Bigmac - Peter Ellis was a member of the London Branch Committee. (I dont know if he is still alive). At the moment I am abroad on work as soon as I will return back home I will try to post some pictures and other information.
ex-Special Pioneer
JoinedPosts by ex-Special Pioneer
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67
last day at the kingdom hall
by ex-Special Pioneer inprologue.
get out shouted the audience you must be ashamed of yourself.
the crowd was in a hysterical state, every time that we tried to say something we were silenced by the clapping and screams which got louder and louder of the majority of the two hundred people in attendance.
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67
last day at the kingdom hall
by ex-Special Pioneer inprologue.
get out shouted the audience you must be ashamed of yourself.
the crowd was in a hysterical state, every time that we tried to say something we were silenced by the clapping and screams which got louder and louder of the majority of the two hundred people in attendance.
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ex-Special Pioneer
Thanks Blondie - by the way till this day no reply was received from the watchtower to that letter.
Paul Bonanno
Malta
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67
last day at the kingdom hall
by ex-Special Pioneer inprologue.
get out shouted the audience you must be ashamed of yourself.
the crowd was in a hysterical state, every time that we tried to say something we were silenced by the clapping and screams which got louder and louder of the majority of the two hundred people in attendance.
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67
last day at the kingdom hall
by ex-Special Pioneer inprologue.
get out shouted the audience you must be ashamed of yourself.
the crowd was in a hysterical state, every time that we tried to say something we were silenced by the clapping and screams which got louder and louder of the majority of the two hundred people in attendance.
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ex-Special Pioneer
“LOVE BOMBING” AT THE KINGDOM HALL
Not long after that dad started studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses, John invited my father to attend a public meeting held on Sunday at there Kingdom Hall (the local mmeting place of Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation. Sometimes a rented place or building, but ususally a structure owned by the witnesses). Dad accepted the offere and when he went he was welcomed by many members, as they realised that he was new nearly everyone started coming on dad to introduce themselves and encourage him to continue to attend. Others explained that this is the “truth” and how this religion helped them to transform there lives. Some one told him that soon you will start to be rediculed by your friends and “persecuted” by your family. Dad was encouraged to pursue and persevere in “this road that leads to eternal life.” Dad immediately felt welcome by this manipulative technique that cult experts call it “love bombing.” Margaret Thaler Singer a clinical psychologist and emiritus adjunct professor at the University of California berkeley said that “Love bombing – or the offer of instant companionship – is a deceptive ploy accounting for many successful recruitment drives.” (Singer 1995) Infact Jehovah’s Witnesses are encouraged to use this technique when they notice a stranger at their Kingdom Hall. (Watchtower – February 15, 1987)
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67
last day at the kingdom hall
by ex-Special Pioneer inprologue.
get out shouted the audience you must be ashamed of yourself.
the crowd was in a hysterical state, every time that we tried to say something we were silenced by the clapping and screams which got louder and louder of the majority of the two hundred people in attendance.
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ex-Special Pioneer
brotherdan, mad sweeney, mkr32208, white dove, cadelin you have a PM
Paul Bonanno (ex-special pioneer)
Malta
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67
last day at the kingdom hall
by ex-Special Pioneer inprologue.
get out shouted the audience you must be ashamed of yourself.
the crowd was in a hysterical state, every time that we tried to say something we were silenced by the clapping and screams which got louder and louder of the majority of the two hundred people in attendance.
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ex-Special Pioneer
THE INDOCTRINATION PROCESS
But how does a person becomes a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses? How could a person like my father completely turn around in such a short period of time? What so powerful, could have happened to make this person totally disconnect from his or her family?
The answer to these questions is through an indoctrination process or what Jehovah’s Witnesses call “Bible Study.” When we refer to Bible Study we are not referring to the courses offered at the University were students are introduced to various scientific methods and approaches of Biblical interpretation, exegesis, inspiration, background, narrative art in the Bible, Biblical languages, Biblical discourse analysis and narratology. But a “Bible Study” is a one to one indoctrination session usually held weekly in the home of a prospective convert with paragraph by paragraph consideration of a Watchtower textbook. (Reed 1997)
In the next visit they discussed some topics that left an impression on my father. One of the topics that John chose was the perpetual virginity of Mary. Dad was not aware or informed by John that this subject was brought up in A.D. 380 by Helvidius and later by Jovinian who asserted that Mary had other children to which the greatest biblical scholar of the day Jerome rebutted. Another topic was about idolatry. This last topic left an impression on dad infact as soon as John and Andy left dad started going around our house and began removing all the religious idols that we had. This caused a reaction from my mother as this was going against her family tradition. But finally for peace sake and as well as she was brought up to consider the husband as the titular head of the family to which all members are subordinate she accepted his decision.
