A House Divided (page 2)

hamptonite21

IW

Give it up already, What are you really mad at?

Trauma_Hound

Once again for the blind: What does it matter? Really, is this thing more important then, protecting children? If your so focused on this apology, then obviosly your not helping the situation.

traumahound maybe some here have fell victim to Mr Bowen's abusive speech. I am sure some have not, but others were attacked. And maybe those that have been verbally abused by bowen would love to be more involved in the plight of abuse victims but due to this abusive language find themselves in a very uncomfortable situation- they need to KNOW that the motivations of Mr Bowen are good and due to personal attacks they are greatly saddened and hurt. A great vehicle was started by Mr Bowen but offensive talk has brought personal pain to many- maybe not to you- but it has happened to others whose feelings are just as important as Mr Bowen's and his supporters.

Might I add that all ex-jws are at dif stages of recovery. The pain of some seem to never go away. We were all victims of the WT. Some were abused by individual persons in the WT and others were abused by being enslaved to the cult. Are the pains of any ex-jw any less than the pains of a sexual abuse victim? And should we ignore the feelings of others just to throw support at silentlambs.org?

Edited by - kelsey007 on 26 October 2002 17:58:24

IslandWoman

Hamptonite,

Give it up already, What are you really mad at?

I'm not angry. Actually "IW" has, as of late, been rather even tempered.

IW

IslandWoman

Pathofthorns wrote:

But there must be a great sense of embarrassment and concern among many of these persons not in the spotlight as they see support for Silentlambs evaporating. If it can't be agreed that what was said was wrong, certainly it was at the very least a very unwise political move.

An unwise political move indeed!

Not just for Silentlambs Org. but for the xJW movement as a whole. "Crisis of Conscience" is being trashed by those who feel their own agenda is more important. If xJWs are in a war with the Watchtower one of the primary swords in that war is "Crisis of Conscience".

When it's author is maligned and slandered by xJWs, it must certainly have a negative effect on JW lurkers. Some of Bill Bowen's supporters are apparently willing to dismantle a foundation stone ("Crisis of Conscience" )of the xJW movement if that's what it takes to exonerate Bill Bowen.

A god he has become. Maybe that's the basis of this whole problem to begin with.

IW

minimus

What's the bottom line? BB made comments that have been refuted by RF. Some want BB to make a strong apology for what he said. BB hasn't done it to many people's liking. So what are you going to do? Make him apologize??? If BB doesn't want to give a heartfelt apology, that's up to him. He will stand on his own. If he is a egomaniac, so what? If we don't personally gravitate to him, oh well. Bill Bowen has proven himself to be the man he really is. Some love him and some don't. Some people will be detractors of Franz. Oh, well. Franz has shown the real man that he is, too.

Prisca

Maybe the house was never united in the first place?

IslandWoman

Hi Minimus,

In the interests of putting some fresh thoughts into this head of mine I would like to ask you some direct questions. You do not have to answer of course.

In your opinion, will there be any untoward effects resulting from a lack of resolution to the current problem? In other words, do you believe that whether or not the BB/RF thing get's resolved the board and Silentlambs Org. will soon return to it's previous self? That all this discussion was for naught and everyone will soon forget this whole thing? That this debacle was no worse than others?

IW

minimus

We've been beating this thing to death...me,too. I appreciate what both men have accomplished and/or tried to accomplish. IMO, BB went after a number of people on and off the board. We didn't like it.( I can just imagine what he was like as a presiding overseer).Some say he's the kindest, most sensitive person imaginable. I have not seen this side of him personally. He has evidently helped some people in the way of his activism. RF takes a different approach in his dealings. He doesn't berate a person if they are not in total agreement with him. I like that. Most people warm up to that approach. Nothing in itself will topple the Watchtower. But if a person or a cause is to be ultimately effective, the style, manner, approach and substance is important. Bill Bowen needs to take criticism to heart if he truly is caring about the silentlambs. My gut tells me he cares.But if he doesn't adjust his style, everything will be for nothing.

Farkel

Bill's a good man and has done a tremendous amount of good. Ray's a good man and has done a tremendous amount of good. Bill's made mistakes. Ray's made mistakes. We've ALL made mistakes. That's the human condition.

Jesus forgave a prostitute without requiring her to dress in sackcloth and grovel and throw ashes over her head. He also forgave a criminal dying next to him without asking for anything from the criminal.

It's just that simple. People are making WAY too much out of this. Let them both be. It's their lives to live, anyway. Perhaps those who've put so much time and energy in trying to force/pursuade one or the other make adjustments in their lives, should use all that energy and time to concentrate on their OWN lives.

Farkel

A House Divided

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