Newsweek Letter Writer Silenced

silentlambs

The following email was sent to me today, if anyone would like to send and encouraging comment to Loris I will be glad to forward it to her. All she did was tell the truth and now she is facing SANCTION in the congregation. So according to WT PR you are not sanctioned if you go to the police but you are sanctioned if you talk about it. WT misinformation clear and simple.

silentlambs

Dear Bill, I am under investigation at present by the body of elders in my KH in . I wrote a letter to the GB protesting the treatment of abuse victims and I made a comment to the Newsweek web site coverage of JW's. They printed my comment in the Newsweek magazine. That was more public than the elders cared for. I got a visit from the and my book study overseer on Monday. The local needs talk on Tuesday was given by an elder who is personal friends with several members of the GB. It was about the dangers of speaking to apostates. I am really afraid of what they have planned for me. My children are appalled at the unloving treatment I am receiving. There was nothing in the letter to the GB that I am ashamed of. I still feel the same way. In my opinion, they are behaving like Eli. The comment in Newsweek was altered somewhat by the magazine but was essentially correct. It perhaps could be viewed as damning.

I knew from the beginning that there would be repercussions from taking a stand for the children. But I choose this battlefield. I will fight with honor. There was no one to stand up for me and my children 25 years ago. Now I have a chance to stand up for others who at present are beat down and not able to fight for themselves. I need to do this in order to heal from my own pain. And at the same time to save others from having to go through the pain at all. That would be worth all the embarrassment of the present.

Soon I will join the ranks of the DF'd. and have to were a big "A" on my back.

Thanks for listening. Thanks for being here for us

Sincerely, Loris

Edited by - silentlambs on 17 July 2002 21:27:51

outoftheorg

loris you did what you think is the right thing. I and all others here agree with you. The vast manority of the public at large agree with you. You did nothing wrong. If they df you that is their loss. Stand up for your rights and if you wish take the legal steps to discourage them. However it turns out you will always have the backing of all on this forum.

I am df'd and I am enjoying my new found freedom and self respect. Only some minor problems with family and shunning. I can live with that. I think you can also. We can no longer bow down to an org that has no love or conscience regarding its followers.

You have no reason to feel embarrrassed. Feel proud and justified instead.

Edited by - outoftheorg on 17 July 2002 21:39:18

jwsons

((((((((((((((((((((Well-Done, Lorris)))))))))))))))))))

jwsons

Derrick

Soon I will join the ranks of the DF'd. and have to were a big "A" on my back.

This reminds me of a movie called "The Scarlet Letter" that many including myself have seen extremely close parallels between early Puritan life around the time of Columbus, to life in this Puritanistic organization today.

In the movie, Demi Moore must wear the letter "A" on her forehead. It stood for "Adulteress" (or if on a man "Adulterer"). I recall some comment that one could get the scarlet letter tatooed onto one's forehead by either committing literal adultery or spiritual adultery which is also known as Apostasy -- in order to mark them so that everyone they came in contact would shun them -- and thus an Apostate would also receive the mark of the scarlet letter.

I sincerely hope that 100 years from now the organization has done away with this bazantine practice of "marking" brothers and sisters for shunning, and not gone the opposite direction, perhaps requiring an elder take a red rubber stamp and stamp the foreheads of DF'd ones before they can enter Kingdom Halls.

Derrick

Big Tex

Loris:

I am so sorry for what you are going through. It is not right, nor is it fair. Fourteen years ago I fought a similar fight. I told my elders about my incestuous family. Nothing happened. For 4 years I argued, harangued, wrote letters and practically screamed from the platform, all to no avail. Finally the circuit overseer told me if I said one more word I would be disfellowshipped. So I left and haven't been back. After reading so many stores on Silent Lambs and elsewhere, I found out that what I went through is not even on the radar screen compared to the abuse others suffered. This madness must stop.

Hebrews 11 talks about people of faith and how they encountered opposition for their beliefs. At some point in each of their lives, each of these people had to make a choice to either stand up for what is right, or cower to others. You are such a person of faith. By standing up now, in this way, you are showing your allegiance to God, and not to a man-made organisation. You have shown yourself to be a link in the chain to righting a tremendous wrong. The God I was taught about is aware of your troubles and I have to believe that he will take care of you.

Peace

Chris

Edited by - Big Tex on 18 July 2002 1:24:59

William Penwell

All the best Loris,

We are all behind you a 100%. Its just desperate measures from a bunch of desperate old men to keep the truth from getting out. The WT is falling like a deck of cards and lets see if they really have spirit backing.

Will

scumrat

Loris,

You are fighting with many brave soldiers. We are happy to have you within our ranks. We have chosen our battles and accept our responsibilities. We will force the hand of the wt society to finally accept responsibility for their injustices and criminal activities. We will see this to the end or when justice is served.

ItsJustlittleoldme

I am truly sorry for the fact that you are being persecuted by your own religion for taking a stand against injustice.. Talk about hypocrits!!

The good news is:

My children are appalled at the unloving treatment I am receiving

Looks like maybe your children will be leaving with you!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, and I admire and applaud your bravery!!!!

deddaisy

Loris, if an employer tried to repress an employee's freedom of speech by threatening the employee regarding speaking with the press, the employer would be dragged into court so fast that his head would spin. What in the world gives the WTS the idea that they can repress a member's constitutional rights and not pay any consequences. You may be a JW, but you are still an American citizen with constitutional rights. WTS doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to dragging anyone that they feel is suppressing their "freedom of speech" into court. Do they believe that you somehow are not afforded the same rights? Just because a person is a member of a religious organization does not mean they have somehow sacrificed their rights. I sincerely would speak to a lawyer and get a legal opinion regarding this matter. It would be well worth a reasonable consultation fee.

This organization has its members so conditioned into believing that it is the Lord and Master, that it has itself convinced that it can also take away one's constitutional rights, if it so chooses, without any consequence whatsoever. How dare they! The WTS flaunts that it wins victories for Americans' freedom of speech, perhaps it's time for them to be the defendant.

You sound like a very caring person, I wish you well.

expatbrit

Loris:

I'm sorry to hear of the unpleasant repercussions of your comment to newsweek, although they are not unexpected, I'm sure. I too would like to complement you upon your bravery and tremendously strong principles in speaking out. You did the right thing! By trying to silence you, they expose themselves as callous liars.

I hope that your children stick with you, and wish you the best.

Expatbrit

Newsweek Letter Writer Silenced

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