Watchtower continues its barrage of abuse toward those who disagree with its teachings
Watchtower continues its barrage of abuse toward those who disagree with its teachings

The latest Watchtower launches yet another scathing attack on ‘apostates’, namely any current or former Witnesses who disagree with the organization’s teachings.

The July 15, 2014 issue brands any who deviate from official dogma as “devious,” “hypocritical” and “divisive,” not to mention “foolish and ignorant.”

Witnesses are thus urged to “completely avoid, yes reject, apostasy” by avoiding debating with apostates “whether in person, by responding to their blogs, or by any other form of communication.”

A PDF version of this latest magazine can be found on this link.

No proof necessary

Two study articles are almost exclusively set aside by Watchtower for stirring fear and suspicion regarding any Witness who would dare to question the organization or its teachings. Bible verses are invoked that, on closer inspection, have little or no bearing on the issue of dissent against Watchtower itself.

Israelites who witnessed the destruction of the sons of Korah would have been left with tangible evidence of Moses' authority
Israelites who witnessed the destruction of the sons of Korah would have been left with tangible evidence of Moses’ authority

Page 7, for example, draws parallels with the sons of Korah, who were consumed by fire from heaven for questioning the authority of Moses and Aaron.

In a clear nod towards Watchtower’s view of its own critics, the opponents of Moses’ authority are described as “arrogant renegades attempting to usurp the priesthood,” who had “deluded themselves into thinking that God would accept their worship.”

But the writers overlook the fact that the divine execution of Korah and his sons by fire from heaven and by the ground swallowing them up would have itself proven that Moses and Aaron enjoyed God’s favor and backing.

The Governing Body, by comparison, offers no tangible evidence whatsoever that they occupy roles comparable with Moses and Aaron. No proof is deemed necessary that they have been specially chosen by God to “take the lead” among his people. Witnesses must simply take their word for it that Christ chose the organization in 1919 without question.

But if evidence is not required for Witnesses to believe this crucial teaching, then how does the Witness faith differ from any other religion?

If you are still not familiar with the “new light” on the Governing Body, please click here.

Devious for a reason

The same article, on page 10, warns that Jehovah “does not tolerate hypocritical worship.” In particular, it points the finger at apostates as being “devious person[s]” who are hated by Jehovah for “deliberately [putting] up a front, feigning obedience while practicing sin in secret.”

w14 7/15 p.10
w14 7/15 p.10

Presumably this “practicing sin in secret” is a reference to the fact that many apostates within the organization practice the “sin” of disagreeing with the organization without doing so publicly for fear of reprisals. But by attempting to stigmatize them in this way, Watchtower overlooks the reasons why apostates behave in this manner.

Witnesses like Karl-Heinz Kusserow who pursued their convictions in the face of oppression are rightly hailed as heroes by Watchtower
Witnesses like Karl-Heinz Kusserow who pursued their convictions in the face of oppression are rightly hailed as heroes by Watchtower

For example, Watchtower literature is replete with experiences of Witnesses in oppressive political regimes of the 20th Century who continued to publish and circulate literature under threat of punishment and despite bans on their work.

Such ones would courageously find ingenious ways to conceal publications and continue their worship by whatever means.

The fact that some Witnesses were underhanded in evading the authorities for the pursuit of their convictions is rightly applauded by Watchtower, who hails them as heroes rather than denouncing them as “devious.”

If Watchtower were to allow Witnesses who no longer believe their teachings to leave freely, they would be perfectly entitled to bemoan those who feign loyalty to the organization while being secretly opposed to it. But when you punish people for leaving your religion, in direct violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by coercing family members to shun and loath such ones, you cannot have it both ways.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” – Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 18.

Stigmatizing those who are blackmailed into remaining within a religion against their will as “devious,” “hypocritical” and “putting up a front,” using the pages of the same magazine that urges reprisals against such ones through shunning, is small-minded, sadistic and cowardly.

It is also itself hypocritical when you consider Watchtower’s history of lauding those brave Witnesses who pursued their faith and convictions, to the death if necessary, while also under oppressive and ruthless regimes.

