Biased PBS Special Soon to be Aired (page 4)

Tigerman

SNG . . . thanks for writing them. I hope they get in touch with you.

Swan

I agree that the JWs have their good points and they have benefited society in some ways, but I see far more harm to individuals involved with them than good.

I mean, which would you rather have, a family that doesn't completely shun you or the right as a US citizen not to salute the flag?

Tammy

fleaman uk

Well i for one am yet to see a Programme that is in favour of JW,s so i dont have a problem with it.(Not that we will see it here of course).

Imho there have been a lot of programmes in the last 2/3 Years attacking JW,s with ,i suspect ,not always a Truthful Agenda.

Yeah,its another branch of Christendom thats got it wrong,but some of the core beliefs imo are to be commended.Why not show People a better Angle of what is just another Christian Religion.

Forget the stupid persecution complex that a lot of them have,most i know/knew were decent People like my Parents ,just trying their best in difficult ,and yes, slightly strange circumstances.

I'm all for balanced reporting. But balanced reporting doesn't mean being flattering. It means representing the reality accurately. The problem with the information on their web site is not that it is kind to the Witnesses, but that it is not, in fact, accurate. It misrepresents the reality of what JWs believe and do. In that case, they are not documenting JWs at all, but are merely repeating information from the PR desk.

SNG

ColdRedRain

I've been planning a WT documentry for some time now, but I haven't gotten all the material I need for my research (I.E. High-Ranking JW's that are willing to to on camera, etc).

If you're interested in doing a documentry too, I can PM you some of my research and some of my topics.

lucky

SNG, your letter was fantastic.

arrowstar

Great letter!

Lisa

Elsewhere

Here is my letter...

Dear Mr. Engardio and Mr. Shepard,

I am writing in regard to your website www.knocking.org. I have noticed some errors in the information presented and I wish to offer some corrections.

The website states: “People who do not choose to follow the Bible-based moral code of Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot become members, and those who stray from the code are asked to leave. “

This is not at all accurate. Those who "stray" are not asked to leave. What happens is a public announcement is made which instructs members (friends and family included) to severely shun this person (See August 2002 Kingdom Ministry, pp. 2 & 3 - Published by Jehovah's Witnesses). Anyone who refuses to shun this person will also have an announcement made about them, resulting in their being shunned too.

I was raised in a Jehovah’s Witness family and when I chose not to be a Jehovah’s Witnesses I was immediately shunned and rejected by my entire family and all of my friends. Because I was in a Jehovah’s Witness family I was restricted from having close relations with anyone who was not a Jehovah’s Witness. The result of the sunning, of course, was devastating. I literally had to rebuild my life from nothing.

Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to support peoples' rights to freedoms of speech and religion, but in reality they are only concerned about their own rights. They are more than willing, in fact, eager to cause harm to those who disagree with them. They do not cause harm through action, instead they cause harm through exclusion and shunning. They have torn apart many families using this technique which has resulted in many suicides of those who were shunned by their friends and family for simply disagreeing with what the Watchtower Society taught. Jehovah’s Witnesses are not allowed to hold any religious or biblical beliefs that conflict with what the Watchtower Society teaches – this is NOT freedom of religion or speech. They persecute others just as much as they recieve percecution.

Sure, one is able to leave… but in doing so one must pay a very high price.

If you want to know how Jehovah's Witnesses really treat someone who leaves the relgion, you should request from them a copy of the August 2002 Kingdom Ministry, pages 3 and 4.

Regards,

David Gladden

I have enclosed a letter I sent to my family some time ago. I still have not heard any response from them.

======

July 4, 2004

[Parent's Names],

I am writing to let you know that I find your actions to be very confusing. I have been trying to understand why you would spend years shunning me, only to call me from time to time wanting to know why I am not in your life and to tell me that you miss me.

The answer to the question of why I am not in your life is very simple: You are shunning me. You have rejected me and pushed me out of your life. If you miss me, it is a result of your own actions, not mine. I terminated my association with a publishing corporation in

You have always been the ones to shun me. I spent four years trying to keep a relationship with you only to be repeatedly turned away. You even ejected me from Joy’s wedding after inviting me. On top of that I was not even notified of Gene’s wedding until well after the fact. These are very hurtful things that you have done to me. Do you really believe that you will “win me over” by treating me in such an abusive manner?

