Posts by Juan Viejo2

13

Inside The Watchtower

by Bangalore in

just found this new site named inside the watchtower.

has articles written by jwners.. .

http://insidethewatchtower.com/.

Inside The Watchtower

by Bangalore in

just found this new site named inside the watchtower.

has articles written by jwners.. .

http://insidethewatchtower.com/.

Juan Viejo2

Well you guys beat me to it. You and nearly 750 viewers, over a third from JWN alone. Here's the link to the home page: http://insidethewatchtower.com

I was going to announce the site on Monday, August 1. I had a half dozen or so additional articles to put up (Len Miller's went up late this afternoon, and Sweeney has a part 2 following right behind), when Comcast decided to do some maintenance on their Xfinity high speed internet service in my neighborhood. Damn them all to hell!!!

I was making good progress early in the day yesterday, when down the net went again. Called Comcast and got this answer: "We haven't really shut it down, but just reduced the circuits and slowed (choked) down the speeds for a few hours.

So I've been unable to do anything substantial until this afternoon - although I am told by Comcast that they will be working most every night for the rest of the week.

I want to thank Mad Sweeney, Len Miller (FatFreek), Paul Grundy, Blondie and all the others who chipped in or allowed me to steal their stuff. I haven't scratched the surface yet, and hope that a few more of you folks (Marvin Shilmer, call me!) will allow me to steal your stuff too.

Actually, Inside the Watchtower is designed to take a little different approach to JW and Watchtower criticism. In my introductory article, I explain what I am hoping the site will do:

"This website is primarily dedicated to revealing what it is like being a Jehovah’s Witness – or a member of a Witness family. Why do we care? Why bother? Why don’t we just go on about our lives and leave the Witnesses and their Watchtower Society alone?

"We feel that revealing the real truth about “The Truth” will open the eyes and hearts of many Jehovah’s Witnesses, forcing them to actually examine the facts about their religion. We want to help them to decide if they are part of a cult, or are actually legitimate followers of Jesus Christ. We are not going to criticize individual rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses – but intend to very carefully scrutinize the teachings and actions of the leadership of the Watchtower organization."

All you have to do is just page back through the archives of JWN and some of the other forums and you will find amazing posts and comments that are written with far more clarity (and, yes, brevity) than I could ever hope to produce. ItW.com is designed to become a filter for some of the best stuff available and an archive for some gems that have been moved to dusty online storage files.

In my research I have come across some amazing material that has barely seen the light of day. Barbara Anderson, Paul Grundy and others (Marvin Shilmer - call me!) have come up with some amazing finds. But my goal is not entirely to criticize the Watchtower - but rather to set a palatable table of real "food" and "truth" before current JWs who might be having second thoughts. I am also hoping that people who are studying with JWs will also find the site and be forewarned about how their lives will change if they let the Watchtower's hook set into them.

New articles are coming from Dick Kelly and a couple of writers who have been very quiet lately. Blondie has given me permission to publish her current "Comments You Won't Hear at the Watchtower Study" and some of her older gems in a "Best of Blondie" section. I think everyone will enjoy the "Watchtower Book Review," an actual revisiting of many of the past books published by the Watchtower over the years. Amazing stuff awaits us!

Again - thanks for everyone's support. Visit and comment when you can. Use the comment form to send comments and suggestions about the site. Let me know if you want a copy of the submission guidelines emailed to you.

Juan Viejo

AKA "exjwdotcommie"

11

Last Letter to The Congregation Committee

by Marvin Shilmer in

jw
friends

last letter to the congregation committee.

today i uploaded a new article to my blog addressing a bit of watchtower history.

it shows the last letter sent to the congregation committee of congregations with instruction on how to go about forming their replacement congregational governing structure.

Juan Viejo2

WillyLoman - I'm from California too! You have a PM...

243

Victoria, Australia: Steven Unthank's Press Release: JW's Hierarchy Formally Charged Today With Child Abuse

by AndersonsInfo in

jehovah's witnesses hierarchy charged.

immediate press release: 26 july 2011. link to this press release: http://wp.me/p1g1hc-4o.

worldwide church hierarchy charged with child abuse.

Juan Viejo2

I think it is very interesting that the Watchtower tries to appear different from all other religions, but then tries to appear as either a congregational religion (run by the members locally), and/or an ecclesiastical organization (run by a heirarchy from the top down). For most of their history they have pointed to the clergy of the Roman and Orthodox Catholic churches as being organizations of Satan, and yet they too run their peculiar brand of "theocracy" in very much the same manner. One such "sub-group" (which essentially covers everyone above the local elders) is the so-called "Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses."

From Wikipedia:

"Among their corporations, the Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses cares for matters specific to Jehovah's Witnesses special full-time servants. In a particular branch, traveling overseers, special pioneers, and branch staff are considered members of the Order of Special Full-time Servants and the Bethel Family; [ 5 ] globally, their order is the Worldwide Order of Special Full-Time Servants of Jehovah’s Witnesses. [ 6 ] Male and female members of such religious orders typically make a formal vow of poverty and are granted certain status and exemptions by many governments. While Jehovah's Witnesses do not consider members of their religious orders to be clergy, they recognize that a government may consider them such for administrative purposes."

Whenever the Watchtower gets into a bind, they always find a way to point away from WT headquarters. They will try to claim exemptions from local laws because they say they are a "religious order."

Give me a break.

I imagine that the New York HQ staff, should the Victoria state prosecutors actually take this case to court, will simply point at the local Australian branch as being at fault. A few local branch officers will take the heat and may have to fall on their own swords. Eventually the WT will comply - they'll have to - but will describe their travails in court as "persecution by Satan's agents."

