Posts by detective

20

"It has been said..." in the AWAKE!

by Nathan Natas in

awake!

detective

It's also been said that you shouldn't believe everything you read!

Too funny! Go, Nathan!

11

Pro-JW article in the Boston Globe! write 'em!

by detective in

well, sadly i missed catching this article when it ran this past sunday (june 23).

that means that i can't link to the article online so that people here can get a look at it.

i've got a hard copy but it doesn't seem likely that i'll be able to scan it.. if i have time, i'll try to put some highlights out there for you folks to consider.. here's the lead-in paragraphs:.

Thank you Nathan for finding a clickable link! That means that I won't have to devote the end of a long work day to typing up a thousand word article for this website to see! I'm also glad that people will get to see the article and won't have to take my word on (what I feel is) an article that boosts the image of the organization in our area.

Puffs,
great letter. Very powerful. I'm really glad you took the time. They need to know how this thing really works and you did a great job telling them!

Hawk,
I'm not surprised that the Globe has added a website devoted solely to the scandal in the Catholic Church. The other major Boston paper, The Boston Herald, likely has done something similiar (despite the fact that it caters to the religiously and politically conservative crowd). Around here, the church scandal is the big story. Absolutely, everyday. There isn't a day that I can remember in recent months that there weren't (at the very least) two stories on the subject on a daily basis in the two major papers. More often it's about four stories and sometimes more!!

Now, here's where I start to get a little nutty(?)

About this reporter...hmmmm.

Is it common for a rank & file witness to be interviewed by a reporter? Dissidents- yes. But faithfuls- I don't think so. And the Globe featured two photographs of witnesses going door to door. So, we've got two big photos, interviews with rank & file members, a c.o. and JR Brown.
Ummm, anyone wonder why the sudden open behaviour from the upper eschelon on this one? Unless, of course, they somehow magically knew that the article would be SYMPATHETIC to their cause. Say, maybe the writer is studying with JWs? Maybe they have JW family members? Seems to me that the bigwigs put a big amount of trust in this reporter. I tend to wonder why.

Edited by - detective on 25 June 2002 15:28:47

11

Pro-JW article in the Boston Globe! write 'em!

by detective in

well, sadly i missed catching this article when it ran this past sunday (june 23).

that means that i can't link to the article online so that people here can get a look at it.

i've got a hard copy but it doesn't seem likely that i'll be able to scan it.. if i have time, i'll try to put some highlights out there for you folks to consider.. here's the lead-in paragraphs:.

detective

Hawk!! Thank you!!! Thank you very, very much!

I should have known that you'd be the first one to step up and come through the way you have. You're wonderful, you know that?

I've got a long day ahead, but hopefully later this evening I'll be able to type more of the article up and post it. I'd like to send of a letter to the editor myself and that may have to take priority over typing in the article- we'll see.

People, please! You don't get open doors to discuss something that has forever changed your life like this group has done in yours! It's much harder to get an article "cold" into the presses than it is to capitalize on a recent article. Please take a moment to write the author of the article or to write a letter to the editor. They key is to do it now...today. In a week this article will be a distant memory as far as the paper is concerned. However, there are a lot of people who will have read this article and thought about how nice those witnesses looked who were featured in the two photographs. Those readers will be thinking about how nice the efforts are of those witnesses interviewed for the article. They won't be thinking about lives lost over blood issues and organ transplants or families torn apart by shunning or pedophiles going door to door...unless YOU take the time to tell them about it. Please. Do something for the community around you, especially if you know what it's like to not be able to help the people you love the most. Don't let others get fooled by a probably well-intentioned but incredibly misinformed article. Please write them.

22

OUCH ! Wall Street Journal SPITS out the JWs!!

by deddaisy in

i saw this in the wall street journal, friday, june 21, 2002, page w15...it's a good article, unfortunately, i had to type it because i can't find the article on-line.....so forgive the typo's.... .

houses of worship / by jason l. riley .

door-to -door, disturbingly .

detective

Well, I sent a feedback email to the paper though I don't know if it will be printed or not. People, it only takes a couple of minutes to write a quick note to the paper.

Please consider writing to them.

11

Pro-JW article in the Boston Globe! write 'em!

by detective in

well, sadly i missed catching this article when it ran this past sunday (june 23).

that means that i can't link to the article online so that people here can get a look at it.

i've got a hard copy but it doesn't seem likely that i'll be able to scan it.. if i have time, i'll try to put some highlights out there for you folks to consider.. here's the lead-in paragraphs:.

detective

Well, sadly I missed catching this article when it ran this past Sunday (June 23). That means that I can't link to the article online so that people here can get a look at it. I've got a hard copy but it doesn't seem likely that I'll be able to scan it.

If I have time, I'll try to put some highlights out there for you folks to consider.

Here's the lead-in paragraphs:

STREET SMART
Published on June 23, 2002. Author(s): Marcella Bombardieri, Globe Staff
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES TACKLE ONE DOORSTEP AT A TIME
Vacuum cleaners are sold in stores, not on porches. The Fuller Brush man has made himself scarce. Most mothers work, kids are often told not to open the door to strangers, and it's hard to find Americans at home much at all these days.
Yet the Jehovah's Witnesses haven't given up. One doorstep at a time, they doggedly carry out what might be the most systematic and comprehensive campaign of one-on-one marketing in the United States today. They intend to speak to every American...