I keep trying to understand your actions and motives, but I am still at a loss. You tell me that you miss me, but then you “slap” me. You say that you strongly support everyone’s right to freedom of religion and speech, even bragging about all of the court cases won by the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses in support of these rights. However, when I attempt to exercise these very same rights that your organization fought for, I am instantly rejected and shunned. This is very confusing to me, not to mention hypocritical.

I would love to be a part of your life and see everyone I grew up with and be a part of family gatherings. All you have to do is stop shunning and pushing me away. All you have to do is respect my right to freedom of religion and speech, the very same rights you fight for and enjoy. Do you seriously believe these rights belong only to you? I respect everyone’s right to enjoy these freedoms and have relationships with many people of all sorts of faith and those of no faith. We all may have different views and beliefs, but we all still enjoy each other’s company and friendship and respect each other’s unique beliefs. Over time I have come to see many of them as my new family since being rejected by you.

Basically it all comes down to this: Stop shunning me, or stop asking me why I am not in your life and telling me that you miss me. Doing both at the same time really is quite absurd. It is all up to you. Will you continue discriminating against me because my beliefs regarding religion are different from yours, while at the same time crying foul about discrimination against Jehovah’s Witnesses? Do you see my point? You cannot cry foul when you see discrimination against you while at the same time discriminating against your very own son. I am amazed you did not know this.

I know that you think that your act of persecuting me is by divine commission, but you must remember, the Catholics, Protestants, Moslems, and all of the other religions that are behind the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses also sincerely believe that they are acting of divine commission too! You have nothing over them. You are guilty of the same thing they are guilty of. Do not presume to think that Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only religion that experiences this persecution… all of these religions conspire to persecute each other and anyone else who is different from themselves. The only way this cycle of persecution will end is if we all learn to respect each other’s differences and each other’s right to the freedoms of religion and speech and conscience.

As I said before, I would love to be a part of your lives, but it is you who are pushing me away and punishing me because I am different from you. I did not leave you… you shunned me. All I did was share with you my beliefs, the very same thing Jehovah’s Witnesses pride themselves in doing and even consider to be their responsibility before their god. How can you condemn me for doing the very same thing you are doing?

I remember when I was growing up I was always being told stories about how Jehovah’s Witnesses have been threatened, even with their lives, if they did not renounce their faith as Jehovah’s Witnesses. The stories would speak of how wrong it is for people to discriminate, harass and threaten people simply because their beliefs are different from the beliefs of other people. What you have done to me is no different. You have informed me that unless I renounce everything I believe in and join your religion, you will shun and reject me.

The next time the Watchtower Society tells you about any persecution or abuse that Jehovah’s Witnesses are experiencing around the world, I want you to stop and think about how you are persecuting me and shunning me because I am not a member of your religion.

What you are doing to me is wrong and you know it is wrong. This is why it hurts you so much to do it. If it was not wrong you would find great pleasure in your shunning of me.

Sincerely,

[Elsewhere]

William Penwell

Good letter to both SNG and Elsewhere.

Elsewhere I also like your letter to your family. Its the first time I have read it but it is good the way you through the guilt right back at them. You have done nothing wrong, they are the ones in the wrong. Have they ever responded to you on the letter?

Will

doinmypart

!!! THE SITE HAS BEEN UPDATED !!!

The paragraph quoted by SNG and Elsewhere in their letters to the producers has been changed to read:

How though, some critics may ask, can a morally conservative religion have any role in defending liberal freedom of choice? Wouldn't Jehovah's Witnesses be considered an enemy to a woman who seeks full reproductive rights over her body or a gay man who seeks the right to marry? Witnesses don't let women hold leadership positions. They strongly believe abortion and gay marriage are wrong. Yet Witnesses acknowledge their legal victories have helped these groups even though Witnesses shun their own members who exercise individual freedoms that violate their interpretation of the Bible. People who do not choose to follow the moral code set by Jehovah's Witnesses cannot join. Family and friends shun baptized members who unrepentantly stray from the code.

Go to knocking.org, click on information --> relevancy.

Notice the changes about women not holding leadership positions, shun their own members, family and friends shun.

Excellent job SNG, Elsewhere, and anyone else that contacted the producers.

Biased PBS Special Soon to be Aired