones even if they won't do it themselves.
Society has MORALS and STANDARDS. If someone or something in their midst is crossing the line, they'll speak up.
I so don't like it when people are just accepted as "good" because they are a so called religious group.
How many times have I heard that JWs never lie because it is against their religion!!! Well we know that lying is a part of their official doctrine!! They printed it as so. Do most know this? Of course not.

The public will see them for what they are, just as we see the trolls here for what they are. Protectors of the printing empire and their leaders right down to the last ounce of their AIR!!

Again, great AIR post Farkel.

roybatty

I agree that what will be most damaging for the WatchTower Society will be the general public’s view of Jehovah’s Witnesses. If you were to ask the average person on the street what they know about JWs, they will most likely say “Aren’t they the ones who don’t celebrate birthdays” or “Yeah, they’re the ones who come on Saturday’s mornings and knock on people’s doors.” But overall people have a positive perception of JWs, at least thinking of them as “clean-cut.”
I believe that this Dateline story and other bad PR will tarnish this image. Even if most JWs don’t see the Dateline piece, people will talking about it. At work, at school, etc. people will ask JWs “did you see that story on Dateline….” people love to put others on the spot, esp. arrogant, self-righteous JWs.
I was also thinking that this case will be a little different then the Catholic problem. The Catholic pedophile problem is a reflection of the Catholic priests, not the average Catholic. However, I believe this will be different with the JWs. Since the WT doesn’t officially have a clergy class and elders are supposedly just “average joes” this problem will be a badge of dishonor that all JWs will have to wear.
It is going to be interesting to see how this issue plays out.

LB

dmouse I think they will claim all those things. But as Will Power said the public needs to be informed. That's the key. I've already had emails back refuting the story and it hasn't even aired yet.

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

TR

Will JWs even watch the program? Most JWs won’t know about it, and most people they know won’t care or dare to tell them.
It’s airing on a meeting night, accidental viewing will be minimal.
And even if they do know the issue this Dateline episode is revealing, Satan controls the media – attacks on God’s people are to be expected.

Hmmm.... Well, 'hovah's are probably eating up all the coverage on the RCC scandal. Would seem hypocritical of them to purpousely not watch coverage of their own religion. But, then again, 'hovahs have the troof.

TR

UADNA-WA
Unseen Apostate Directorate of North America- Washington Division

ThiChi

It may have a “snowball effect” by bringing forth more abuse cases. The story will affect the Jws who have been involved in this issue and still feel no justice was done. The others who have not gone through this aspect of JW life will not be moved........

D wiltshire

While it is hoped that many JW's will see the wrongness of the WT in handleing Peds and eventually investigat further that is not the main importance of the Dateline expose.

As already mentioned the public will watch it and so when the JW comes to their doors with the Good News they will feel the effects.

They(JWs) will be forced to talk about the Borgs policies of DF'n and lack of protection for the victims of child molestation at the doors.

Many of the public will not just veiw the JW as a harmless religion any more, but one that must be avoided,.. because they are "wackos".
It may also change some Judges veiw of the Witnesses and cause more thought to go into their decisions concerning things like divorce and child custody of non JW parents.
Maybe even more favorable decision for law suits brought against the Borg by injured parties in furture cases.

This bad publicity is really going to have more effect than we will see immediately after the the airing of Dateline.

Hopefully many of us who have family and freinds who are shunning us now will soften and not be so strict in implimenting the WT shunning policies as time goes on as the see the Big WT are not what they claim to be.

I have some very positive expectations about the long tern out come.

Join the Watchtower or you will die.
Only Jehovah's Witnesses have the TRUTH all other religions EVIL and from the Devil.
You must beleive the Watchtower or you're going to die a painful death forever, isn't that really GOOD NEWS?

MikeMusto

The morning after will be no different for me, it will be
just like any other. Like Xmas is for JW's...I will
be as usual, awakened with my head resting on the side of a toilet,
my pants at my ankels and praying that the pain coming from my butt
is the from me falling on a seatless bike and not what i think it is.

dmouse

Who cares if they watch it?

Well, I care, actually.

While it’s good that the general public will be made even more aware of the 'wackos' at the helm of the JWs it must be said that the vast majority were never in much danger of joining the religion anyway.

My concern is for the people still trapped inside the system. They are the ones at risk from child molesters.

60 years ago child molestation was virtually unheard of in the general public. This does not mean it didn’t happen, it just means that the attitude of denial prevalent at the time meant that molesters could operate with virtual impunity. Much like the attitude amongst JWs today. My mum was molested during the 1950s by two different men who went their merry way undeterred, because admitting that such things happened was taboo. The attitude that ‘it doesn’t happen here’ means that children are MORE at risk in the JW world than out of it!

So, until the JWs THEMSELVES admit there is a problem the kids will continue to be molested.

That’s why I’m so sad that Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to hide behind their wall of programmed denial.

Mimilly

dmouse - (Fingers in ears) I’m not listening, I’m not listening, I’m not listening, I’m not listening, nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah …….

I couldn't help but laugh at imagining them doing that. After all, it's exactly what they do on many many levels. That would make an excellent cartoon of the JWs.

I also believe that there will be many VCRs quitely set that evening before the meeting.

roybatty - well said!

It feels great to think that a great many elders are squirming over this one! Hopefully, the Dateline show will be the beginning of THEM being put on the other side of a 'public' judicial hearing.

Dateline - reactions the morning after.

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