The other side of Watchtower: cries of hypocrisy in a recent magazine ring hollow
The other side of Watchtower: cries of hypocrisy in a recent magazine ring hollow

The title of this week’s Friday Column matches that of an article from the December 2015 online edition of The Watchtower.

In the article, three people are featured: Panayiota, Daniel and Jeffery. Each person wrestles with their own dilemma, but I will concentrate on Daniel.

Daniel has disturbing memories of “priests who drank heavily, gambled, and stole from the collection plate.” However, during Mass, these priests would warn their parishioners not to sin so they would not burn in hell. The Watchtower makes it clear that these priests were hypocritical.

Later in the article, it is revealed that Daniel “made an error” which caused him to relinquish some of his privileges in the Kingdom Hall. The article doesn’t mention what he did, but it does let the reader know that he was ‘readjusted’ and able to resume his privileges “with a good conscience.”

The article ends by encouraging the reader to “find out who Jehovah’s Witnesses are” and “what they believe.”

The December 2015 Watchtower bemoans hypocrisy in other organizations
The December 2015 Watchtower bemoans hypocrisy in “nearly every area of human activity”

 

When I read this article, many thoughts ran through my mind. One thing I noticed is that, when reading about the priests in Daniel’s scenario, there was no mention of child sexual abuse. These priests drank heavily, gambled and stole from the collection plate… but they weren’t pedophiles! Over the years, how many times have the Watchtower and Awake! magazines mentioned the child sexual abuse crisis that grips the Roman Catholic Church?

In the June 2009 issue of the Awake! magazine, three pages were devoted to Catholic youth. That article mentions that Catholic youth are “disillusioned by church scandals, such as those involving pedophile priests.”

While the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society was devoting pages of the Awake! magazine to warning Catholic youth about church scandals and pedophile priests, they were hiding the child sexual abuse scandal taking place within their own organization.

During my teenage years and into my early twenties, I attended a small Kingdom Hall. When I was around thirteen years old, I was close friends with another girl my age. Once in a while, after school, we would spend time together. Her mother was single and was dating a brother from the Kingdom Hall. He was the conductor of the Tuesday night book study at the Hall, so I assume he was a ministerial servant or maybe even an elder.

My friend told me that she didn’t like her mother’s boyfriend. I couldn’t imagine why. He was soft-spoken and always very nice when I saw him at the Hall. She told me that the reason she didn’t like him was that he had molested her many times over a period of about a year. I don’t know where it happened. I only know what she chose to share with me.

I don’t know if he also molested non-JW kids, but at some point, someone reported him to the police. He went to jail.

The kingdom hall Karenne attended in the 80s
The kingdom hall Karenne attended in the 80s

In the Kingdom Hall, people noticed that he was missing meetings. I don’t think many people (except the elders) knew where he went. I remember hearing that he was away, but would be back. One night, many months later, I entered the Kingdom Hall on a Tuesday or Thursday night and he was there. People were surrounding him and hugging him. My friend and her mother were also there that night. I felt bad for them because no one knew what that brother had done to my friend. If the others knew, would they be hugging him?

That night, from the podium, the speaker welcomed this brother back to the Hall and everyone clapped. They welcomed him home as if he had just come back from serving a mission. To this day, I still think the whole thing was bizarre.

While researching for this article, I checked the Sexual Offender Registry for my home state. He is among the people listed.

In the December 2015 article, “Hypocrisy! Will It Ever End?,” it states that Daniel was ‘readjusted’ and able to resume his privileges “with a good conscience.”

Before there was an online Sexual Offender Registry, did people at the Kingdom Hall know there was a pedophile in their midst at our small Kingdom Hall? According to the list, he has been arrested for child sexual abuse multiple times since the 1980’s. Apparently, he was not ‘readjusted’, although he was welcomed back to the Kingdom Hall and allowed to resume conducting the Tuesday night book study “with a good conscience.”

There are so many examples of hypocrisy within the Watchtower organization. In Australia, child sexual abuse within the Watchtower organization has been investigated. In England, an investigation is in the planning stages. Do these scandals make the pages of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines?

In the December 2015 article, it states that those who serve God without hypocrisy “learn to ‘remove the rafter’ from their own eye before offering to ‘remove the straw’ from their brother’s eye.” By their own definition, they are hypocrites!

It is time for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to follow their advice and “remove the rafter” from their own eye.

 

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85 thoughts on “The Friday Column: Hypocrisy! Will It Ever End?

