Posts by thebrokenkite

55

11-5-17 Warwick Protest Photos

by thebrokenkite in

let the reader use discernment:.

i was disfellowshipped in june of last year.

while i've been awake for nearly a year, i still often feel groggy.

thebrokenkite

@josephus Thank you for providing another well-thought-out perspective. I hope that it will provide for a more complete picture for others to draw their own conclusions.

I also want to remind everyone these were my honest first impressions, have nothing to gain from them, and actually made the trip to satisfy my curiosity and report back on the events. I feel like someone who leaves an underwhelmed review of a particular dish at a hyped restaurant. I’m not going to pretend I liked it if I didn’t and there would no point in reporting back at all in that case. Would I welcome an opportunity to correct myself and try the same (but improved) or other dishes? Absolutely. In fact, I don’t know that we can commit now, but my work takes us overseas so it wouldn’t be an impossibility for us to attend the London protest, especially as I’ve had the opportunity to spend some time with the Italian field there. I’d be delighted to get to know you and some of the other organizers better.

Lastly, I second my own motion regarding you, sir. I really believe you should be one of the louder voices in the movement. I appreciated your practical and timely advice to me as well. Hopefully we’ll see you in London. :)

18

What would you do for next November 5?

by Faded in

jw
friends

i think everything has to start somewhere, and you can see the passion and commitment from those loyal 50 that showed up in warwick yesterday.

the event was not very well organized but you could see the passion & dedication from most of them.

and i think they at least touched a couple of people at the kh yesterday.. having an annual day of action actually inspires me.

thebrokenkite

@days of future past The folks that imply the criticism is harsh or based out of jealousy are really blowing things out of proportion and remind me of the “fake news” cop out the POTUS so often resorts to. I was actually excited to go when I first heard and asked my non-JW wife to come along in a few weeks. What gave me a preview of things to come and diminished my excitement was that it was really difficult to find an exact time and location. The two apostates who arrived before us didn’t know if we were in the right place and even some of the organizers showed up to wrong place and the ranger had to escort them out way! There was no program, just an impromptu open mic, though most of the organizers did prepare their thoughts. They hadn’t really considered the logistics until after that was over. I think those are very basic things that many former JWs have probably handled and aren’t too much to ask. Again, dressing, not in suits as others have tried to attribute to me, but in a presentable manner that won’t distract JWs trained to be distracted by that. Instead of welcoming criticism or suggestions, this brand of apostasy has doubled down and made it personal, which I find amusing. It’s very New York.

To your last point, I’m just a details guy and more of consigliere than a Godfather. Though this was ultimately a positive experience for me, I’m not sure that protests are the most effective medium of apostasy.

55

11-5-17 Warwick Protest Photos

by thebrokenkite in

let the reader use discernment:.

i was disfellowshipped in june of last year.

while i've been awake for nearly a year, i still often feel groggy.

thebrokenkite

@Morpheus I agree on all fronts, sir, and have no problem with your clarification of my words. (Believe it or not, I tried to be objective.) It may not be possible to find someone who is relatable, likable, AND had the credentials to make it difficult for Watchtower to yell “Apostate lies!”, in which case I’d opt for the stories that really touch people, like the scenario you offered.

The dress is not really a huge issue, as others have tried to make it for me. But if they came all this way and did all this, I’m sure they could’ve worn something besides sweatpants or a Blade Runner outfit. That’s all I’m saying. Don’t needlessly distract people trained to be easily distracted.

I agree that there’s a lot of untapped potential but I can also see that type of apostasizing has support that would inevitably lead to further infighting, between a group that wants to push for a more serious type of advocacy and one that wants to do whatever it wants and genuinely believes Watchtower fears them, as Joel Martz announced at the protest on Sunday.

110

Exjw activists protesting inside a Kingdom Hall today!

by Crazyguy in

spoonfed nomore, has uploaded a video on his youtube site, of exjw activists protesting inside a kingdom hall during this sunday meeting.

several people speak out.

if some one can put a link on here that would be awesome, i can’t figure out how to do it with an i phone.

thebrokenkite

@ruby456 So a swap meet apostate protest next time? If I’m truly there because i wish to speak out for victims of the cult and their freedom, that’s the only agenda I need to push. I can wait to solicit viewer/reader/followership elsewhere.

55

11-5-17 Warwick Protest Photos

by thebrokenkite in

let the reader use discernment:.

i was disfellowshipped in june of last year.

while i've been awake for nearly a year, i still often feel groggy.

thebrokenkite

@Heather The only point of yours I wish to addresss is exactly that WE’RE the ones talking about it. The JWs that saw any of the fiasco were unmoved and by reports received from acquaintances in congregations in the area, normalcy was quickly restored after the shock and it was chalked it up to crazy apostates. If anything, barging into a KH and so crudely disrupting the service just reinforced their persecution complex. I offered an honest summary of the events as I saw them and related my impressions, which I didn’t expect all to agree with, and which no one else with firsthand info took the time to write about here. It’s very easy to offer support for these things in comments on a forum, but I actually went and gave up my Sunday, just like the apostates you support, driving there, checking it out, proofing and editing photos, and reporting back. I’ve already put my money where my mouth is, but have chosen a different “voice”.

