john.prestor

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Posts by john.prestor

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  17

  Conversation with my Dad today concerning the Leah Remini show

  by joe134cd in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  joe : i don’t quite know how to tell you this dad.

  dad : what daughter .

  joe : dont get mad or offensive, but there was a documentary that aired a few nights ago on prime time tv in the usa concerning the jws, and there was some very nasty stuff mentioned, and it certainly wasn’t positive toward the organisation.

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  john.prestor

  Joe, sounds like he's taking it personally. I know you don't mean it that way, but that's how he's taking it, so he's denying it fiercely.
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  7

  "Governing Body Procedure," a secret rulebook

  by john.prestor in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in crisis of conscience, raymond franz reproduces a letter sent to him from someone representing the governing body in which they thank him for returning the text, governing body procedure.

  franz says nothing about this text any other place in the work, but i've been trying to track it down, because it sounds like another confidential manual like shepherd the flock of god.

  i doubt it's been leaked (i'm shocked, pleasantly, that we even have circuit overseer guidelines, the confidential manual used by circuit overseers) but you never know.. is anyone else familiar with this work?

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  john.prestor

  In Crisis of Conscience, Raymond Franz reproduces a letter sent to him from someone representing the Governing Body in which they thank him for returning the text, Governing Body Procedure. Franz says nothing about this text any other place in the work, but I've been trying to track it down, because it sounds like another confidential manual like Shepherd the Flock of God. I doubt it's been leaked (I'm shocked, pleasantly, that we even have Circuit Overseer Guidelines, the confidential manual used by Circuit Overseers) but you never know.

  Is anyone else familiar with this work? Does anyone know where I can find a copy or some other reference to it?
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  27

  JW marketing image

  by neat blue dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  picture from a recent watchtower:.

  what diversity.

  what corporate synergy.

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  john.prestor

  What it seems to be saying is this: We'll accept you as long as you fit into our limited color scheme. So, if you don't rock the boat, come on in, climb aboard. There's a reason many of them look rather strange or unattractive: because that's who the Governing Body is trying to appeal to in this, strange and/or unattractive people. And they're promising "happiness" via community as long as you stay in line. It's a pretty explicit promise being made here.
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  33

  Door-to-door preaching as surveillance

  by john.prestor in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i wanted to share some thoughts about jehovah's witnesses and their door-to-door preaching.

  door-to-door preaching is supposedly about gathering converts, but in fact, as we frequently discuss, doesn't actually bring that many "sheep-like ones" in.

  i want to suggest that a second meaning (what we call the latent meaning in academia) is facilitating surveillance of the congregants who attend some congregation.

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  john.prestor

  That's all I'm saying, that it functions, serves, as a means for Jehovah's Witnesses to perhaps, and I emphasize perhaps, see other Jehovah's Witnesses committing "sins" and then report them. I appreciate the honest feedback. I by no means believe that this is the actual point of door-to-door proselytizing, let me state that clearly again. That's not why Russell instituted it, why Rutherford and Knorr retained it, and why the Governing Body emphasizes it.

  I like you calling my thoughts musings though, sounds about right, heh.
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  33

  Door-to-door preaching as surveillance

  by john.prestor in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i wanted to share some thoughts about jehovah's witnesses and their door-to-door preaching.

  door-to-door preaching is supposedly about gathering converts, but in fact, as we frequently discuss, doesn't actually bring that many "sheep-like ones" in.

  i want to suggest that a second meaning (what we call the latent meaning in academia) is facilitating surveillance of the congregants who attend some congregation.

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  john.prestor

  Blondie, that's really interesting information, and thank you for the quote. I try to get behind the mentality of people who want to act like spiritual policemen and the only thing that comes to me is Alice Miller: they never had any control as young people in this organization, when they were policed like that, so now they get to have it as adults.
  
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  33

  Door-to-door preaching as surveillance

  by john.prestor in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i wanted to share some thoughts about jehovah's witnesses and their door-to-door preaching.

  door-to-door preaching is supposedly about gathering converts, but in fact, as we frequently discuss, doesn't actually bring that many "sheep-like ones" in.

  i want to suggest that a second meaning (what we call the latent meaning in academia) is facilitating surveillance of the congregants who attend some congregation.

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  john.prestor

  >Jesus Christ people. I wasn't looking for a boxing match against 10 of you. Don't agree with what I have to say, fine. For those of you who critiqued what I was saying and offered suggestions, thank you. For those of you did nothing more than attack me, shove off, including you Simon. That isn't a reply, it's an insult.
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  11

  WT Child/Sexual Abuse Cases and etc

  by jdash in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i had this argument with my grandmother and uncles about scandals that the jw's covered up and whatnot, and they won't budge.

  i brought up the australian royal commission and of course they laughed.

  they then said that the governing body has never lost a sexual abuse case but the "person" who did the crime got charged.

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  john.prestor

  Another thought: I read a paper recently that argued the denial is a very childish defense mechanism people use when their self-concept or perception of their own character is challenged. Jehovah's Witnesses take a great deal of pride in their faith and them belonging to it. So, it's possible your relatives are scared to admit that if some Jehovah's Witnesses covered up child abuse or abused children, their character must not be as high as they think it is. Maybe reassure them before looking that it doesn't speak poorly of them, just on the perpetrators and those who protected them.
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  33

  Door-to-door preaching as surveillance

  by john.prestor in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i wanted to share some thoughts about jehovah's witnesses and their door-to-door preaching.

  door-to-door preaching is supposedly about gathering converts, but in fact, as we frequently discuss, doesn't actually bring that many "sheep-like ones" in.

  i want to suggest that a second meaning (what we call the latent meaning in academia) is facilitating surveillance of the congregants who attend some congregation.

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  john.prestor

  Exactly, Vidiot. When you put all these kind of practices together you get pretty damn efficient surveillance.
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  33

  Door-to-door preaching as surveillance

  by john.prestor in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i wanted to share some thoughts about jehovah's witnesses and their door-to-door preaching.

  door-to-door preaching is supposedly about gathering converts, but in fact, as we frequently discuss, doesn't actually bring that many "sheep-like ones" in.

  i want to suggest that a second meaning (what we call the latent meaning in academia) is facilitating surveillance of the congregants who attend some congregation.

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  john.prestor

  Exactly. The organization's literature is, as far as I'm concerned, designed to tug on people's heart strings when they're at their most vulnerable. I remember a Jehovah's Witness telling me that he came to the door of someone who was leaving for a funeral and he gave her the Where are the Dead? tract. I found that really unpleasant.

  I agree LV101: it is a family-like structure with "Big Brother" watching over you, not to mention the Elders being permitted to more or less stalk you and watch you from their cars if they suspect you of an affair, for instance.
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  33

  Door-to-door preaching as surveillance

  by john.prestor in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i wanted to share some thoughts about jehovah's witnesses and their door-to-door preaching.

  door-to-door preaching is supposedly about gathering converts, but in fact, as we frequently discuss, doesn't actually bring that many "sheep-like ones" in.

  i want to suggest that a second meaning (what we call the latent meaning in academia) is facilitating surveillance of the congregants who attend some congregation.

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  john.prestor

  I'm not claiming it is, truth_b_known. And thanks to this site and members like you I'm aware of the process by which door-to-door preaching transformed from selling books into hint-hint giving away books for "free" (a donation).