  • December 11, 2015 at 11:51 am
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    Thank you
    Great post
    Very informative

  • December 11, 2015 at 11:57 am
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    I wonder how God is going to handle this? At one point he certainly must rectify the wrongs. Do these guilty ones actually believe they are free from blame and in the clear now? Certainly not when there are hidden secrets yet. He should be exposed to the congregation for what he is. In these cases a talk is given that discusses the sin without pointing fingers. But the congregation hearing the “reproof” talk should put two and two together and realize the man who was just reinstated is guilty of the sin. This way parents can take measures to protect their children, thus allowing the repentant wrongdoer to prove he has conquered his problem. They can hug him, but with a tongue in the cheek that they will keep a safe distance.

    • December 12, 2015 at 11:47 am
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      @JamesWittinger: I’m sure you are a sincere person, but why must the question “What will God do” constantly be asked? Aren’t you aware of the 1755 earthquake in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, what was then the most religious country in Europe? After the city was completely destroyed, all the people were asking why God allowed such a tragedy to happen to them, and the religious leaders had no answer except for telling them to pray. When the city was rebuild, it was modernized, and the church lost a great deal of influence over the people from which it never recovered. The question is not “What will God do?” It is “What will the ordinary Witnesses do?” Clearly the Governing Body have no remorse over the child sexual abuse scandal, as highlighted by David Splane’s recent comments in Portugal to “just leave things as they are, and let the story die.” Change will not come from the top, so it has to come from Witnesses who can learn to break free from the GB’s influence and do something themselves.

      • December 15, 2015 at 3:39 pm
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        Yes, the only way change will take place is for Witnesses to vote with their feet and money. If you think God is going to change how the Watchtower’s CEOs will handle abuse your wrong!

        Let’s play the Devil’s Advocate and you tell me what Extraordinary Things have the Jehovah’s Witness Religion done vs other religions that serve human beings both physically and spiritually?

        What is your premise “God is with the Watchtower Society”? How would you explain to Christians working with Ebola patients or helping with Clean Water Projects?

        How is the Watchtower and its CEOs better than people without Religion doing their best to run Orphanages? What has the Watchtower Society actually done for the World that God would take notice of? They don’t preach the “Good News of the Kingdom”, their Gospel is a different message and they treat others that don’t kiss their rings with contempt.

  • December 11, 2015 at 11:59 am
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    Thanks for the fine article. As you remark in closing, many people want WT to change their evil ways. But I don’t think that’s possible. WT is like an incurable, contagious disease. The only effective measure is quarantine.

    • December 11, 2015 at 4:06 pm
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      Or, maybe euthanasia…!!!

  • December 11, 2015 at 12:05 pm
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    I believe the Sexual Offender Registry should include the names of all Governing Body members from 1950 through 2015. They were all accomplices to the Child Abusers who did the heinous crime. Watchtower’s policies were a breeding ground for Child Abusers to run amuck.

  • December 11, 2015 at 12:07 pm
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    I have seen my father, who was an elder, and at times, a presiding overseer, in a state of drunkenness. He was alcoholic and denied he had a problem. My mother reported him to the elders when he was drunk. They came over, but did nothing. Sometimes my father and another elder would drink hard liquor together until their speech was slurred.

    A female pioneer was living with my family. She was a very young, but adult woman, a little older than me. In the early morning she would take a shower before starting her day. In the middle of the night, I got up to go to the bathroom, but didn’t know she was taking a shower. But I found my elder father kneeling down and peeking underneath the tiny space between the floor and the door. I can’t prove he was trying to sneak a peek of her as she exited the shower, but that is what is sure seemed to me.

    It is not as serious as the discussion above. But there is definitely hypocrisy among the leaders of this organization that goes “uncorrected”.

    • December 12, 2015 at 4:20 am
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      Oh too familiar…hypocrisy all through my young life… mother a mental case with frequent nervous breakdowns with the strain of trying to live up to impossible rules and a part time husband because he was a high profile elder with many responsibilities and much adoration…with a temper like the devil at home and in turn my mother turned to drink…all the while presenting a perfect image to the congregation…it makes me sick…life was hell.

      • December 12, 2015 at 5:18 pm
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        It often seems like the more JWs try to portray themselves as “spiritual” the bigger hypocrites they turn out to be.
        WS

        • February 18, 2016 at 1:28 pm
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          I’ve seen kids get hit with a wooden spoon in the parking lot after a meeting for “acting up” in the Kingdom Hall.

  • December 11, 2015 at 12:11 pm
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    Well said, well said.

  • December 11, 2015 at 12:53 pm
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    Hypocrisy ! Will it ever end ? Surely, a rhetorical question and the answer is NO ! No, hypocrisy will never end when a spin and fairytale ending is adjusted (oopps I meant applied) This is sad and my sympathies extend to all involved with the welcomed return of Brother Pedi file

  • December 11, 2015 at 1:42 pm
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    Not that it compares, but has anyone taken a look at their new world headquarters? The FDS doesn’t have to steal from the collection plates. They get the JWs to send their money directly to them. Then they use it along with slave labor to build a compound that rivals that of the Catholic church.

