Mad,
Well, at least one other person here recognizes the significance of this newspaper article.
This topic hasn't been up very long, and hasn't been read or posted to all that much, so to imply that EVERYBODY except you and one or two others is too stupid to recognize its significance is a bit off-putting. You're obviously free to post in any way that you wish, and I'm not trying to correct you. I'm just trying to let you know, in case you didn't realize it, that it has a bit of a superior tone to it that is going to rile some people up (MD) and generate hostility. A bit of encouragement for people to jump on this bandwagon might be more effective than berating everyone for missing the boat. Again, just my opinion, and an honest attempt to let you know how some might be perceiving your post. Of course, if you're just living up to your "Mad"Apostate persona, then by all means, feel free....
It would only take a dozen or so homeowners nationwide to follow through before the entire JW community would be leary about knocking on doors, wondering if their elders had properly marked the "don't-calls" on their territory cards.
I think it would take much more than that. I also think it wouldn't take long before elders just learned to be a bit more careful about noting DNCs, and R&F were more careful about asking for the list.
I think that if one or two large urban churches could be persuaded to have its members do this, it would eventually get media attention, and then other churches would follow suit, with it snowballing all over the country.
You think that local misdemeanor trespassing charges would garner more media attention than, say..... child molestation?
With the number of possible calls shrinking, JWs would be forced to call more often at homes of those who haven't filed Notice, which would eventually piss off those people until they too filed Notice.
Did you know that it is against the law for telemarketers to call you if you've specifically asked to be placed on their DNC list? I work for a company that employs some telemarketers, and we get popped every few months. It's a pretty cut-and-dried case, and the company just pays the $500 fine and tells their people to be more careful. I've told my family and friends that this isn't a bad way to supplement their income. Every time a telemarketer calls, specifically say "please put me on your Do Not Call list." (Every cold-calling company has to keep one.) Keep track of which companies you give this notice to (a simple notepad, or access database will do) and you can probably catch two or three a year that didn't keep very good records and called you back. Not gonna make you rich, but maybe worth the hour per year you spend making the entries. Also, not gonna put any companies out of business--won't put JWs out of business, either.
Will this Board do anything with this? NO!!! Most people here just like to listen to themselves talk and massage each others ego. Heaven forbid that they would actually have to lift a finger and do something. No, lets sit around and discuss how much smarter we are than Federal Court Judges, and how we know more about the US Constitution than they do. (I'm sure Federal Court Judges monitor this DB to pick up legal pointers they missed at Yale and Harvard, and during all their years of practicing law.)
OK I can appreciate your sarcasm, and I tend to be at least as sarcastic as the next guy. But again, it's probably better to save the sarcasm for
after a more reasoned, less offensive, appeal has been made and ignored. I'm in no way trying to dictate to you how you should post, just a little friendly advice.
And this Legal Strategy is certainly not as "novel" as the pedo strategy. I mean come on, I stopped reading newspaper articles and watching Television news stories about "pedo priests" years ago. The media wore that one out years ago! Combine that with the public's "could care less about JWs so long as they aren't bothering me" attitude, and you have the perfect formula for a BIG LEAD BALLOON!!!
I wouldn't call the "pedo" issue a "strategy." Sure, some would like to bring down the bOrg, and will use any issue to that end. But I think far more want to pound the pedophilia issue because of the
damage it causes to innocent children. It's far more than a strategy to cause the WT discomfort. Many people have stated that this issue is the chief--maybe ONLY--reason they left the organization. Maybe the reason you (and I) stopped reading articles about pedo priests is because we're not Catholics. People who aren't JWs, and have no intention of ever becoming JWs might ignore this story as just another "pedo priest" bruhaha. But those in the organization or interested in it, and those with family members--especially those with children--will surely perk up when they hear that the organization that sets itself up as more
moral than any other has the same problems--maybe to a larger extent!
I hope I'm wrong, because I'm in favor of any idea that shows the Borg's flaws, and the work on this issue evidently has already been done. Soooooo, let's move on to something else.
Surely you would agree with most, who say that the damaging and DEADLY doctrinal issues, like blood and molestation, are more important than the relatively minor irritation of being bothered on a Saturday morning.
I have nothing against your campaign. If I were publically out of the religion and ever home, I'd be tempted to follow the legalities just to cause them a bit of a headache... then again, I kinda look forward to "showing interest" and asking them some "heartfelt" questions. You never know what seeds you might be planting.
With so many worthwhile things that we can fight about (like SQL vs Oracle, in the Question For Simon thread) I'd hate to see this needlessly degenerate into an argument.
Hmmm
PS I didn't miss MommieDark's "'window washer' crack." However, I don't think she meant any offense toward people in service-industry-related jobs. It seemed to me to be a jab at The Society for strongly discouraging members from seeking higher education, and thus, higher-paying jobs. I have a genius-level IQ, but I spent 10 years of my life in a similar job--living check-to-check--because I was being a good JW and eschewed a full scholarship to college so I could Pioneer. It was honest work, I was good at it, and I'm not ashamed of it, but since leaving the bOrg, I work in the Information Technology field and make almost three times what I used to make.
