What Are They Really Saying Now?

by Englishman 12 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Englishman

  I must confess, I am intrigued as to how Panorama has affected the JW's who watched it.

  My old pal, Mr Dub-in-the-Pub, just shook his head miserably over his Guinness after denying having seen it. Now he wants to borrow the video recording I made. I think he did see it however, and he was more interested as to whether or not us apostates would have kept a record of the programme and intended to accidently "lose" my copy.

  At another UK congregation, Clevedon, many witnesses teamed up to watch it in the company of other witnesses. At Touchstone Forum, a mainly pro-witness site, many US JW's were demanding details of websites that would feature the programme in Streaming video.

  So, what are they saying now? Pure language has no mentions, I don't know of any other pro-witness forums.

  Are there any other pro-witness discussion forums where Panorama and Dateline might be allowed a mention?

  Has anyone heard any witness comments yet?

  Englishman.
• 

  Sirona

  http://groups.msn.com/JustJWs/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=1368&LastModified=4675380219401551042

  A thread about Dateline and Panorama

  There are active dubs on here but they do allow a lot so I'm not sure whether its 100% pro JW
• 

  dmouse

  I know one elder who watched the panorama program and he said he was 'gutted' over the whole thing.

  He said that he would never have allowed cover-ups no matter what.

  On the whole though there were dark mutterings at the meeting about media persecution, apostate lies, and a general unwillingness to accept there has ever been a problem.

  I think the elders have had a kick up the pants though, and things ARE changing for the better.

  It's just a shame that it took outside force to do it.
• 

  Englishman

  I've spoken with a few people and the general impression is that most JW's watched it. Most say it was a biased account, although they all seem to be rather chastened by it.

  I think the programme really zapped the witnesses in a way that not even Panorama would understand. The "wait on Jehovah, he'll sort it" favourite phrase, will never sound the same again to a JW after the televised telephone call with Brooklyn.

  Ted's "don't go beyond what is written" phrase will, IMHO, return again and again to haunt them as they struggle to come to terms with the wealth of Watchtower propaganda that has no basis in Scripture.

  If the JW's are daft enough to read that atrocious KM insert to the flock, the one about shunning one's own mother, after being shown as so inept in the way that they can't contain paedophiles, then they need their heads examined.

  I foresee the start of a mutiny!

  Englishman.
• 

  kat7302

  My parents who are extreme;y active witnesses did watch and they were ashamed of what they saw.

  My father, an elder and chairman of the HLC said that the way the brothers/Gb declined to commment to the point where they made sense was awful and worse still..the way that presiding overseer just turned his back on the reporter and walked away made it look as though there really is sonething to hide.......

  DOH -THERE IS SOMETHING TO HIDE!

  Aside from this though came the usual 'Jehovah sees all' blah blah blah
• 

  Matty

  I heard similar Kat. I've now had a few discussions with my family and others in the congregation since Sunday. I can now say that the few Witnesses I've spoken to who have seen both Dateline and Panorama were more taken aback about Panorama than Dateline. They saw Panorama as sensationalist and lurid, but they saw Dateline as more professional. I didn't comment as I didn't see much difference myself but I must admit the technique they used with the videotape of JR Brown zooming into his face was a well worn TV journalism cliche to make him look more sinister!

  Anyway, the consensus was that the BBC have always "had it in for us" and the reporter had an obvious hatred of the witnesses and clutched at every bit of negativity she possibly could. I noted a swing of opinion against Bill Bowen in between Dateline and Panorama, they seem to be questioning his motive. I find it difficult to press them too hard as it might have given away my true feelings on the subject, and so I just been quietly listening. Oddly, the ones I've spoken to who just saw Panorama were less hostile, and were more resigned to it. One sister who is a trained counsellor said that the society were on a learning curve, just as everyone else is in the world and she's glad it is being sorted out at last. I've spoken to ones that have seen neither shows because it would "upset them too much", that's real "speak to the hand" behaviour isn't it! A lot of witnesses I know like to live in a little cosy world of their own, and find it difficult to face the subject square on.
• 

  Scully

  Sirona:

  Isn't it odd that many of the posts on that Just JWs thread say the same thing??

  This message has been deleted by the manager or assistant manager.

  LOL

  Love, Scully
• 

  Mutz

  According to my mother, who didn't watch the show, Bill Bowen couldn't have been a JW because he said the word 'church' to describe the society and "what JW eveeeeeer uses 'church'?" My brother in-law, who is an elder, apparently said that he would report any info he recieved about possible child molestation to the police. So I guess the party line pushed by the old farts at Mill Hill doesn't always filter down to the local congregations.
• 

  Shutterbug

  One sister who is a trained counsellor said that the society were on a learning curve, just as everyone else is in the world and she's glad it is being sorted out at last.

  This "sorting" has been going on for over 100 years, 50 years that I can remember. How long does it take to "learn??"
• 

  Sam Beli

  Jan, I worked in 'field service" back in the 60s with a CO that often used the word "church" to describe the place to which he was inviting the householder the next Sunday. He was more fun to work with than many COs, or elders for that matter.