  • December 11, 2015 at 1:53 pm
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    So, obviously the point of this article was to highlight hypocrisy but it misses a few key points–making judgements on morality and values is “hit and miss” at best in a kangaroo justice system that has “feudal lords” ruling over serfs in their mini-dominions.

    The hit is on with the hypocrisy, but another miss is what precautions current/returning JW’s need to take to protect their children and themselves from predators among the “sheep” and shepherds.

    It could also have examined the predicament of weighing pastoral (grace) versus administrative justice and values within the confines of protecting individuals while opening the Gospel to “repenting people of all sorts.” When does the group begin to trust an “adjusted” thief? an adulterer? liar?

    Perhaps a follow-up on what precautions or written advice is missing in Watchtower literature that “cautious serpents” can take to guard themselves and their offspring from predators.

  • December 11, 2015 at 3:13 pm
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    Does the WTS and their GB, etc., remind anyone of the Boy Who Cried Wolf? (on more than 1 level BTW)

  • December 11, 2015 at 3:18 pm
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    Speaking of wolves, these guys let a wolf in the fold. He gets caught and removed, by the ACTUAL authorities. THEY let him go. THEN these guys let him BACK into the fold!! Are we living in civilized society or a huge lunatic asylum??!

  • December 11, 2015 at 3:26 pm
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    Geoffrey Jackson stated that to say Watchtower is God’s spokesperson on Earth would be ‘presumptuous’. Gerrit Losch stated that he ‘does not answer to Watchtower’, and that Watchtower has no authority over him. Well, it looks like there will be 2 slots opening up in the Governing Body, because, according to their OWN doctrine, these 2 are………APOSTATES.

    • December 11, 2015 at 3:37 pm
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      Who knows, there may even be more openings. Steve Lett is just an Eyebrow Robot, so he doesn’t count. Sam Herd is the token Black, so he gets to stay. Tony “tight pants” Morris will be re-recruited into the military to help fight ISIS in Syria, based on his extensive experience in the ‘Nam. And the other 2 can go suck a lemon…

      • December 11, 2015 at 5:32 pm
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        Haha I like you.

      • December 12, 2015 at 4:22 am
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        I think Tony Morris has dementia..

    • December 12, 2015 at 1:43 am
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      Pick me! Pick Me! I could try and grow a beard and squeeze into some tight pants Ha ha! ruthless

  • December 11, 2015 at 3:44 pm
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    To all thinking JWs: Here is a little carrot for you: Imagine not being obligated to attend meetings anymore. Not having to wake up early on weekends to knock on random strangers’ doors. Being able to STAND for the national anthem at baseball games, etc. And NO MORE Personal Study (Aaaaaaarrrghhh — always hated that). That’s right, folks, no more crazy Hebrew names to memorize!! I can tell you, it’s like a BREATH of FRESH AIR…….

    • December 12, 2015 at 5:29 pm
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      Personal study – real personal study (not mindless underlining of cult dogma) is what helped me to wake up. But I know what you mean A4.
      WS

      • December 13, 2015 at 2:46 pm
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        Yes, it was when I started to ‘study’ again that I uncovered lots of lies and hypocrisy. I even told two elders that paid me a visit that I was really studying and looking into the history…. I am sure I saw them squirm.

  • December 11, 2015 at 4:40 pm
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    When the Catholic Church was being investigated for child abuse in the 80’s, I remember being on the ministry and calling on a Catholic man. The subject came up in conversation and the man flatly denied there was a problem, ‘Oh no, not in my church’, he said.
    I later brought up the question with my door to door companion on how anyone could stay in a religion that covered over such things. Faced with the facts that JWs have done exactly the same thing it would have been totally hypocritical of me to stay with it.
    I would ask any current JWs to think on this ……
    Faced with the facts, would you have remained a Catholic?

    • December 12, 2015 at 2:27 am
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      Bad penny, that’s it, that’s it, it is hypocrisy to stay in this corporation cult that calls itself the only true religion on earth. As soon as you figure out where it is coming from and realise how hypocritical it is to be known as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, that is when it is time to exit and never return back to Watchtower World.

  • December 11, 2015 at 5:40 pm
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    You can shout it from every mountain top. Hypocrisy ! Hypocrisy ! Watchtower Is Hypocrisy !!! “We criticize other religions while cleverly hiding our own badness”.That should be the caption text on the front page of every watchtower and awake magazine. The brazen hypocrisy is what got me to step back and pause, look more closely at the men holding positions in the organization.. I weighed them in the scales of truth and justice and found them lacking. Research revealed that they use deceptive measurments and a cheating pair of scales when dealing with others. There will white wash over anything they think will tarnish they egotistical holier than thou image.They have become very adept at the game of “twist N turn”.

