by nicolaou 39 Replies latest jw friends
ExJW's of a certain age will remember Randy's site well. Freeminds was instrumental in waking me up along with Ray Franz's books. If Net Soup and Armageddon Okies mean nothing to you you're probably under 30.
Whatever caused Randy to post what he did recently is something I can only guess at but it won't be what I remember him for.
Randy, I wish you well and thank you for all you've done over the years .
Yes I read Randy's website back to front when I first got on the internet in 2000. The history articles in particular were a revelation.
Freeminds, Watctower Observer and JWD - the holy Trintiy of early online apostasy.
Not quite ancient enough to have worshipped the old deity H2O but heard the stories.
i know Cantleave doesnt write on here much anymore--so i pasted Randall Watters recent post on to Cantleaves facebook message so he didnt miss it.
i dont know Randall at all--i never looked at Freeminds, but Cantleave said to me he thought Randall was one of the nicest guys he'd ever met.
Two thumbs up to the work of Randy Watters!
We got Randy's newsletter Freeminds sent by mail from the US in 1989. I know I've said it before but it shone a light in the darkness. Thanks Randy, I hope you're okay.
My first "apostate information" came in the form of Randy's newsletters (I think I still have some old copies) and I also bought some books from Freeminds as well.
Great information presented in a non-rabid way was so much more convincing than any that looked like the work of a crazy conspiracy theorists.
Thank you Randy, for helping me on my road to freedom.
When I first started waking up, I enjoyed reading the stories on Freeminds of former Bethelites. Of course, I didn't believe any of it at first, but eventually I began seeing the consistency from multiple people that lent credibility to what they were experiencing.
I only started waking up a few years ago but Randy's experience was one of the first I read on the internet it helped greatly because as an asleep dub I thought rather naively that bethelites had some sort of blessed existence. Randy's experience helped me see there is no such thing as a blessed existence no matter how far up the JW ladder you happen to be. I also watched a great interview he did with Steven Hassan.
For me it was never one thing or one person that woke me up it was many things and many people over time. Even OUTLAW with his jokes helped wake me up. WT chews people up and spits them out regardless of the how hard they worked because it is a thankless org so as an ex-jw I would like to thank Randy also.
Thanks to you too Nicolaou for posting this.
I was in contact with Randy very, very early in my journey. He, along with Ray Franz, provided very thoughtful replies to my many queries. I was lost, afraid and trying to come to terms with life in an organization that prioritised obedience over everything else. The organization I had once believed was loving and devoted to 'the Truth' was revealing a side which strongly suggested individuals did not matter and were easily expelled.
I remember thinking at the time, "If the organization so readily vilifies and misrepresents these guys, I honestly don't stand a chance." It was the first time I realised that even "ordinary" rank and file JWs would drop you as quick as look at you if you were perceived to be questioning anything.
I have no doubt that I am where I am today because these and other former Witnesses boldly spoke up about injustices and spoke in reasonable, compelling and loving ways about the truth about 'the Truth' (TTAT).
Prior to this, the quality of the material criticising the organization was, with few exceptions, largely inflammatory and ill-informed.
So it is.
G.
