My hands are still shaking. I read the NYT article and wanted EVERYONE in the world to read it! I started brainstorming how can those around me know about all these terrible events.........so, I got online and sent and email to our local paper. I don't know why it is underlined here, I just copied it from Outlook and it looked fine. Oh well, at least you can read it. I hope it doesn't sound too corny, but I really feel the need to step up and do my part in my community to let others know that they aren't alone.
Good morning. My name is Christy Gould and I wanted to talk to someone about a possible news story. I am sorry if you aren't the person that I should be writing to, but this email address seemed the one to use. Please pass this email to whomever it should go to (if not being you). I use to be a member of the Jehovah's Witness religion. I was "disfellowshipped" in 1987 at the age of 18 and as a consequence have been shunned by my immediate family. My siblings and I were seperated and I was left on my own. My story can be found at this site (a site for jehovah's witnesses-active and inactive) http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=29667&site=3 What is amazing is that this religion has been considered before as a cult. Many many lives have been affected, and many are here in the Northland. The spiritual abuse is terrible........and takes many many years to recover. If you would, could you please take the time to read this: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=34256&site=3&page=1 It is a scanned copy of a piece of literature that will be discussed w/in the congregation on 8/19 and 8/26. It deals w/their stance on shunning. I don't know if you are aware, but the Jehovah's Witnesses have also been under intense scrutiny regarding their stance on child abuse. Dateline aired a show http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/dateline.htm regarding the huge coverup of pedofiles w/in the organization. What is very scarey, is that many unreported pedofiles are going "door to door" preaching their "Word" while our unprotected children are around! To this date, there have been 23,720 child molesters on file in their New York Headquarters! How many are in our area? Also, in todays edition of the New York Times, there is an article regarding the pedofile coverup! http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/11/national/11WITN.html I have been involved in an online support group for ex-jehovah's witnesses. It has been a blessing because for so many years I felt so alone. Although I never was sexually abused, the emotional abuse and then abandonment took its toll on my life. I want other ex-jw's to understand that there is a growing support here in our area and that they need not go thru this terrible abuse alone. I hope this makes sense to you and that you take the time to really read what I am talking about. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at this address or contact me via phone or snail mail. Thank you so much for your time.........it means alot coming from someone who's mouth has been silented all these years. Respectfully, Christy Gould xxx xxxxxx x xxxxxxx, xx, xxxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx p.s., http://silentlambs.com/ is a website devoted to help support those victimized by the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Edited by - scootergirl on 11 August 2002 10:34:46