  • December 11, 2015 at 8:16 pm
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    “It would be good for you as a parent to ask yourself, ‘Does my church tolerate or cover up child abuse? Is my religion holding firmly to high moral principals?’ Answers to such questions could help you to make wise choices in protecting your children.”–Awake, April 8, 1999, pg. 11

    Hypocrisy indeed! I guess they apply the counsel to everyone else except themselves. They claim exemption from their own standards. When other churches do it, it’s proof God is not with them but when it happens in their church, it’s just that some poor brother just made a mistake and needs a little readjustment.

  • December 11, 2015 at 8:26 pm
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    its funny that’s why I left. I left at 23, told my parents that I just couldn’t get deal with hypocrisy anymore! I saw too many Elders and their wife’s including ones in my own family, which is deep indoctrinated, doing the exact opposite of what they are supposed to! Going to clubs, partying and just acting very different at meetings than outside the hall. I found myself falling into that and of course getting away with it, cause of who my family was! I said I don’t want to the hypocrite that I loathe, so therefore no more meetings, I like going out and having fun and sleeping in! I’m not going to pretend to be something different when “God” can read your heart anyways, might as do what your already playing in your head as you’re going to be judged for it anyway! So glad to be done with it!

  • December 12, 2015 at 4:24 am
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    I never knew about the child molestation cases and thank goodness I did bc it is one of the reasons I decided to stop going. Theres alot of hypocrisy with the JW church.

    I grew up as a JW. I became a regular pioneer after graduating from high school. Everything and everyone in the congregation showed so much love to me because of it. Years later I got expelled. My entire family turned on me even my own mother and to win them back I got reestablished a year later. I was rasing my son alone so the stress of that alone was inmense. I received no emotional help or love from my family or anyone in the congregation. Sadly not even a home visit. I was trying so hard to go preaching once a week, study and assist the meetings 3 days a week (at the time). I felt no happiness while doing it but did bc its what I thought I had to do. For the first time I got to feel how a simple publisher was treated. I felt no love, many excluded me from from events or would barely talk to me in meetings. I felt so alone.

    I decided one day to stop going and leave everthing with JW behind. The freedom I felt was unbarable. It felt like I had chains for many years and ripped them off! I was now happy

    A few yrs later I met my husband and started celebrating holidays. It was the most beautiful feeling. When we had children together we did it for about 4 yrs.

    But then I thought that we needed to teach our children about God and Jw. So we started attending meetings and left the holidays behind. My husband got baptized. After 3 years being in a this particular congregation I started feeling no love. I thought by now I should have friends there. My family and I were excluded from many events. My husband and I realized the hypocrasy. They would act all friendly and loving as they greeted us in the kingdom hall but never would want to spend time w us outside the kingdom hall.

    We started questioning ourselves if we are bad people or not good enough or if we offended anyone. We started to think it could be THAT particular congregation.

    We had to move to another state. We have been in this congregation now for 1 year. We feel no love just over friendliness in the kingdom hall, but Just like the previous congregation, outside those doors we havent received any love. Still No friends.

    This is extremely dificult bc you cant be with worldy people or non JWs. We are just limited to be friends in the congregations . I Finally started to realize the issue here that its not ME. It’s the fact that I wasnt a PIONEER And bc my husband had no privileges, bc he chose not to have. We were just normal publishers. So we dont get any love!
    This to me is beyond hypocrisy. You are treated good on how many hours a month you preach. The less hours you preavh the less love you get. My husband decided to stop attending last week and I will also. Its harder for me bc I have close family there. Im distancing my selve little by little.

    • December 12, 2015 at 9:03 am
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      I got similar treatment. They would shake my hand and say “good to see you” before meetings, but beyond the KH, nothing. No invitations to share a meal.

      People occasionally showed interest when they thought I might be marriage material. But when they realized I was not looking for a Watchtower woman, they quickly lost interest.

    • December 12, 2015 at 10:19 am
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      “The less hours you preach the less love you get.” Exactly what was drilled in to me as an elder. It was whomever pushed or claimed to push the most product that got their “spiritual paradise” prize.

      I recently watched the new Mad Max fury road movie and a theme throughout the film is the need the baddies have for approval of their brothers. They would yell out WITNESS ME! when attempting to do something to impress and if it was not up to standard they would get a MEDIOCRE! reply from their brethren.

      It seems you and your husband are just mediocre witnesses to this cult. Rest assured that the only witness that matters is watching and smiles with every effort your family makes to build up your relationship with him. You have faith, knowledge and a willingness for works, according to the Bible you already made it. Welcome to eternity.