A little too convenient

The next article, entitled “Jehovah’s People ‘Renounce Unrighteousness,'” does not shy away from telling Witnesses exactly how they should respond to former believers who offer a differing opinion.

w14 7/15 p.14
w14 7/15 p.14

Conveniently, therefore, Jehovah’s Witnesses are denied the opportunity to judge for themselves whether so-called apostates really do spread “unscriptural teachings.” Watchtower has graciously already made that decision for them.

Rather, Witnesses are barred from even communicating with apostates or “responding to their blogs,” since this is deemed contrary to “Scriptural direction.”

To drive home this point, the following image on page 15 portrays apostates as being angry and intimidating…

apostates-small
Image from w14 7/15, p.15

 

If by any chance you are a concerned Witness reading this article, please ask yourself the following questions: “Isn’t this a little too convenient on Watchtower’s part? Isn’t it rather obvious that they would want me to ignore the other side of the argument if they don’t have the truth? If this really is ‘the Truth’, what does the organization have to hide? What is so terrible about honest and open debate?”

The “mentally diseased” scandal

This new material is arguably the strongest anti-apostate rhetoric to come out of Watchtower’s writing department since the notorious July 15, 2011 issue. It was this magazine that sparked global controversy when apostates were smeared as “mentally diseased,” to the astonishment of some outsiders.

The “mentally diseased” slur was actually based on the previous New World Translation edition’s mistranslation of 1 Timothy 6:4. Instead of apostates being “obsessed with arguments and debates about words” (as they are described in the latest ‘silver sword’ version), back then the same verse described apostates as being “mentally diseased over questionings and debates about words.”

But rather than apologize for allowing such an obvious mistranslation to flavor their offensive name-calling assault against former believers, the Governing Body’s teaching committee made sure the “mentally diseased” slur was included in talks given during last year’s district convention series – only months before the new bible with its amended translation was released.

As the above video points out, Watchtower’s approach to dealing with so-called apostates is characterized by the well-known propaganda tactic of name-calling, and this latest magazine article is no exception.

Rather than refute their opponents through open debate, dialogue, and the application of logic and reason, Watchtower’s strategy is to bully, smear and stigmatize dissidents with derogatory expressions and mischaracterizations, urging Witnesses to avoid them entirely rather than judge for themselves.

On the one hand it is depressing to consider that such a juvenile and cowardly approach will work only too well with the majority of Witnesses who WANT to believe they have the true religion. On the other hand, this aggressive approach will not fool everyone.

There will always be those whose critical thinking faculties have not been completely compromised, and who will thus be able to see through the negative spin and ad hominem vitriol.

For such ones, it is painfully obvious that the efforts of activists are taking their toll on this floundering organization for it to be behaving in such an ungainly manner. Those of us who aren’t afraid to think for ourselves must take courage in realizing that the more we witness Watchtower lashing out with such anger and desperation, the clearer it is that we have them on the back foot.

 

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Further reading…

120 thoughts on “Watchtower continues assault on ‘devious’ and ‘hypocritical’ former believers

  • April 16, 2014 at 9:29 am
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    @Mary,

    You are very correct. Both the WTS and Scientology are destructive cults. Both exhibit the same type of mind control techniques. I read a book by Steven Hassan, “Combating Cult Mind Control” where he states the key aspects and behaviors of a destructive cult. Hassan was a moonie, but now is a professional mind control deprogrammer psychologist. Hassan mentions several destructive cults including Scientology, but not once did he mention the WTS. However, every single characteristic of a destructive cult he described matched that of the WTS behavior for mind control. Amazing! They have the only source of correct information; check. They don’t associate with anyone outside of their sanctioned organization; check. They do not allow any dissent in the rank and file; check. They only allow information from their own sources; check. They isolate and abandon dissenters; check. On and on it goes.

    I have made my determination. WTS is a destructive cult!!! Thanks to Cedars and all here that stand up against the GB and their venom.

    P.S.: For those of you who have family members that are still in the WTS, please look at Steven Hassan’s publications. He has a book related to dealing with family members in destructive cults.

