All media attention is a good thing in my opinion.
The more that the public sees, the less they are likely to give JWs at the door the opportunity to share their message - and that can save plenty of lives!
TV TRAILER: ‘Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath: The Jehovah’s Witnesses' Two Hour Special Event - A&E
by MaybeSo 61 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Simon
On the other hand, by just making the connection between the two it implants the idea that the JW are something scary and leverages the negative feelings that the audience have built up about Scientology over the course of the show and links them to JW's
I think people should be educated into how any form of religious devotion can be redirected to control them. It doesn't have to be a cult like Scientology or a new-age group like JWs or Mormons. Mainstream Christianity and Islam have the same controlling belief systems that can be dangerous to some and subverted to extremism. How likely this is depends on the religion and who it's attracted and what message it contains - but the same 'thinking' that causes people to follow and be controlled by Scientology is the same mentality that causes people to blow themselves and others up as Muslims.
It would be valuable if people joined up the bigger dots, not just imagine that religious control is limited to fringe groups as a curious novelty.
-
dubstepped
@Simon - Do you think that those that have watched and really made Leah's show popular to date are ex-Scientoligists then?
I'm sure that a lot of people that watch these shows are ex something, but I know quite a few people that watch simply because it's fascinating to learn about new things, and many people knew very little about Scientology that now know a lot and can warn others. I trust that the same will be true with the JWs. That stuff is viral too in that one educated person can educate another that needs it.
(sorry, I'd quote the last part of your reply but it's annoying on my phone)
-
Simon
@Simon - Do you think that those that have watched and really made Leah's show popular to date are ex-Scientoligists then?
No, I think it's people who also watch Breaking Amish, Sister Wives and all the other "OMG, these people are nuts, this is so entertaining!" type shows. They are not really interested in them, they just want to see some drama and be re-assured that there are worse, nuttier people in the world.
It's almost the modern equivalent of a circus freak show. People want to see them but not because of care, concern or any real interest - just because it's a drama.
I'm sure that a lot of people that watch these shows are ex something, but I know quite a few people that watch simply because it's fascinating to learn about new things, and many people knew very little about Scientology that now know a lot and can warn others. I trust that the same will be true with the JWs. That stuff is viral too in that one educated person can educate another that needs it.
Yes, some will watch to be informed or educated. Some will have a personal interest (the ex-members) but I think the majority are watching because the people and stories are a curiosity.
-
Nathan Natas
Like Simon, I have two feelings... but I WILL be tuning in just to add my +1 to the viewer numbers.
...and I like Mike Rinder & Leah Remini, and ANY XJW who is brave enough to tell their story as a cautionary tale to the next herd of potential converts.
-
Giordano
While Scientology is a screwy fake religion what the JW's are is more akin to Jim Jones People's Temple which became a death cult. Some nine hundred people died in one night by committing suicide or were murdered by Jim Jones guards.
"the mass suicides were decidedly a mass murder, enacted through the use of psychological exploitation instead of physical force. As the leader of the religious group Peoples Temple, Reverend Jim Jones was responsible for the psychological massacre of his followers because of the manipulative means he used to demoralize and control them."
https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=29478
Each year according to the RED CROSS some 4 million people in the USA need a life saving blood transfusion............ among that number........ 3500 people (statistically speaking population wise) are JW's who are in need of a blood transfusion. Some, the number is unknown, do survive without blood. Some of those may have a shorter life or face the consequences of a health situation that may not be resolved.
The JW's are the only religion that compels their members to not have a blood transfusion............ we have lost two close JW family members who refused blood....... One couldn't have open heart surgery because at that time no one would operate without blood.
The other my sister, refused blood. Her blood pressure dropped and they could not continue removing cancerous tumors. She passed away a year later when the cancer overcame her.
The WTBTS uses manipulative means to demoralize and control their followers.