      • December 12, 2015 at 6:20 pm
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        Good encouragement Robert67!
        There is definitely a “caste” system in JW World. In my fading years, because I was not “active” or maybe sported a little facial hair, Witnesses (incl. elders and wives) wouldn’t even greet me if we crossed paths in the local Mall, as if I was already DF’d (or in my case, DA’d)! I rarely got invited to get-togethers, and even then only by the Filipino members of the Cong, who were much less uptight.

  • December 12, 2015 at 7:18 am
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    Thanks for the article. Good one…

  • December 12, 2015 at 7:33 am
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    As a teenager I asked my JW_mother why it was “By their fruits ye shall know them” as soon as other religious made errors but personal conscience when witnesses did the same thing. She always changed the subjects and told me to think less.

    • December 12, 2015 at 11:41 am
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      Good point Susanna.

      Or we are told that JWs are imperfect and we won’t achieve perfection until the end of Christ’s 1000-year reign but nevertheless we are in a spiritual paradise.
      This point about imperfection is only applied to the JW religion however, and not to any other religion.

    • December 12, 2015 at 2:57 pm
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      Susanna –
      I believe that is now our official creed “think less”

      • December 12, 2015 at 6:27 pm
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        Just what I was thinking. That should be on the cover of every Watchtower. Straight out of Orwell’s ‘1984’.

  • December 12, 2015 at 8:39 am
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    I really appreciate the weekly columns and new stories in quest to help others break free from manipulative mind controlling organizations

    • December 12, 2015 at 10:24 am
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      Watch the John Cedars YouTube channel latest video. You can help others, but it takes a lot of tact on your part and this specific episode has great pointers.

  • December 12, 2015 at 12:38 pm
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    A relative who is a JW commented that JW’s are a protected people because no JW would be at a Christmas party or gathering like the one they were having when the mass shooting took place in San Bernardino.

    I found this comment appalling because it suggests many things that are not true and displays a superior uncaring attitude towards those who “innocently” were victims of that tragedy.

    Other comments I have heard are when disasters happen the first concern that comes up is “I hope none of or bros/sisters were hurt or killed.” They make no mention of the sorrow they feel for the others who fell victim to the tragedy.

    Unfortunately this is the JW mindset that has been programmed into them. In reality no else really matters unless they are a JW.

    I find these attitudes to be very hypocritical as true Christians should be caring of all people not just those in their own group or religion!

    • December 12, 2015 at 1:09 pm
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      We can say that none of the thousands of children who were sexually abused by Watchtower men would have gone through that experience if only their family were not in that pedo protecting cult.

    • December 12, 2015 at 4:54 pm
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      @AllenC

      “In reality no one else really matters unless they are a JW.”

      JWs are caught up in belonging to a special group which becomes more special the more they demonize all those outside of their group – “bad associations”, “worldly people” etc. – so when non-JWs are victims of tragedies it is of little concern to them, after all those non-JWs are “bad associations” and “worldly people”.

      Also, the GB’s emphasis on not having non-JW friends has the effect of dehumanizing the “enemy.”

    • December 12, 2015 at 6:31 pm
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      Seems JW “love” is EXTREMELY CONDITIONAL.

    • December 12, 2015 at 10:10 pm
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      @AllenC
      Yes, non-JW’s are treated as almost subhuman. While certainly not to the same extent, I do see a correlation to the way Jews were viewed in Nazi Germany. Another correlation is the way the Pharisees of Jesus day viewed Samaritans and Gentiles.
      WS

  • December 12, 2015 at 6:36 pm
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    To all Elders of all Congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses Worldwide:
    Congratulations on doing an OUTSTANDING job of PULLING THE WOOL over your SHEEP’s eyes!! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
    P.S.: How does all that SH*T taste as it comes flying out of your mouth? Just curious. LOL

  • December 12, 2015 at 6:40 pm
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    “I’ve been the victim of…
    A SELFISH kind of LOVE”
    Michael Jackson
    “Man in the Mirror”

  • December 12, 2015 at 7:01 pm
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    I recently viewed a fascinating documentary series on Netflix (also on YouTube) entitled The Pyramid Code. It suggested, among other things, that the Pyramids were NOT tombs built by slaves, to feed the egos of tyrannical Pharaohs. (You’ll have to watch it to learn their REAL function. ;) ) In fact, it seems for most of its existence, Egypt was an Enlightened and Peaceful culture, in many ways SUPERIOR to ours, with most Pharaohs actually being rather benevolent leaders. The Decline from the Golden Age began when the PRIESTLY class figured out they could make MONEY by “selling” salvation (in the afterlife) to the common people. (PROPHET = PROFIT) And, of course, they learned to employ FORCE and VIOLENCE to achieve their ends, apparently assassinating any Pharaoh who refused to “get with the program”. This led to the eventual degeneration of Ancient Egyptian Civilization from Light into Darkness (and eventual extinction). PROPHET=PROFIT=VIOLENCE

    • December 12, 2015 at 7:51 pm
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      P.S.
      A lot of evidence for this is being suppressed, because we are expected to believe that we are living in the most enlightened period in all of human existence.