    • April 16, 2014 at 9:39 am
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      Since the publication of ‘Combating Cult Mind Control’ Steven Hassan has been apprised of the JWs’ qualifications to belong to that horrible little club. He is now a ‘consultant for AAWA, the Advocates for Awareness of Watchtower Abuses.

  • April 16, 2014 at 10:09 am
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    so true.

  • April 16, 2014 at 10:21 am
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    Check!!

  • April 17, 2014 at 6:41 am
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    This is an extract from the GB’s printed guidance to BoE’s as to what constitutes apostasy. The examples given are not exhaustive…….

    16. Apostasy: Apostasy is a standing away from true worship, a falling away, defection, rebellion, abandonment. It includes the following:
    • Celebrating false religious holidays: (Ex. 32: 4-6; Jer. 7:16-19) Not all holidays directly involve false religion and require judicial action.
    • Participation in interfaith activities: (2 Cor. 6:14, 15,17,18) Apostate acts include bowing before altars and images and sharing in false religious songs and prayers.—Rev. 18:2, 4.
    • Deliberately spreading teachings contrary to Bible truth as taught by Jehovah’s Witnesses: (Acts 21:21, ftn.; 2 John 7, 9, 10) Any with sincere doubts should be helped. Firm, loving counsel should be given. (2 Tim. 2:16-19, 23-26; Jude 22, 23) If one obstinately is speaking about or deliberately spreading false teachings, this may be or may lead to apostasy. If there is no response after a first and a second admonition, a judicial committee should be formed. -Titus 3:10, 11; w89 10/1 p. 19; w86 4/1 pp. 30 31 ;w86 3/15 p. 15.
    • Causing divisions and promoting sects: This would be deliberate action disrupting the unity of the congregation or undermining the confidence of the brothers in Jehovah’s arrangement. It may involve or lead to apostasy—Rom. 16:17, 18; Titus 3:10, 11; it-2 p. 886.
    • Continuing in employment that makes one an accomplice to or a promoter of false worship would subject one to disfellowshipping after being allowed a reasonable amount of time, perhaps up to six months, to make the needed adjustments. —w99 4/15 pp. 28-30; km 9/76 pp. 3-6.
    • The practice of spiritism.—Deut. 18:9-13; 1 Cor. 10:21, 22; Gal. 5:20.
    • Idolatry: (1 Cor. 6:9, 10; 10:14) Idolatry includes the use of images, including pictures, in false religious worship.

  • April 19, 2014 at 5:33 am
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    One of the greatest activists of the last century ,Mahatma Gandhi described best the stages of a winning strategy of nonviolent activism against oppressive regimes :”First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

    It would seem that the Watchtower Society is currently experiencing the effects of such nonviolent activism in the form of “apostate” websites such as this one that they can’t control .Instead of engaging in a dialogue with their alienated base they continue their continuous “witch hunting” with their latest Study article July 15th, 2014 “Jehovah Knows Those Who Belong to him”…Full article here http://www.jwdoctrine.com

  • April 21, 2014 at 5:40 pm
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    There is nothing more established by clear documentation that that inspired dates for the end of the world or system of things. (Millions alive today will never die). However if you think of the mistakes and obvious man made nature of those claims, you are being devious and hypocritical. Isn’t that amazing? The “new light” excuse is as bad as the “line upon line precept upon precept” excuse for error. But if you allow yourself to think, both make no sense. To imply an incomplete understanding or lack of light is to refer to a correct idea that wasn’t developed or detailed enough, it does not mean that a mistake was make. You can’t shed light on error and have it become truth, just as a dead tree cannot produce good fruit. I would think that behavior exerts might refer to true believers who hold on despite all the errors, changes, and suspect doctrine to be the one having a diseased mind. For someone to know by many examples that the church leaders are unable to have their proclamations come true and then leave the group, could well be regarded as able to think clearly, to reason.

    A GB member to a JW gentleman entering a district convention. “How do you see the current state of the Watchtower?”
    “I think….” 
    “That’s enough! You are DF’ed!”

  • April 21, 2014 at 5:46 pm
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    There is nothing more established by clear documentation that that inspired dates for the end of the world or system of things.

