A video has been uploaded to YouTube by a mother of four whose husband declared he was quitting his job moments after attending the 2013 Annual Meeting.
At nearly 16 minutes long, the video begins with mom Brittany struggling to get her children ready for a live screening of the Annual Meeting on October 6th. “This is the most incredible amount of stress that I’ve ever endured in one day,” she laments.
It isn’t long before the father Cedric’s job is hinted as being a cause for the family’s woes. While getting the children ready (at 2:14), Brittany explains, “Cedric worked last night. Cedric’s so stressed out about work coz he has to go on late tonight in order to make the meeting, and so he’s stressed out about losing his job. So yeah, it’s quite stressful today.”
To watch the video on YouTube, click here.
Footage then follows of the family attending their local Annual Meeting screening. Brittany is commended for her efforts in getting the family to the event, and the children are shown hugging their new bibles.
Then, after the Annual Meeting has ended, Brittany tells her viewers of a profound decision her husband has reached. (see 12:10)
“When we were coming out of the meeting we got all the kids loaded up, we get into the car and he says, ‘okay I’ve made a decision, I’m not going to work tonight’, and then he said that he’s not going to work tomorrow night or the night after that, or the night after that, and that they will consider that his resignation. So he basically quit his job.”
It soon becomes clear that Cedric’s decision has been motivated chiefly by a desire to attend more meetings.
“It was because we just don’t make our meetings like we should,” Brittany explains, “and it’s really hard on us to be apart a week at a time basically… So we are leaving it up to Jehovah and it feels really good actually. It’s like, this is such an exciting day!”
Footage is then shown of Cedric lining up for food in a Subway store as his family waits for him in the car. The viewer can’t help but feel baffled that this man is quitting his job, with no other job to go to, when he has four children dependent on him – the youngest of which is now only 8 months.
Worse still, the man is quitting by failing to turn up for work, which will almost guarantee that he will not get a positive reference. And this apparently motivated, at least in part, by a desire to attend more meetings.
Matthew 6:31-33 is quoted in the concluding minutes of the video as Brittany reaffirms her belief that Jehovah will come to the rescue by blessing her husband’s desire to “seek first the kingdom” – even with four young mouths at stake. (1 Tim 5:8)
The invocation of divine intervention is doubtless based on some of the Society’s recent claims about “Jehovah’s hand.” In fact, it was at the Annual Meeting that Geoffrey Jackson suggested that Jehovah manipulated the weather to assist the work of printing bibles at the Wallkill factory.
The families of the 27 Witnesses who died in last month’s typhoon in the Philippines would have good reason to ponder as to why Jehovah would intervene to print more bibles, but allow their loved ones to perish. They would likely be just as confused if finding Cedric a job to replace the one he has walked away from turns out to be higher on the Creator’s list of priorities than saving human life.
I don’t mean to be crass or rude, ESPECIALLY when children are involved, but with many things JW, there is a certain “survival of the fittest” point to be made… even if it’s just social: Parents often make poor decision that negatively effect the children. The children grow up and either overcome that or stayed weighed down by it – either way it is typical of ANY parent with children.
So I don’t find this particularly shocking or stupid… it’s just typical of that level of evolution where a father quits his job WITHOUT A PLAN and the family has to suffer under the sugary goodness of “for the grace of God.” It’s no different than a father having an affair without thinking or making a large purchase without consulting the wife.
It’s all the bottom ring of Darwinian hell where impulse and muted intelligence cross paths to make little blind-hearted babies to feed off the sympathy of others. This particular religion excels at that.
@excelsior
First, in my 19 years as an elder there have been 0, zero, cases of pedofile. Like polls of divorce, JWs are exemplary.
Second, if it came up, I would ask if they, the parents took the first step of going to the authorities. JWs obey Ceasar’s law.
I guess you do not have much experience. In over forty years serving 7 cases of pedophilia handled.
Rob, the Society’s instructions are for the Elders to call the Legal Department in Bethel. They’re not concerned about helping the victim and stopping the pedophile from molesting other children. If the crime was committed in a state where the law requires Clergy members to report crimes of pedophilia, the Elders are told to make the call from a public phone. The Authorities have a hard time investigating these crimes and rendering assistance to the children with the little informations the elders give them. You are obviously not telling the truth.
Rob is trying, desperately, to square a circle. He wants to appear as both morally upright and a believing and practising Jehovah’s Witness at one and the same time. This is clearly impossible.
No doubt when the queue of court cases re. JWs and protecting pedophiles has worked its way through the courts, no matter the verdicts, penalties and publicity, Rob will stick to his delusions.
He wants to imagine that an outfit whose sole output in its 135 year history has been deaths through refusal of blood, split families through shunning, pedophile protection, serial doctrinal flip flops and duff prophecies, nightmares through its Armageddon nonsense and stunted lives through the sneering at education beyond the ability to read and spout WT lit., is God’s sole earthly organisation.
Rob, you are a tribute to the mastery of mind control techniques practised by your grubby little corner of Christendom. Or you would be if you had not defied your divinely appointed bosses and contributed to an apostate discussion, thereby setting yourself up for a Jehovah issued zapping at an imminent Armageddon.
That statement just sounds like damage control, and I doubt it’s veracity. She realized she stepped in it, after she posted the video. It seems not all comments were from supportive sycophants like her.