John became my fathers mentor and a “Bible Study” was started. A text book entitled “Things in which It Is Impossible for God to Lie” published by Jehovah’s Witnesses was used. The procedure or system is that a paragraph is read and then the mentor will ask the question found at the bottom of the page and after the student will answer. The mentor will explain further and may read some scripturessited in the book and discuss their relation to the topics under consideration. He will make sure that he will have a clear understanding of what they have just read and see how it applies in his life.
Week by week and month after month dad was constantly subjected to a barrage of Watchtower propaganda. Dad’s mind began to reel and stagger under the great weight of lies, half truths and false reasoning’s. The last strands of resistance are finally broken down and the mind capitulates. This is what lead to dad’s conversion – this is the Watchtower style!
A record of all the Bible studies being conducted is kept. Every month John filled a form (S-3) and wrote dad’s progress and turned it to the secretary.
My father with limited educational background hardly able to read and write was easily susceptible and vulnerable to what he was being indocrinated. For the first time he purchased a Catholic Bible and started reading it. He quiet smoking and stopped attending every week Sunday Mass. As Louis D’Angelo said: “They will allow not one ounce of what they call Babylonian beliefs to remain.” – The Catholic Answer To The Witnesses A Challenge Accepted
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67
last day at the kingdom hall
by ex-Special Pioneer inprologue.
get out shouted the audience you must be ashamed of yourself.
the crowd was in a hysterical state, every time that we tried to say something we were silenced by the clapping and screams which got louder and louder of the majority of the two hundred people in attendance.
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ex-Special Pioneer
On Friday 7th September 1994, I attended a judicial committee. The accusation was APOSTASY since they were not interested to hear anything as they had instructions from the London Branch Office both myself and my wife presented our disassociation letter. We stated that we are disassociating ourselves and we hope that the announcement would be done in this way. Yes the announcement was done on a SUNDAY and not during the week as normally it is done. Please remember that I was just a JWs but I was a special pioneer and an elder. This is my experience the announcement took place at the FGURA CONGREGATION of Jehovah's Witnesses at the Marsa Kingdom Hall MALTA. What I wrote is just the begginning of the story. I would like to continue explaning how my family became JWs in 1968 how we moved from Australia to Malta (to serve were the need is greater in 1974). What it meant to grow as a JW. My baptism when I was 13. Pioneering my career. Attending the Ministerial Training School in 1989 and becoming a Special Pioneer in 1990. Serving as an elder. What lead to a family research that opened our eyes. Letters and phone calls to the London Branch office (talking to Peter Ellis) our judicial committee. The day of the announcement. The aftermat several brothers shocked with what they so and left as well. TV program and articles in the Newspaper. Participating in international conferences. Exposing Milton Henschell when he came to Malta. etc........ To all those who think that this is invented I am writing my name and country. I have contributed many information to several individuals like Randy and others.
Paul Bonanno
Malta
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67
last day at the kingdom hall
by ex-Special Pioneer inprologue.
get out shouted the audience you must be ashamed of yourself.
the crowd was in a hysterical state, every time that we tried to say something we were silenced by the clapping and screams which got louder and louder of the majority of the two hundred people in attendance.
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ex-Special Pioneer
What is stated are TRUE FACTS that my family and myself have passed through. Nothing is invented. Dates, names and places are mentioned. I was a Special Pioneer an elder. In 1989 I was one of the graduate of the 2nd class of the Ministerial Training School held in UK.
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67
last day at the kingdom hall
by ex-Special Pioneer inprologue.
get out shouted the audience you must be ashamed of yourself.
the crowd was in a hysterical state, every time that we tried to say something we were silenced by the clapping and screams which got louder and louder of the majority of the two hundred people in attendance.