    Correction- There is nothing more established by clear and available documentation than that the supposedly inspired dates for the end of the world/system of things; were nonsense, just plain wrong. (Millions alive today will never die).

    I would think that the behavioral experts might….

    Sorry, my brain and fingers aren’t always in line

  • April 22, 2014 at 12:48 pm
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    Too many excuses in this forum,people criticized but are not willing to stick up to bible truth. like Pontious Pilate said to Jesus: what is truth?

    • April 22, 2014 at 1:13 pm
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      And what, pray, is the Semor definition of ‘Bible Truth’? Is it one promoted by one of several thousand existing Christian sects, or is it ia ‘Semor Special’?

      Please explain.

      • April 22, 2014 at 2:02 pm
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        You know Rowland there are times I feel really jealous. For so long wondering about the Biblical Truth – and honestly, with an open mind – I seem to be nowhere … And then there are folks coming around and telling that they possess the biblical truth …

        I can’t help but feeling jealous. They just got it all and I still can’t see it. And when you try asking them to explain, they either don’t give an answer or they say you’re not spiritual enough, which makes things more mysterious.

        Anyway, I won’t write more, it’s may be just a hit and run without further debate, so I won’t spend more time writing about it …

  • April 22, 2014 at 2:32 pm
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    Yes, I had meditated over the same thought these days; the “evil slave” that Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24:48 is not, as the WT explained, just a hypothetical, non-existing group which merely serves as a warning for GB (WT July15, pg. 24). In that case, why should Jesus have predicted such remarkable consequences of their degeneration? GB has mutated into that “evil slave” in beating their fellow slaves violently. Who do they think they are? Even the angel who conveyed the revelation to John refused to be worshipped and said “All I am is a fellow slave of you”. This is what a mighty angel had said. And now look at these eight impferfect man who have obviously rejected the holy spirit, they want the things that only belong to God, and that is obedience, heart, worship.
    Note the reason why the evil slave is beating his fellow slaves. He says in his heart, ‘My Master is delaying’. This reminded me of the Israelites who danced around the golden calf. They did it because they didn’t want to wait for Moses to return from the mountain. They said, “we certainly do not know what has happened to him” (Exodus 32:23). Thus, they turned to something completely different. They worshipped an idol and called it a “festival to Jehovah”. That is what these leading men are also doing: They don’t want to wait, set their own standards and want to persuade their people that they are from God. It is devastating that the vast majority doesn’t seem to notice that there could be anything wrong, even if it is so strikingly hateful, harmful, cruel, without mercy as in this WT article. Even the most elementary sensations of right and wrong GB has stolen from their followers. If only they could grasp who Christ really is.

  • April 23, 2014 at 3:23 am
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    semor,

    Do you mean “stick up FOR bible truth?”

    Pontius Pilate did not receive an answer to his question.

    What do you think is truth?

    Peace be with you

    Excelsior!

  • April 23, 2014 at 12:38 pm
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    Maybe the best evidence of brainwashing is the JW refering to “apostate” writings as “lies, scriptures taken out of context, and twisted teachings. The inference is that the WT is pure, free from all of the above. 1914 and the 144,000 are the basis of all that the WT teaches and any fair minded reading of the reasons for these beliefs or scriptures that support such ideas would cause the fair minded person to conclude that the WT uses “lies, scriptures taken out of context, and twisted teachings to do so. In the latest “reset” we have the miracle of Sputnik allowing yet another generation to be the fulfillment of their inspired “light” with the clock starting in 1957. What will they use as the excuse for one more reset when those alive in 1957 pass away? The definition of brainwashed would have to include: any person who remains with an organization that claims to be the only group on earth that god communicates with despite all the errors and mistakes made by the group. Is god telling the GB and/or WT Presidents lies? Is the direction to judge a prophet or leader by the fulfillment of their predictions/claims of inspiration whether they are accurate or in error, important? With the terrible record the WT has in such matters, the apologist rather calls the words of the apostate lies, scriptures out of context, and twisted ideas. OY!