The reality is that Victoria's laws make common sense and are designed to protect youthful and vulnerable young JWs and the public at large. This should simply be considered an obligation to Caesar. The Watchtower Society should welcome the opportunity to comply with this law to show the Australian public that they are "law abiding citizens," not law breakers who want to protect molestors and other criminals.

JV

243

Victoria, Australia: Steven Unthank's Press Release: JW's Hierarchy Formally Charged Today With Child Abuse

by AndersonsInfo in

jehovah's witnesses hierarchy charged.

immediate press release: 26 july 2011. link to this press release: http://wp.me/p1g1hc-4o.

worldwide church hierarchy charged with child abuse.

Juan Viejo2

Sweeney - Good point!

Although Barbara Anderson is as credible as any individual I've ever known, she is just the messenger in this case. I too noticed the "$144,000 in fines" and the fact that the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" (who are not faithful, discreet or "slaves") is also named as a "defendant." And while the State of Victoria is a very populous state, it would be equivalent to New York state in the USA. While populous, significant, and influential - it is not the government of Australia.

So my questions are:

If this is a federal law, why is it not being pursued in Au Federal Courts?

If this is a criminal indictment, why does an individual have to initiate the filing of charges?

So...I'm a little confused. But I hope that is just due to my ignorance of Australian federal and state laws.

I can only hope that the word gets out and that the Watchtower and its Governing Body get more than just a black eye over this, but that this case also exposes them for what they really are. I hope it is not us who are having our proverbial "legs being pulled."

JV

66

Youngest person disfellowshipped -- ever?

by FatFreek 2005 in

well?.

Juan Viejo2

FatFreek - "You have mail" (PM)

JV

11

Freedom From the Borg!!!

by Mad Sweeney in

jw
friends

how does it feel to be free from the watchtower?

while you were in did you realize you were enslaved and/or mind-controlled?

now that you are out and looking back, what are your thoughts about the mind control you were under when you were in?.

Juan Viejo2

What? No audio on your preview for the 7/9 program? All the others are working fine...

JV

54

Growing up a Jehovah's Witness - New Video

by jwfacts in

i have put together a video - growing up a jehovah's witness 1960 -2010. it aims to show the things a witnesses would be taught as they age over those decades.

it is 15 minutes long.

this is my first attempt at a video and it took a while to work out how to use final cut, so please feel free to make suggestions if anything should be changed.

Juan Viejo2

jwfacts - Great piece of work! I especially liked the way that you did the end credits and your handling of the (c) and CC notices at the end. Very nicely done.

Lance's mid-American accent blended well, but also balanced nicely against your more Commonwealth voice over.

I intend to post it on one of my websites and take full credit for it. In the meantime I am working on developing an Aussie accent so that I can be credible voiceover pronouncer like you.

"Credits? I don't need no stinkin' credits!"

Seriously, I will be highlighting both your videos and your website in one of my future articles. And you can be assured you will get full credit for your fine work.

In the meantime, JWfacts please watch for a PM.

JV

52

Maximum Damage to the WT.

by Essan in

i have to hand it to the society.

they understand the power of organization.

they demonstrate that no matter how ridiculous your message and how much the facts don't support your position you can still accomplish a lot if you are organized.

Juan Viejo2

dgp,

I think your fears are misplaced. New people are stepping up and speaking out every day. Every so often we will lose some of our outspoken friends due to health, lack of funds, disinterest, and other natural causes. But just go to YouTube and type in "Jehovah's Witnesses" and you will find scores of new videos - everything from well-made ten-minute documentaries to satirical, but painfully true, cartoons. There are testimonies and demonstrations, along with announcements of new books or new podcasts practically every week.

This movement is not in danger of dying. There are dozens of nominally active JWs, faders, recently DA'd and DF'd elders and others connected to the JW religion that make themselves known here and on other forums every week. They are here where they want to be, while still showing up at a KH to keep the rest of their lives functional.

I'd like to see the day (I pray I live that long) where the practice of "shunning" begins to work against itself. If the power of "conversion" ever shifts to those who have left the religion and away from the brainwashed cult followers, then maybe a faster decline of the WT will become apparent. In other words, when "active JWs" realize that THEY will lose their friends and family members IF THEY STAY IN THE CULT, maybe they will finally wake up and come out SO THEY DON'T SELF-DESTRUCT AND LOSE EVERYONE THEY LOVE.

As editor of Ex-JW.com, I get emails and contact form responses every week from those trapped inside the WT cult looking for a way out. Thank goodness there are so many wonderful volunteers that run Meetups and support groups all over the US and Canada that hold out their arms in welcome. I've referred dozens of brothers and sisters to these good folks for help and consolation.

My own connection with the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall scandal has put me in touch with so many wonderful and supportive (but still "active") JWs that admit that they finally see the damage that the WT leadership has done to once tightly knit congregations. They know we are out here and most now know how to contact us. Forums like this one, created and managed by Simon, Moxie, and many others, have really made a difference and active JWs are reading them every day. The "conscious class" among JWs is a reality.

I once told my wife that if I could educate just one "active" JW enough to convince them to leave, I would feel that all of my efforts were successful. Maybe my involvement hasn't been the only thing to get some folks to leave, but perhaps in concert with efforts by Barbara, Silent Lambs, Randy, MadSweeney, Richard Rawe, and even Kool-Aid Man, my efforts may have helped a few sincere ones leave the Borg. May those efforts continue to pay off.

We can't stop this movement. Even if some of us leave or take a break, it will continue to grow and more JWs will find us and leave the JW cult forever.

JV

52

Maximum Damage to the WT.

by Essan in

i have to hand it to the society.

they understand the power of organization.

they demonstrate that no matter how ridiculous your message and how much the facts don't support your position you can still accomplish a lot if you are organized.

Juan Viejo2

Something is in the works that might be a step in the direction that this thread treds...

We'll see.

JV