110

Exjw activists protesting inside a Kingdom Hall today!

by Crazyguy in

spoonfed nomore, has uploaded a video on his youtube site, of exjw activists protesting inside a kingdom hall during this sunday meeting.

several people speak out.

if some one can put a link on here that would be awesome, i can’t figure out how to do it with an i phone.

thebrokenkite

I like you, Morpheus. 😂

110

Exjw activists protesting inside a Kingdom Hall today!

by Crazyguy in

spoonfed nomore, has uploaded a video on his youtube site, of exjw activists protesting inside a kingdom hall during this sunday meeting.

several people speak out.

if some one can put a link on here that would be awesome, i can’t figure out how to do it with an i phone.

thebrokenkite

@Nacho Sanchez I can see where you’re coming from and will be careful to make more obvious transitions in the future. In the end, I was there. Your ongoing defense of the group or certain ones in it based on my initial impression of them without you having experienced the thing in its entirety or have interacted with the group is confusing and makes me wonder whether you have a dog in this fight. I went exactly as a curious newbie apostate (which has already been established) looking to take pictures and perhaps network. I have also said I don’t regret going and that it provided some clarity as to the type of activism I want to engage in. In any case, this back and forth has grown tired and I hope you’ll agree. Again, I feel I’ve already addressed the points in question and will take greater care to avoid statements that verge on sweeping ones in the future. I think we can call however’s -1-ing all the posts offering valid criticisms of the protest off. 😉

110

Exjw activists protesting inside a Kingdom Hall today!

by Crazyguy in

spoonfed nomore, has uploaded a video on his youtube site, of exjw activists protesting inside a kingdom hall during this sunday meeting.

several people speak out.

if some one can put a link on here that would be awesome, i can’t figure out how to do it with an i phone.

thebrokenkite

@nacho Sanchez I’ll indulge what has now become your “elder tangent”, but I think you’re reading a lot more into my comments than I intended to leave open for interpretation. I went back and can’t find an insinuation that Parker and Joel were elders. In fact, I specifically mentioned not knowing what Joel’s responsibilities were in the congregation. I’m also having trouble finding a quote saying the ringleaders acted like elders. I did say the disorganization was surprising considering the amount of alleged elders. Keep in mind you only a few to run a congregation. Perhaps my segue into my interactions with the ringleaders was abrupt and I apologize if it left things murky. Regarding the mannerisms and idiosyncrasies, I mentioned that they were unique to JWs, and included myself among those still displaying them. I did not limit them to elders.

https://www.dropbox.com/m/browse?path=%2F11-5-17+Warwick+Protest Here’s a link with pictures I took. Again, I cannot find my comments stating we should wear suits. I wore jeans, an untucked button-up, and a sweater. I was comfortable but was careful to dress in a way that wouldn’t distract JWs trained to judge folks on account of such superfluous reasons. Looking like you’re headed for a jog or comic con really can’t bolster your message, I think we’ll agree.

Lastly, as I mentioned before, I had no idea who any of the apostates were before Sunday, including Parker. That was my first impression, which I’d be happy to correct should I meet him again and fee differently. However, I currently stand by my first impression and it is not one exclusive to me. If we were all pushing our own individual agendas, I should’ve also handed out free prints of my photos to help my business. I, perhaps naïvely, that the group was gathering for different purposes.

110

Exjw activists protesting inside a Kingdom Hall today!

by Crazyguy in

spoonfed nomore, has uploaded a video on his youtube site, of exjw activists protesting inside a kingdom hall during this sunday meeting.

several people speak out.

if some one can put a link on here that would be awesome, i can’t figure out how to do it with an i phone.

thebrokenkite

@Ruby456 Others seeking out prominence and control is kind of how we all ended up here, so I’m not sure what I’m missing. I’m a lot less susceptible to self-proclaimed leadership and want to know what’s in it for them. I question the motives of everyone leading any movement before I decided to jump in head first. The last time I didn’t do that, I ended up a Witness for 25 years. I think this is a reasonable approach for someone recently delivered from the chains of a cult he worshipped all his life.

110

Exjw activists protesting inside a Kingdom Hall today!

by Crazyguy in

spoonfed nomore, has uploaded a video on his youtube site, of exjw activists protesting inside a kingdom hall during this sunday meeting.

several people speak out.

if some one can put a link on here that would be awesome, i can’t figure out how to do it with an i phone.

thebrokenkite

Also, plugging your own FICTIONAL quasi-sci-fi novel for an event that’s supposed to be about helping former and current cult members doesn’t smack of narcissism at all, to you? Would it help if a mixtape was part of the bundle? That’s not sarcasm. There was literally a book and CD up for grabs. That he couldn’t charge for them goes without saying, I don’t think that’s really an argument.