  • December 12, 2015 at 7:33 pm
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    The apathy with which the pandemic of child abuse is met, amazes me. When I was growing up, it was unheard of. And now, children are being ROBBED of the safety, security, and FREEDOM which many of us took for granted. When a society no longer has the will to protect its weakest members, it ceases being a society, and degenerates into a mob. That is why I condemn, not only Watchtower, but the rest of the world (except Apostates, Australia, and a few others) for sitting on their fat a**es. I no longer make a distinction. I mean, it’s not like this all started just last week. I personally have emailed at least a couple of News Networks about it. I never received any response, nor saw any reports on those programs, even a “snippet”. I suppose they have more “important” and “glamorous” stories to pursue, like following around Bozo the Clown Trump and reporting on his fiascos. It seems in our “society” insane billionaires take precedence over innocent children. PATHETIC. We are going the way of Egypt, Rome, The British Empire, etc., if not an outright Zombie Apocalypse. Pack your Bugout Bags and Crossbows! ;)

  • December 12, 2015 at 9:34 pm
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    Thanks for your article Karenne.You made good point !best regards,

  • December 13, 2015 at 5:56 am
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    I know this is off topic a bit (Hmm maybe a lot) but I have to mention it where most might see it. My wife and I wondered where Geoff Jackson’s phrase “we are Guardians Of Doctrine” came from it is odd. For example he might have said, we are guardians of God’s word, for example. Take a look… Note the date
    Vatican City, 27 February 2014

    The Pope defines the mission of the Congregation for Bishops and the characteristics of the Apostles’ Successors
    http://www.news.va/en/news/the-pope-defines-the-mission-of-the-congregation-f

    6. “Kerygmatic” bishops

    “Since faith comes from proclamation we need kerygmatic bishops. … Men who are guardians of doctrine, not so as as to measure how far the world is from doctrinal truth, but in order to fascinate the world … with the beauty of love, with the freedom offered by the Gospel. The Church does not need apologists for her causes or crusaders for her battles, but humble and trusting sowers of the truth, who know that it is always given to them anew and trust in its power. Men who are patient men as they know that the weeds will never fill the field”.
    Then there is the notion that higher education is bad? Where did this idea come from? Surprise, surprise,
    Attitude towards higher educations

    http://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/book/catholic-universities

    However, in most cases the hierarchy of the Church didn’t see things that way. In fact, Pope Pius X (1835-1914) called modernism the source of all evils, which meant that for many people to be an academic and also a Catholic started to be seen as incompatible. Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903), an intellectual himself, was the first to suggest establishing Catholic universities as a way to confront the pervasive intellectual secularism of the time.
    Makes you wonder, is the GB a secret religious order of the Catholic Church?

    • December 13, 2015 at 7:25 am
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      enuffsenuff – Right on!
      Even the name ‘Jehovah’ was invented by a Catholic monk!
      Remember the same powerful force is behind ALL RELIGION! No good comes out of any of it, even though ‘it appears as an angel of light’ to the majority of gullible victims.
      The ONE THING Charles Taze Russel was right about – ‘Religion is a snare and a racket.’

      • December 13, 2015 at 7:41 am
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        P.S. Before I start a storm of protest – I am not condemning the good souls working under a religious banner who try and benefit mankind. It is the hierarchy who take the money and the credit and supposedly the blessing of God.
        One can be a good person without being attached to a religion.

      • December 13, 2015 at 8:25 am
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        1 Corinthians 9:15-18 Paul made it clear that taking money for his person from the congregation members and living off that contribution would be an abuse of his power.

        He made sure to keep making tents in order to cover his personal needs, just like the apostles went back to fishing to provide for their homes.

        How unlike these men in Brooklyn who live 110% off of the hard work of others. Hypocrites indeed.

      • December 13, 2015 at 11:20 am
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        @enuffsenuff,
        Good points! Although, was it Rutherford who came up with the “snare & racket” slogan? He may have based it on something stated earlier by Russell. I can’t recall for certain.

        During my awakening I took the time to read a number of Russell’s writings. While his thinking was erroneous on a lot of stuff (pyramids, dates, etc.) he was definitely against organized religion. He felt that the various denominations of Christianity only served to divide followers of Christ and that there were true Christians (wheat) in all the various denominations. That’s why he never would endorse taking on a specific name for the Org (e.g. Russellites, JW’s).