The article is generally quite positive (apparently this reporter isn't interested in doing her homework or she'd know a little more about this high-control group than what the PR machine spouts off).

The article includes a quote from JR Brown:

"We try to reach everyone, so individuals can say yes or no", said J.R. Brown, spokesman for the witnesses at their headquarters in Brooklyn. "We are not forcing ourselves on anyone, but our responsibility is to give them the opportunity."

The article which is primarily supportive only briefly addresses any counterpoints and quickly dismisses them in the following paragraph.

"The movement is also seen by critics as insular, discouraging outside interests and higher education.Members who are 'disfellowshipped' are shunned by friends and family. These are among the reasons that Bob Pardon at the New England Institute of Religious Research calls it a highly destructive group.
But if the religion has harsh elements, there was no evidence of it on a recent day in the field with canvassers."

In other words, the reporter bought the happy face shown to the world without a second thought. Grrrr.

To contact the reporter:
Bombardieri, Marcella
Reporter
Metro / News (617) 929-3435
[email protected]

To write a letter to the editor:
Buell, Glenda S.
Letters To The Editor / News (617) 929-3038
[email protected]

You've got your opening people! Who is going to step up and take advantage of really edifying the public?

You can buy an online copy of the article here:
http://nl12.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BG&p_theme=bg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0="street%20smart"&s_dispstring=street%20smart%20AND%20date(6/23/2002%20to%206/23/2002)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=6/23/2002%20to%206/23/2002&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no

13

Door to door

by Bang in

jw
friends

in hope of freeing a slave, i am continuing to post about going door to door.

"do not go from house to house".

the problem with going house to house is that instead of "seeking out those who are worthy" as directed, holy things are given to dogs and they attack people with it, and so on.

detective

Hi star,
The package I received contained a variety of pamphlets. Ones I can recall of the top of my head are on shunning and the one on the organizational issue.

I spoke to a very nice woman whose name was Marilyn I think.

13

Door to door

by Bang in

jw
friends

in hope of freeing a slave, i am continuing to post about going door to door.

"do not go from house to house".

the problem with going house to house is that instead of "seeking out those who are worthy" as directed, holy things are given to dogs and they attack people with it, and so on.

detective

The Star,
I received a pamphlet called something like "Does God work through an organization?" from 1-800-why-1914. I don't have it handy so don't quote me on the title! You may want to give that helpline a call as they sent me a package that was quite helpful.

1-800-why-1914

I wonder, does anyone affiliated with that phone line post here?

15

Arrogance at it's Best

by HoChiMin in

jw
friends

arrogance at it's best .

most members of jehovah's witnesses will tell you "once a baptized witness always a witness" there is no way out .

they most likely are referring to the so called knowledge of there "truth" as if the knowledge binds you forever to their rules.

detective

HCM,
It strikes me that your lurker friend is bothered by "Jovie" then they must also take exception to referring to Jehovah as "Jah"?!
Just a thought.

As far as Hassan's books go- I highly recommend them to anyone on this board.

143

Why Ex-JWs Will Never Go From Door to Door

by comforter in

jw
friends

jehovah's witnesses proclaim the good news of the kingdom under the power of god's holy spirit.

jesus commanded his followers to preach in the most distant parts of the earth and promised them that the spirit of god would guide them in this life-saving work (acts 1:8).. without the spirit of god, one cannot continue preaching about jesus and god's kingdom (matthew 24:14).

one surely will not have god's spirit if one preaches a negative message (against jehovah's servants) from door to door.

detective

Comforter,
You said moonies are a dangerous cult.
What makes the Moonies a cult? (How is a cult defined?)
And, what makes them dangerous?

Could you please explain a little further regarding your statements?

thanks.

57

Legal Question: How Strong is Barbara's Case?

by Room 215 in

jw
friends

a question for the legal beagles out there:.

since the watchtower thugs have told the press during the dateline repartee that barbara anderson was not being taken to task for her anti-molestation iniitatives, but alleged that she was being tried for ``allegations or serious sins'' unrelated to her activism, how strong a case would she have in court?.

bear in mind that barbara and the others of the dateline four say they did nothing more than speak for the protection of children and then publicly challenged the wt to publicly state their accusations and evidence, and that they would indemnify them against any charges arising therefrom.. so.... if they call her a sinner, say that her sin has nothing to do with whistle-blowing and is serious enough to merit expulsion -- as serious as adultery or theft, yet refuse to accept her challenge to show the world the basis of their charges if they are held harmless, how is that not libel and therefore actionable?

detective

Well, I'd imagine it'd be hard being a part of a precedent setting case. If barbara does sue, I'm sure it will do alot for the "cause" though I hope it won't be at her expense. She's already done so much.

Speaking of viable cases, I was wondering if a spouse who ends up divorcing as a result of their husbands/wife conversion could sue local elders (and/or the society) for "alienation of affection". I believe willful interference in a pre-existing relationship that causes emotional harm was the basis for a case a few years ago? In that scenario, an ex-wife sued her husbands lover, I think. So, I was tossing around the "alienation of affection" suit as a possibility in some situations.

Basically, as much as I hate encouraging overly litigious actions, it seems the only way to really cause the society woe, is to publicize their craziness and/or sue them senseless.