just a recap.. i posted a thread yesterday about an exchange of e-mails with a well known and respected elder and c.o.
sibstitute in a spanish circuit somewhere in the u.s. the man is about 50, raised in the truth, belongs to a family where all men are at least elders.
he is proud to have forsaken his dream of becoming a doctor to serve jehovah.
What a very interesting exchange. JWs simply won't let anyting in through the shields, no matter how logical or true it is.
Can you maybe reduce it down to one or two simple questions? Ask him to explain how, in the light of Luke 21:8 Jehovah's Witnesses can have any claim on being the chosen ones. Maybe have a look through Slimboy's thread on difficult scriptures for JWs to explain. There is some excellent stuff in there.
this popped up on the age website today, might have to buy the paper tomorrow..... http://www.theage.com.au/national/jehovahs-witnesses-a-cruel-cult-20130315-2g5x3.html.
LOL 00DAD. Let's review: You're a hoot!
JWstudy: Yes this the same guy. Became a lawyer with the full support of the bethel. It really shows the double standard of the WTS. Higher education is frowned upon unless it benefits them in some way...
This article will benefit only a few JWs. As soon as I saw the word 'apostate' in the opening paragraph, I thought "most JWs won't read past that." Any who read beyond that will, as Phizzy said, justify the accusations as they go through it. It might get some semiconscious class people asking more questions, they may realise that they are not alone in their doubts, especially as the conscious class are specifically mentioned.
The public who read it might ask their JW neighbour / workmate / relative about it. The JW will says it's all lies. This lends credence to what the article says about JWs not trusting anyone external to them.
Any publicity is good publicity.
this popped up on the age website today, might have to buy the paper tomorrow..... http://www.theage.com.au/national/jehovahs-witnesses-a-cruel-cult-20130315-2g5x3.html.
Here is the gist of a text exchange I'm in the middle of with a brother in our congregation. I texted him the link this morning and said "Wow, keep this in mind if you are out in field this morning."
His response was to say "It sounds like the start of persecution!" I asked he thought it was weird that what the WT lawyer said didn't match up with what is on JW.org. "Must be a misquote, typical media" was his reply.
We then talked about some other things, and then he says "I'm not going to look at that article, it sounds apostate." I just said that I would read so I know what it's about if someone brings it up while we are out witnessing.
As 00DAD would say, "Let's review - it's a cult!"
we had to go off grid for a time, time and half a time as we thought we had been outed.
fortunately it was a false alarm, but it was a stressful time.
i asked for my original diary thread to be deleted in case there could be anything on there to identlfy mrs smith and i. i am always very careful when posting, and am sure there was nothing on there, but felt it best to have it removed in order to be as cautious as a dove.
So, after driving around to several places, I finally got my hands on a copy of the paper! Oh boy. Its a full one pager with an extra two columns on the following page. This link here is the same article that has appeared in the paper:
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/slamm ... 2g6fo.html
All of the people interviewed are exJWs which will mean JWs will write it off as bitterness and sour grapes. The only JW interviewed was Toole. Again we see deception from him. He says shunning is a myth then he shows the writer the FAQ section of JW.org as proof. What he has shown is the opening paragraph which says that those who have drifted away are not shunned. He ignores the following paragraph in the FAQ section that clearly states that those who willingly break "God's" law are shunned.
Hopefully it will get people on the inside asking questions, especially about the two witness rule which is mentioned in the article, and how this applies even for sexual abuse claims. Maybe even non-JWs who read it might ask the next JW who comes to their door about it, which might lead to the JW asking more questions.
Most JWs will write it off as either apostate (this word is even used in the opening sentences) or as hurt feelings by those who have 'left Jehovah' and been interviewed.
In fact here is the gist of a text exchange I'm in the middle of with a brother in our congregation. I texted him the link this morning and said "Wow, keep this in mind if you are out in field this morning." His response was to say "It sounds like the start of persecution!" I asked he thought it was weird that what the WT lawyer said didn't match up with what is on JW.org. "Must be a misquote, typical media" was his reply. We then talked about some other things, and then he says "I'm not going to look at that article, it sounds apostate." I just said that I would read so I know what it's about if someone brings it up while we are out witnessing.
this popped up on the age website today, might have to buy the paper tomorrow..... http://www.theage.com.au/national/jehovahs-witnesses-a-cruel-cult-20130315-2g5x3.html.
