Activism idea. Get former JWs celebrities to raise awareness

by Viva la Vida 5 Replies latest jw friends

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  Viva la Vida

  It just occurred to me that former JWs celebrities could help in a campaign to raise awareness on some of the most controversial JW's practices (two witness rule in relation to child abuse, shunning, blood).

  We would need some of them to record brief videos and share them through social media. This can be more effective than what any of us could individually do.

  There is a big list of former JW's celebrities in JWFacts: http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/famous-jehovahs-witnesses.php

  Do you think this is achievable?
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  steve2

  Um, if I were a celebrity who was raised a JW, the last thing I'd want to do would be seen to be speaking out against the organization because I'd end up with a narrow "branding" that producers wouldn't like. Money and fame talk big time and most celebrities do their best to keep themselves squeaky clean lest controversy taint their reputation.

  Besides, some of those celebrities are - how can I put this delicately? - hardly healthy role models. Swanning around with the rich and famous? Come on!

  Apart form the fact that he's now dead, Michael Jackson was not exactly a positive role model with all the controversy over his "relationships" with boys.

  And Prince - the last I heard he was still in the organization.
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  Viva la Vida

  Some of them have briefly talked about their JW past, but there has never been a concentrated effort to engage them in a campaign. I don't care much about them being "role models" (which is also something rather subjective), but that they have big audience available to share a message.
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  Barrold Bonds

  Yeah none of them really give enough of a fuck. It's such a narrow focus when compared to ending shit like world hunger or something like that.

  That list is also extremely misleading because a lot of those people were most likely never baptized and can't really be considered 'inactive'
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  Simon

  Why is "what someone who's famous says" meaningful to anyone anyway?

  They left. That's a message in itself - you can leave and be successful.

  What would we expect them to say? "I didn't like the religion". Do famous people of upbringings in other religions feel the need to speak out about their ex-religions?

  I don't see why it would come across as anything other than extremely odd - what would the context for it be?
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  steve2

  Simon please stop hitting the nail on the head. Translation: Well said!