-
dubstepped
@Simon - seems like we see it much the same but maybe come to different conclusions. It's not my dime or my time so if they can do it and help someone, that's awesome in my book. I will enjoy it myself, so it will help me on some level. Heck, I love watching people speak out and take the Borg to task, it just feels good as people that were silenced to see others speaking out. It doesn't sound like it may be your thing and that's cool too. No show appeals to every audience.
-
Simon
While Scientology is a screwy fake religion what the JW's are is more akin to Jim Jones People's Temple which became a death cult. Some nine hundred people died in one night by committing suicide or were murdered by Jim Jones guards.
Sorry, but claiming that the JWs are equivalent to the Jonestown massacre is nuts. I can't recall the WTS machine-gunning people down who wanted to leave ...
I think we seriously lose credibility when we start making claims like this.
Each year according to the RED CROSS some 4 million people in the USA need a life saving blood transfusion............ among that number........ 3500 people (statistically speaking population wise) are JW's who are in need of a blood transfusion. Some, the number is unknown, do survive without blood. Some of those may have a shorter life or face the consequences of a health situation that may not be resolved.
You make a lot of assumptions there. The Red Cross is no doubt pushing the numbers to encourage people to give blood. 4 million needing blood per year seems very high and I don't think it would be difficult to prove that JWs would be under-represented in that number - given that they are less likely to be involved in dangerous driving, gun crime and crazy sports which may account for a significant proportion of those.
3,500 JW blood cases a year sounds high. Yes, they happen, and they make the news when they do (I know, we've had this numbers debate about blood before).
As I said, I think some have a tendency to try and over-egg the pudding and if the claims can't be backed up it undermines all the other claims which may be 100% true and accurate.
seems like we see it much the same but maybe come to different conclusions. It's not my dime or my time so if they can do it and help someone, that's awesome in my book
Yes, definitely. I'll watch it when it's on as long as it doesn't conflict with some truly important TV ... like Coronation Street! ;)
-
steve2
Yeah, but no worse or wackier than any other religion - it's still basically Christianity complete with super-humans, talking animals, unbelievable miracles and so on.
I think that the blood refusal doctrine is up there with dangerous AND cultish. From a cult control point of view, Hospital Liaison Committees are an inspired way to monitor adherence (or otherwise).
I do not hear many ex-JWs saying that the prevalence of child abuse is worse in JW organization than elsewhere; what I hear them say - and I agree - is that JW organization's policies and practices in responding to allegations of child sexual abuse are worse (if allegations are made and there are two witnesses, phone Bethel; extreme niavete that the JW prison outreach program "attracted" large numbers of pedophiles who went to JW congregations when they were released from prison and the rank and file knew nothing about it, etc).
-
_Morpheus
Sadly it will be many with a disdain for Lloyd Evans that are actually ex-JWs that will be the first to take shots simply because he's on it to the exclusion of everyone else that worked on this.
Lol morphs law! Kind of? Are we obligated to love anything branded “ex jw” or “anti witness”? Are we obligated to support llyod because hes “on our team”? Of course some have a problem with the show picking him as a spokesperson. He has zero credibility.
None.
He started off by trying to “steal shine” from ray franz by sticking his name on copies of CoC.
Then he outs faders on facebook just to make his page look important with a lot of followers.
He then writes a book and, in a scam tom sawyer would have been proud of, he charges people to have their stories included. Literally charges people to help him write his redundant, useless, pointless, self aggrandizing book.
He recently tried to take credit for leaks coming from the annual meeting. The probem was, he plagiarized it from a paradoy gorby wrote and so was completetly wrong. When caught, he gave a lame ass excuse. Dumbass.
Seems like theres another reason not want to want him on a show accusing the org of lax child protection policies..
oh yea, hes an admitted pedo(ish) himself. In his own book.
thats the asshat you think is a good representative of ex jw’s? Rick Feron would have been more credible. Barbra has ACTUAL credentials as a former bethelite and activist. There were better choices than the douchiest doche to ever douche.
But anyone who criticizes him is a bad guy? Think Mcfly, think.