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ex-Special Pioneer
STRANGERS AT OUR DOOR
It was the start of the southern summer of 1967 and the weather was quite warm. Christmas was not far away. At home mum was putting some decorations around the Christmas tree that she had just bought and listening the radio singing “Silence is Golden” by Tremeloes . Charles my eldest brother was fast asleep when suddenly mum heard a knock on our door. She was not expecting anybody at that time so she was curious to find out who came. She rushed towards the main door. When she opened the door on our porch were two women both nicely dressed.
One of them in her late fifties introduced herself and said that they are participating in a “Christian work” trying to encourage people to read the Bible. My mother not knowing who they are taught that they are from the local parish church and that this “Christian work” is something to be praised and recommended. Duiring the conversation the unexpected visitors could tell that my mother was not an Australian, so they enquired from which country she is coming. Mum replied that both my father and herself are Maltese. They informed her that among their members they do have some Maltese “brothers” and if she would like she could arrange to send them to visit both my parenets. She asked mum, when it will be best for them to come. Mum said that the best will be on a Friday. Before they left they informed her that are members of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This was the first time that my mother heard that name. What she did not realise then, is that soon in the near future this religious organization which was established in 1879 by Charles Taze Russell will take over and control the life of her family. It was also the beginning of problems and difficulties that would plague our entire family for the next twenty six years. When dad came from work mum told him about the unexpected visit she had in the mornning but dad hardly took any notice of what she said.
Two weeks passed from that visit and mum forgot all about it. Her due date of labour was getting near and the doctor at the hospital informed her that she will be giving birth to twins.
It was Friday at around six o’clock in the evening and mum was feeding my brother Charles. Dad was at the front garden with one of his friends smoking a cigaret. Approaching our main gate he noticed two gentlemen. As they got nearer he realised that they were both Maltese as he recognized the language that they were talking in.
The coversation started first by asking about the weather then moving to which part of Malta they are coming from and how long they have been in Australia. After this introduction they tactfully turned the topic on what’s happing around the world with particular reference to the Vietnam war. They asked dad if he thinks that one day all these wars could have an end. Both of these strangers were dads age late twenties early thirty. John was the name of the one who was doing the talking. He impressed dad how versed he was with the Bible. In the meantime dad’s friend left. John was showing different marked passages to support what he was stating. He was always saying “look what the Bible says.”
Hardly did dad notice that John was putting into practice the training that he received at the weekly meetings that he attended. One of these meetings consisted of two sessions. The first part is called the Theocratic Ministry School and the other session the Service Meeting. In both these sessions training is given how to be effective when participating in the preaching work. The training consists of words you should start with, what to observe, what to ask, what objections you could be faced from the householder, how to overcome these objections, the importance of your first 10 seconds and much, much more then this. This type of training is similar to what you will have in a sales and marketing course.
During the discussion both John and Andy explained that they are no longer members of the Roman Catholic Church. This was a shock for dad as he was brought up as a Catholic. He could not understand how two smart guys well dressed and able to read renounced there faith in the Catholic Church.
Dad’s interest was increased and he was enjoying what he was hearing. John had just showed him that we are living in the end of times and soon God is going to destroy all the wickedness. John made it a point that every time he quoted a passage from the Bible he always emphasized “see what the God’s word has to say on this.”
As stated in the Osservatore Romano (October 29, 2008): “A lack of biblical literacy can make people, even Catholics, more susceptible to believing the distortions and falsifications in biblical texts published by the Jehovah’s Witnesses (changed) Pour knowledge of the sacred texts favors the spread of garish and awkward manipulations of the Bible.”
In his book “Masters of Deception” F.W. Thomas said: “In this busy age it is difficult for the average person to have a ready answer to the tricky questions and arguments that wily cult propagandists have forged to prove their position.”
Dad was quite impressed with what he heard so far. John then suggested that they should meet next week to discuss further the Bible. Not wishing to offend such a knowledgeable and seemingly pleasant person dad gave his consent.
The name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” was new for my dad and he asked John some questions about this religion. John gave (not correct – sold is the correct word) some literature published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and arranged a date to return again.
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67
last day at the kingdom hall
by ex-Special Pioneer inprologue.
get out shouted the audience you must be ashamed of yourself.
the crowd was in a hysterical state, every time that we tried to say something we were silenced by the clapping and screams which got louder and louder of the majority of the two hundred people in attendance.
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ex-Special Pioneer
That was the day when it was announced that we had disassociated ourselves from the JWs Org. The rest I hope will come latter as I am in the process of writing which after all these years is still very painful to write about.