  • April 29, 2014 at 7:37 pm
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    1957 definitely not new light, and some of the 1914 generation are still alive. Overlapping generation does not come into play until 2034, at which point we have 120 years maximum until the end. Evidently, you have misunderstood the meat in due season

    • April 30, 2014 at 1:49 am
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      Those who would crack Biblical number puzzles in the search for the Time of the End, have come up with an amazing variety of interpretations for all those funny horned beasties, trumpeting angels and the rest. Their dates have varied widely.

      What they have in common, however; St. Augustine of Hippo, William Miller, Harold Camping, Christopher Columbus, Rutherford, Rudolf Steiner, Russell, the current WT Gov. Bod. and Joachim de Fiore, (amongst countless others) is that they have all been wrong.

      The Bible can teach us plenty about the civilizations on the Eastern seaboard of the Mediterranean between 2000 and 3000 years ago. Regarding the future of humanity, however, it can tell us nothing.

  • April 30, 2014 at 12:21 am
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    Bonjour
    Je suis ce que chez les témoins de Jéhovah on appelle un membre oint, j’habite en France à St Vallier en Bourgogne, je ne suis plus dans cette secte.
    Je leurs ai dit que nous n’avions pas le même Dieu, eux ils ont le collège centrale comme Dieu, moi c’est le Père de Jésus.
    J’ai eu beaucoup d’ennui, car mon rapport avec Dieu devait être trop proche pour eux, alors bien sur j’ai commencé à mettre en doute beaucoup de chose, j’ai également commencé à dire de plus en plus “Père” ou “Dieu” ou écrire “YHWH”au lieu de Jéhovah, alors on a commencé à me traité d’apostat :) je ne savais pas que Abraham était un apostat de dire YHWH :)
    Enfin beaucoup de chose et de conflit, je leur ai dit également que je n’appartenait à aucun homme mais que j’appartenais à Christ, évidement ça n’a pas plus du tout, je dirai une dernière chose pour finir, pas besoin de religion pour trouver Dieu et faire le bien, les religions ont été inventé par les hommes pour en diriger d’autres par la peur et le chantage, demandez-vous…..Dieu agirait-Il comme ça? Jésus à t-il enseigné ce genre de chose?, non bien sur, Jésus disait aimez vous les uns les autres comme je vous ai aimez…
    n’oubliez pas ce passage galates 1:10
    à bientôt

    • April 30, 2014 at 1:14 am
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      I hope everyone can translate your comment and read it, I think you’re totally right on the points you mentioned, I very much agree with you.

      Regarding the “name”, having some interest on the language, I could see how it is written in original, using the signs to reflect the vowels too and it read something like “Yehvah” … The truth is, no one knows how it’s prononced, and the actual alphabet only had consonants. So who can say how to spell/prononce Jehovah ?

      Besides, didn’t Jesus often use “my father” indeed ?

    • April 30, 2014 at 1:14 am
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      I hope everyone can translate your comment and read it, I think you’re totally right on the points you mentioned, I very much agree with you.

      Regarding the “name”, having some interest on the language, I could see how it is written in original, using the signs to reflect the vowels too and it read something like “Yehvah” … The truth is, no one knows how it’s prononced, and the actual alphabet only had consonants. So who can say how to spell/prononce Jehovah ?

      Besides, didn’t Jesus often use “my father” indeed ?

  • April 30, 2014 at 5:08 am
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    John,

    Are you writing that some of those who saw the change in 1914 were alive in 1957 or today? I am confused.

    Who has not understood the meat in due season?

    Peace be with you

    Excelsior!

  • April 30, 2014 at 10:36 am
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    I read on a science website that they have successfully transferred a thought from a mouse’s brain to a computer.
    Let’s hope that this technology does not progress too swiftly, or it will allow elder bodies to detect those who are harboring doubts, even though unspoken.
    Kinda like Scientology.

  • April 30, 2014 at 7:54 pm
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    No religion plays the “we (wonderful god loving people) vs them (the Eeevilll mentally diseased, demons ready to destroy all that’s good)” with more skill and devotion than the WT. However, these are your kids, parents, brothers and sisters, who have done no more than to think. They are not trying to carry you all away for yet another group, they are good loving people seeking only for you to look at the fruit coming from the Tower. When the fruit is just heartache, broken families and hurting individuals combined with gross error in their proclamations, only the blind fail to see that this organization and the church Jesus established a very long time ago, have no similarities.