        In the early part of his presidency, Rutherford maintained Russell’s views in this regard (whether he agreed with them is open to debate; but the followers viewed Russell as a prophet, the FDS, so any extreme deviations early on would have jeopardized Rutherford’s authority). Gradually he shifted toward a more typical, controlling denomination. He turned the Org into exactly what Russell wanted to avoid! No surprise since Russell never chose Rutherford as his successor.

        WS

        • December 13, 2015 at 5:06 pm
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          Winston –
          I stand corrected, it was Rutherford
          who said it.
          The hypocrisy of it all was when he then started another ‘religion’, snare, racket!

          • December 14, 2015 at 7:53 am
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            Bad Penny
            Thanks for clarifying. I definitely agree with you on the hypocrisy. I think much of the responsibility falls on Rutherford for helping to make this organization the cult it is today – followed by Knorr and F. Franz. While Russell was definitely ‘out there’ I don’t think he was the control freak Rutherford was. Sometimes I wonder what this organization would be like if Rutherford has not been able to sieze control as he did. My family originally got involved during the later part of Russell’s tenure; regrettably they stuck with it under Rutherford.
            WS

    • December 13, 2015 at 11:05 am
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      In the course of the research I did during my awakening, I was always amazed at the similarities between the JW’s and the Catholic Church.
      1.)The church has a Pope that can change and reinterpret scripture as he sees fit – the Watchtower has a body of Popes who do this.
      2.)The Church has strange rules and regulations that even extend into the bedroom: no contraception – the Watchtower has strange rules that even extend into the bedroom: no oral sex between married couples, etc.
      3.) The Church conducted extensive and demeaning inquisitions – The Watchtower Org has conducted their extensive, demeaning inquisitions (on a nearly continual basis!).
      4.) The Church seeks to control members through guilt and fear – The Watchtower seeks to control members through guilt and fear (of course this one could apply to most organized religions).
      5.) The Church is bloodguilty (crusades, inquisitions, etc.). The Watchtower is bloodguilty (medical procedures, members driven to suicide, etc.).

      Need I go on? I once commented to a friend (actually a former RV who gave me support during my awakening) that the Watchtower is basically where the Catholic Church was 1,000 years ago – except without the supreme control the Church had back then – wouldn’t that be scary. In recent times, it seems that the Church has mellowed a bit, not so dogmatic and condemnatory. Might the WT mellow out as well in another 1,000 years? Let’s not find out!

      • December 13, 2015 at 5:20 pm
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        Interesting stuff Winston.
        During my research into Vatican backed ‘secret societies’, I was amazed to read that part of their agenda was to actually denigrate the Catholic Church!
        Another similarity there then – JWs have been doing that for years!

    • December 13, 2015 at 1:55 pm
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      The acronym of Guardians of Doctrine is G.O.D.
      Subliminal Suggestion perhaps? Tricky!

    • December 13, 2015 at 2:20 pm
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      “Is the GB a secret religious order of the Catholic Church?”
      GOOD QUESTION.
      Answer: Why not?
      My high school Business teacher told us, that even though Chrysler, Toyota, and Mercedes are in competition, once a year or so the CEOs from each Corporation, along with their Business Strategists, convene to discuss mutual strategy, price-fixing, parts lifespan, etc for their MUTUAL benefit and profit. So although they present the image of being in fierce competition, they are actually in close cooperation as well, behind the scenes. I believe this also applies to politics and religion. Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, Tories, Labor, you know what?, I don’t know about you, but they’re all the same to me. Different Teams playing for the same League. And, win or lose, they ALL get paid out of OUR pockets. Case in point: Ever watched Congress, Senate, or Parliament sessions? They always argue and debate. Which IS understandable. That’s how it works. The Ruling Party says Go left, and the Opposition says No, Stupid, Go right. That’s their job. However, AMAZINGLY, when the question of a PAY RAISE for the Members comes up, BEHOLD, ALL are suddenly in UNITY! ALL hands go up as one. ALL mouths say YEA. No debate there.
      I rest my case.

  • December 13, 2015 at 12:43 pm
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    Rutherford produced a publication in 1940 entitled RELIGION in which the famous words: “Religion is a snare and a racket” were penned:

