Several JWN poster have commented in various thread's about GB member Anthony Morris' Zone/Branch Visit statement concerning young men in the congregation.
I wasn't there and I couldn't find anyone quoting it exactly (maybe someone here has the exact wording), but enough posters commented on it that I feel confident we have the gist of what he said. It is this which I want to discuss in this thread.
AM3 apparently had an captive audience of over 700,000 more or less faithful JWs and he chose to say, among other things:
- There's something wrong with you if you're a brother 23 years or older and not a Ministerial Servant.
When I first read this yesterday I was quite shocked, which surprised me because I already think the WT leaders are abusive, mean-spirited people. Nevertheless, this statement really made an impression, and it wasn't a good one.
I'm a teacher. I can only imagine what any parent would say to me if I ever said to their child, "There something wrong with you if you can't solve that math/science/English problem!"
I'm quite sure that parent would hit the roof, and rightly so. They'd probably run to the administrator's office to complain about me, and they'd be justified.
AM3 had the opportunity to be kind, loving and encouraging. But instead of doing any of those things, he took this opportunity to be demeaning and unkind, to belittle, to mock and shame. His comments were blatantly manipulative and mean-spirited. What he said would have been bad enough if had he made these completely insensitive remarks privately, but he made them publicly, nationally.
Most congregations have a few young men that aren't Ministerial Servants. There are usually also a few, maybe more, older brothers not "serving."
A little quick math suggests that there must've been 20, 30, 40 thousand or more men squirming in their seats when AM3 publicly humiliated them in this psychologically brutal display of decidedly un-Christian behavior.
It's increasingly obvious that the WT leadership has lost their way. I am at a loss to even imagine how AM3 could believe that his petty tirade and abuse of ecclesiastical power is remotely in keeping with Christian principals.
Can anyone imagine Jesus ever telling his disciples, "There's something wrong with you if you [FILL IN THE BLANK]!"
If you're still in this cult, it's time to wake-up and reclaim control of your life. Quit being the whipping-post for these angry old men that have clearly lost the thread.
This religion is NOT "God's visible organization." It is not even a benign religion worthy of your membership.
This religion is a highly destructive, manipulative cult. The leaders don't care about you. What kind of person says, "There's something wrong with you ..." when they don't even know you. They know nothing about you, your circumstances, your hopes, dreams, challenges, anxieties or fears?"
They don't know you. They don't care about you. And they most certainly, they DO NOT understand you!
Anthony Morris made that clear when he added, "People say 'God understands.' Well, that's not the god of the bible, that's not the god I know."
I don't know what "god" Anthony Morris worships, but you know what? I don't want to know.
He perfectly reflects his god. He is petty, mean, unkind, unloving, rule-oriented, narcissistic and completely devoid of any basic human compassion and understanding.
Oh, and there's one more thing about this "god": He is unworthy of your devotion!
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Let's review: It's a cult!
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