  • May 4, 2014 at 9:04 pm
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    Apostates can leave the congregation, but they can’t leave the congregation alone. Like Korah and Diotrophes, who opposed Moses and John respectively, modern-day men who forsake the friendship of God for the table of demons show an utter lack of appreciation for all that Jehovah is providing exclusively by means of the Governing Body. I exhort you to return to the Supreme Overseer of your souls.

    • May 4, 2014 at 10:10 pm
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      Are you real, Defender, or a sendup?

      What is the connection between any God that might exist and the bunch of old geezers in New York, the JW Gov. Bod., who claim with zero evidence to be God’s exclusive earthly rep., with their absurd ‘F and D Slave’ pretensions?

      Ex Catholics, who have suffered at the hands of paedo priests, have worked, often successfully, to protect future generations from such horrors.

      We ex JWs wish to protect future generations of children and adults from a malign cult whose only ‘contributions’ to society include duff prophecy, Armageddon nightmares, paedophile protection, deaths through blood refusal, stunted lives through the frowning on higher education and split families through shunning.

      You, Defender, have offered no defence of an indefensible and obscene money grabbing racket.

    • May 4, 2014 at 11:16 pm
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      Apostates cannot simply “leave” the organization. They are punished by your dear leaders, the Governing Body for doing so. They have their families, the one thing in their lives that should be held as sacred and untouchable, turned into a weapon by coercion and used against them. How dare you imply that apostates are free to leave under such circumstances?

      As to your bizarre claim about Korah and Diotrephes, this implies that the Governing Body holds legitimacy as God’s anointed channel of authority. And here are my thoughts on THAT particular claim…

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iebx5Oa0Xmo

      You aren’t telling us anything new DOTF, you are merely recycling the same old tired and fallacious arguments of your masters.

      If you continue to troll us with Watchtower propaganda rather than present meaningful, insightful, genuine arguments or reasoning, I’ll be forced to block you from making further posts.

  • September 28, 2014 at 5:32 am
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    The truly angry and hostile folks are the innocent, idealistic Jehovah’s Witnesses who believe as I once did that if you talk about honesty and enforce high moral requirements then surly you must be trustworthy yourself. Until you become involved in organization as a Ministerial Servant and Elder and are exposed to the actual policies and see the bold face lies, you simply could not believe this is going on at such a level with so many seemingly sincere participants all involved in serving the “Organization” and not Jesus or Jehovah God. The Witness live in an Orwellian world carefully constructed and controlled by Big Brother who has your best interests at heart and protects you from evil questionings.

  • October 21, 2014 at 6:27 am
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    I certainly don’t appreciate anything Jehovah, or his organisation has done for me as it caused me deep unhappiness due to not having my own identity, feeling emotionally blackmailed to stay inside the folds of the religion and ostracized for having depression etc. The only people at my table are those whom I love, JW or ‘worldy’ – to say that those us of who leave the organisation are choosing instead to sit amongst demons is absurd. Despite what you are taught and adamantly believe, we do not all leave and begin living immoral lives. I am married, work hard and spend my free time doing quite normal and boring things, like writing, cleaning, visting hisorical sites and making a fuss of my cats, so I hate to burst your bubble.
    I hope that one day you can stop seeing us all as evil and influenced by Satan. We have the right to speak out against that which has mentally, emotionally and in many cases physically harmed us – as much as you have the right to believe what you want.

  • February 27, 2015 at 5:14 pm
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    I have recently awoken to the deception of the WT. Due to the issue of shunning, I developed doubts about the religion and my natural garbage detector switched on. Lucky for me I can escape as I have no family in the organisation. Writing on this topic is a sort of therapy, as I know when I go back to the hall to express my feelings on shunning a good friend who is df’d, I will be labelled a ‘bad associate’ and whilst unbaptized, will be surreptitiously avoided, with the elders eyes on me at all times. Yes, big brother is watching and it’s NOT God!

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