    “..…religion is a snare of the Devil and the Devil’s associates and is operated as a racket against the people. Again let the people be reminded that RELIGION IS A SNARE AND A RACKET, originating with the Devil, the leader of the demons, and forced upon the people by the demons: the snare of the Devil, in which to catch the people, and the racket of the religious leaders to rob the people. All the practitioners of religion, and the adherents thereto, will find no place of safety or escape at Armageddon.…religion is wholly an invention of the Devil.”
    ******Religion (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, 1940) pp. 88,104-105, 125******

    http://wtarchive.svhelden.info/archive/en/publications/1940_JR_Religion.pdf

  • December 13, 2015 at 12:45 pm
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    There is without a doubt an issue within the Jehovahs Witness community of child abuse.
    It is extraordinary to think that the Watchtower or the Awake (ironically) magazines have not dealt with this issue within the church, rather than discussing it in generic/general terms.
    It would seem that denial is the key policy while children are being placed at continued risk.
    Though the Caltholic church has had many years of (some) of its members abusing or being abused they have a least made a number of positive steps to address the issue namely 1. Recognised they had a problem within their community 2. Apologised 3. Adjusted (with continuing education) their policy’s.
    The Watchtower is more concerned about poor publicity than the children it purportedly cares for Suffer the children indeed.

    • December 13, 2015 at 9:44 pm
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      We heard what Splaine said the strategy was and that was to let this all die down. It’s our job as the ex-jw community not to let that happen.

  • December 13, 2015 at 12:51 pm
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    Apologies . . It would seem that the Watchtower is more concerned about bad publicity. Thx.

  • December 13, 2015 at 1:18 pm
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    The Watchtower is the ultimate Us vs Them Cult.

  • December 13, 2015 at 1:25 pm
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    I had JWs break their Word so many times I wanted to pull out my hair. So I guess it’s now “Let your YES mean NO, and your NO, YES.” lol
    I’ve also heard stories, from other JWs, of JWs borrowing $ and never paying back (obviously following the example set by their Glorious Leaders lol). So I guess it’s now “Let the stealer steal some more.”

  • December 13, 2015 at 1:28 pm
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    Q. What’s the difference between a catfish and a Watchtower Lawyer?
    A. One is a scum-sucking bottom feeder and the other is a fish.

  • December 13, 2015 at 1:30 pm
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    Q. What do you call 50 Watchtower Lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?
    A. A good start.

    • December 13, 2015 at 2:55 pm
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      Bad boy lol

  • December 13, 2015 at 4:03 pm
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    Great article Karenne;

    The rafter the Watchtower needs to remove are the seven mental midgets currently serving as the self-proclaimed “faithful and discrete slave”.

    Liars, hypocrites, and time-bandits all! To blazes with them and their pedophile protecting organization. If there is a God in heaven, surely he will pass judgement on these life destroying, imbecilic zealots.

    Hopefully, the governments will continue to investigate the Watchtower Society by shining the “spotlight of truth” on these cockroaches; thus sending them back under the rock of cultism from whence they came.

  • December 13, 2015 at 8:00 pm
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    I would imagine that pedophiles, much like Satanists, have their own little Underground, with secret clubs, meetings, websites, and the like. Obviously, word will get out that JW World is a Pedophile Paradise. In fact, I’m sure this has been the case for some time. I’m probably WAY behind the Curve on this one. So it’s easy to see how a whole “army” of these perv’s are infiltrating the ranks of JWs, feigning an interest in the “Truth”, accepting bible studies, even getting BAPTIZED, and engaging in the door-to-door activity, etc. Some may even be “bold” enough to accept privileges as Servants or Elders, all the while simply using the organization as a “hunting ground”. Anyone can see what a Nightmare this is! If the GB think that all this will simply “die”, they could not be more wrong. In fact, as horrible as it sounds, if nothing is done, the problem will become EXPONENTIALLY worse. Think about it JWs. And any of you with kids, I would start taking very serious measures to protect them, ABOVE and BEYOND whatever the WT suggests!

    • December 13, 2015 at 8:10 pm
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      Either way, The Watchtower Society has been seriously and irrevocably tainted.

  • December 14, 2015 at 1:56 am
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    OH faithless and discreditable slave

  • December 14, 2015 at 2:38 pm
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    Just be aware there are victims of child abuse at the hands of JW and that I will represent them in class action as I have had negative response from JW

    David

    • December 14, 2015 at 11:03 pm
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      If you tear WT to shreds, I will sweep up after you.

  • December 14, 2015 at 3:22 pm
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    Imagine living next door to the JW COBE who threatened to kill one of the most productive members of the Central Coast. When all his sins were laid bare, he called in a favor and the Watchtower Society ignored his abusive language, threats to “beat the hell out of a man who employees one hundred members of our County” because he donates his time and construction materials to the Regional Building Group.

    Yes, all you need for the Watchtower Society to ignore or hide punishment they would inflict on Average Joe or Jane is donate “Time and Money”. To date the Watchtower has never punished this Wicked Man, he get’s invited to the Watchtower’s “Inner Chambers” so he can learn from the best! Seeing the Facebook Stalkers in the 2016 Magazines should teach anyone who wants privacy “Unfriend” and “Block” all JWs you know that have no thinking skills!

Comments are closed.