by AndDontCallMeShirley 173 Replies latest watchtower scandals
Any person without some predisposed negative attitude on the JDubs would think this video was great.
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experience makes all the difference, doesn't it? From the outside, Jim Jones looked like a great guy too....right up to the point he served KoolAid for lunch.
YEEHAW FOR GEORGIA! you-alls wanna come to Atlanta for the convention, come on over to my house and parTAY! and then fergit about the dang convention and just have a good time. A 'course, it ain't a dang McMansion but it'll do! lol
Marina
The video has been removed??
DesirousOfChange: Y'all (southern influence), are looking for the negative. Any person without some predisposed negative attitude on the JDubs would think this video was great. Other than the kind of deadbeat family highlighted in the Family Worship thing, it looked pretty professional. I did notice the fat-cat house they were all meeting in. And you can be sure that the Missionaries and delegates from abroad will be staying with the rich and famous JWs in Dunwoody or Austell.
I think they spun it pretty good.
I'm not looking for anything in particular - positive or negative; I'm just calling what I see. I agree that the video seems far more professionally produced than most JW stuff, but since when are JWs into videos that seem professionally produced and have a commercial feel? To me as a longtime JW, it seems that JWs are selling out; it seems they are trying to be like Mormons who have professionally produced commercials, videos, and websites.
I agree that to an outsider the video might seem good (except for the bad acting of the family), but it's shocking to a JW who has deep roots in JWdom and knows JW history. The end of the world is supposed to be on the immediate horizon and JWs are talking about having the 'times of their lives'????? You don't see why a JW with any sense would find something wrong with that? JWs aren't even supposed to be here (in this system) now.
So, yeah, the video might seem professional to non-JWs, but that's not my point in my comments on this thread; that's irrelevant. The new look, feel, and attitudes of JWdom portrayed in the video are what I find wrong, not the production.
And think again about those houses they showed. Did they really give a lot of thought to the kinds of houses they'd show? They must have. Why would they show those expensive houses? As I indicated in a post above, most JWs I know literally couldn't afford the taxes, insurance, maintenance, and homeowners' association fees associated with those houses. How am I to feel when I see them? I was told the end was coming at the latest by 1994 and ultra-latest by end of the 20th century. I've been virtually homeless and carless. Jesus had nowhere to lay down his head. I gave up everything. And now show those houses as if they're just standard JW homes??? They're telling young people to pioneer, work part-time, get no meaningful education, and they show those houses??? Am I "looking for the negative" in thinking something's wrong with that?
Who live in those houses? Did they give up their entire lives and suffer and sacrifice as I did? If so, how do they afford those houses? It doesn't make sense; it goes contrary to everything I've ever been taught as a JW. Is the org changing now? Is it going to start preaching a prosperity gospel? Does "listen, obey, and be blessed" mean "listen, obey, and be blessed with material things"? I'm baffled. I'm a product of the pre-1975 era and the "generation can't go past 1994" era. This new JW situation is shocking to me (and my wife, too).
Magnum: And think again about those houses they showed. Did they really give a lot of thought to the kinds of houses they'd show? They must have. Why would they show those expensive houses?
Your observations are spot-on. Historically, WT has always portrayed a nice home and fine material possessions in a negative light. Any JW who desires these things, and, worse, actually owns them, has been marginalized as "spiritually weak", "materialistic", and "not putting Kingdom interests first".
For WT to produce a video that not only strongly emphasizes the entertainment aspects of an International Convention (haven't JWs always been told conventions are for spiritual interests, NOT entertainment?), and showcasing luxury homes, is highly hypocritical. Of course WT knew what it was doing! What do you think the reaction of would-be attendees needing a home to stay in would be if WT showed an average home in an average neighborhood, you know, the kind of home 99% of JWs live in? WT wants JWs to appear to be financially successful, progressive, modern- you know, "worldly"- just like every other religion. WT and JWs wouldn't attract any interest for these conventions if WT showed the broken down cars and average/below average homes most JWs live in.
The entire video is corporate spin, nothing more, and is diametrically opposed to what WT has traditionally claimed is of the most importance in life and especially "Kingdom interests".
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To LisaBObeesa: no the video hasn't been removed. Click on the link on page one of my first post, highlight it, and copy it to your Internet search bar. It'll take you to the Youtube video.
WT removed the video !!!! Too bad.
WT removed the video !!!! Too bad.
Shoot*&%$! Did anybody download it? I could have but didn't think about it. My wife wanted to see it; plus, I'd just like to have it for reference.
Wow it is down!
Now why would they do a thing like that?
I wonder whether they noticed some of the things we pointed out. I bet they caught some flak about it.
WT is so focused on how great they think they are, I'm sure it catches them off guard when their propoganda videos do not result in everyone seeing them to immediately want to become a JW.
Magnum, I have little doubt WT patrols JWN and similar sites to get an idea of how their latest nonsense is being interpretted. It probably came as a real shock to them that this Atlanta video wasn't winning any accolades and people with at least two functioning brain cells can easily see the video for what it is.
Why didn't they just ask us first before making the video? LOL. We could've told them it was crap. There goes a few hundred thousand $$ down the tubes on their slick production.
Back to the drawing board for WT !