Rob, thank you for again not answering my questions!
You should run for public office with your ability to not answer the questions asked.
My question was what would YOU do if YOUR child was molested.
I am slightly comforted that you would advise the parents to go to the authorities. That is the right thing to do, so I sincerely applaud you for that comment.
Why then, Rob, is it not explicitly asked of Elders to inform the authorities or advise parents to? There’s a lot of “mays” in the shepherding book where it should say must or will.
Good for you, Rob! You have made a start in doing the right thing by the victims.
I hope that you don’t have to deal with a case of child abuse, but if you ever do, I would urge you to follow your own councel and tell them to go to the authorities and not telephone Bethel first.
Peace be with you
Excelsior!
Rob fears to defy his ‘divinely appointed’ controllers. They hold the keys, so they have convinced him, to Paradise Earth.
He cannot shake his mind free, for the moment, of all that Armageddon drivel they shovel into his mind at every KH meeting and in every one of their dreary little mags.
Let us hope he escapes, recovers and begins to live!
It has been a very interesting read this past couple of weeks. We know pedophile is rampant in may religions and service clubs. Question of the day how much money has the ” Organization” paid out in 2013 for legal fees to defend the cases and how much has been paid to settle the cases. Then the question does anyone know how much has been paid out . I am only interested in the U>S> loses. Then latyer the world. ,, Wanting to Know.
@Donald, as I recall the experience of JW charity varies from region to region, and seems to be based on the religious backgrounds and social-economic background of congregation. Urban areas seem to project less charity as these are hardened to the “scammers” while outback areas trend to be more giving and competing with other neighborly churches. In most urban areas, there are organized soup kitchens and programs for the needy, so easier to pass the duty to others.
One aspect, the Watchtower being classified as a UN NGO enabled rendering assist in refugee/disaster zones under the umbrella of the UN AID. But, as many have reacted, why would the group strive to gain the “mark of [the beast] name”–as the literature described the beast? There was a moment when some progressives hoped this was a sign the Watchtower would make other ecumenical moves like joining National/World Council of Churches, too. But, that sphincter has slammed shut.
JBob, thanks for a very interesting post. I had no idea that charitable giving was so regionally and geographically sensitive.
As an ex Christian ( but still having great respect and admiration for an outstanding human being) I am reminded of the words of Jesus’ half brother, James. He said that the way of worship that was acceptable was to look after widows and orphans and to keep oneself without spot from this world.
Charitable giving should be as front and centre as the preaching work, but, sadly, it isn’t.
To leave charitable giving to “Babylon the Great” and “Satan’s World” seems like a shameful act to me. Christians should stand out for their compassion and charitable works. I would like to see the WTBTS spend some of the billions of dollars it possesses to help the most needy in the world. This silent witness to the power of Christ’s teachings would have much more power than the distribution of pamphlets.
Sadly, the GB are spending money on a shiny new headquarters tucked away from the scrutiny of the world.
Actually I was glad that they joined the UN. It was a progressive move. Unfortunately, they have described the UN as a chief ally of Satan. It’s a ridiculous thing to say, but there you are. It’s written down in a book, so it must be true!
Peace be with you
Excelsior!
Excel, although JW’s seemingly do not have organized charity for all, and this was a part of first century Christianity (even though some verses indicate it was self-serve, others apply it broadly), some individuals donate materials and resources, if not time, to various local and national causes. Again, depending on the winds of adversity in the Writing and Service Departments, donations to various groups has been approved, disapproved or left to individual choice over the years always with the paired mantra regarding “Theocracy” should have first priority on time and money, so career conscious JW’s knew what to do.
Some didn’t want to risk running afoul of the “Get Out of Babylon!” herald, so would not participate in charities that had a hint of religious-oriented groups; others viewed as secular where funds and donations reached people not to religious groups.
Straining at gnats..
@Former, Rob has not much experience or faking it. My first quandry is the statement “did they report it to the authorities”. This elder has gone renegade off the ranch and doesn’t have the “image of the organization in mind”–delete.
So well said, Rowland. May I add a 5th point?
5. When they start giving instead of just taking.
When they recognize that the poor need more than preaching. They need food, blankets, sincere help (without counting time) when they introduce VOLUNTEER WORK and start building hospitals, orphanages, water wells where needed, with all the money they have extracted from the brothers.
“Keep the poor in mind”
This is what “false Christians” do.
And, then J* smote him–smote him on the Internet…
Prett y amazing that people like that can spend Money at Subway or other food place when it is cheaper to eat at home especially if you are quitting your job? Another amazing thing to me is that since they TEACH that the governments are all run by Satan and they all go on public assistance from the government who are they really getting their money from? They are getting it from Satan right? I have seen many JW’s and elders on welfare and food stamps but they are spending time going door-door and when they are done they go out to lunch with the other JW’s? If they can spend their time going door-door why can’t they spend the same time working or looking for a job? Let’s be honest about it. I am not making this stuff up. One Brother with everal kids would do contracting on the side for cash but collect his free housing, food stamps, free medical, etc. and do cash jobs on the side as he collected his free government programs and would go door-door whenever he wanted. Oh yes, he was also a proud elder? Go figure..Satns governements were very good to him.