I finally tracked down a copy of the paper today. It is a full page article with a couple of extra columns on the following page. It does not put JWs in a positive light in any way.
The link that Refriedtruth posted above is the same as what has appeared in the paper.
the age newspaper | fairfax media | friday, march 15, 2013. jehovah's witnesses a 'cruel cult'.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/jehovahs-witnesses-a-cruel-cult-20130315-2g5x3.html.
christian sect the jehovah's witnesses - with 64,000 active 'disciples' in australia - are a cruel religion with no soul, according to melbourne cultbuster raphael aron.. his warning comes as the federal government considers tightening the definition of a charity to prevent some cults and quasi-religions keeping their tax free status.
@LeavingQuietly: The part where it says that JWs don't celebrate birthdays because it's not in the bible is not a quote from Aron. The quote from Aron starts with "There is no Moomba...."
this popped up on the age website today, might have to buy the paper tomorrow..... http://www.theage.com.au/national/jehovahs-witnesses-a-cruel-cult-20130315-2g5x3.html.
I just refreshed the article's page on the website and it says there are 99 readers on there at the moment. Sadly there does not appear to be a comments section available. I'd love to post in there the statement on JW.org that contradicts the WT lawyer.
Phizzy, we can get The Age in a couple of places in our area so I will pick up a copy tomorrow. I'm very interested in seeing what "the full story" is.
Gotta love the parting comment about predicting the end of the world five times and believing that Satan rules the world. Makes them sound all nice and culty.
I think it is reprehensible that they get away with tax exempt status. Handing out magazines with poorly written articles hardly qualifies as charity...
On the flip side, I do feel sorry for those genuinely nice JWs who may get affected by backlash from this and the child abuse enquiries. However, if it leads them to asking questions, and doing some research, then it may be a good thing.
we had to go off grid for a time, time and half a time as we thought we had been outed.
fortunately it was a false alarm, but it was a stressful time.
i asked for my original diary thread to be deleted in case there could be anything on there to identlfy mrs smith and i. i am always very careful when posting, and am sure there was nothing on there, but felt it best to have it removed in order to be as cautious as a dove.
Great article in The Age newspaper. Its promise of more in the printed version tomorrow has me intrigued!
http://www.theage.com.au/national/jehovahs-witnesses-a-cruel-cult-20130315-2g5x3.html
Interesting that the WT lawyer is quoted as saying that he "dismissed the allegations and said shunning was a"myth." "
JW.org on the other hand says: "If, however, a baptized Witness makes a practice of breaking the Bible’s moral code and does not repent, he or she will be shunned or disfellowshipped."
WOOPS!
the age newspaper | fairfax media | friday, march 15, 2013. jehovah's witnesses a 'cruel cult'.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/jehovahs-witnesses-a-cruel-cult-20130315-2g5x3.html.
christian sect the jehovah's witnesses - with 64,000 active 'disciples' in australia - are a cruel religion with no soul, according to melbourne cultbuster raphael aron.. his warning comes as the federal government considers tightening the definition of a charity to prevent some cults and quasi-religions keeping their tax free status.
Beat ya to it! http://jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/249211/1/Raphael-Aron-in-The-Age-newspaper-Jehovahs-Witnesses-a-cruel-cult
Such a great article. I hope this gets spread far and wide!
Did you spot the lie from the WT lawyer? He said that shunning among Jws is a myth, yet jw.org begs to differ in the FAQ page...
this popped up on the age website today, might have to buy the paper tomorrow..... http://www.theage.com.au/national/jehovahs-witnesses-a-cruel-cult-20130315-2g5x3.html.
"A spokesman for the church in Australia, Sydney solicitor Vincent Toole, dismissed the allegations and said shunning was a"myth." "
From jw.org: " If, however, a baptized Witness makes a practice of breaking the Bible’s moral code and does not repent, he or she will be shunned or disfellowshipped."
Someone's lying!
