Dateline - reactions the morning after.

by dmouse 17 Replies latest jw friends

  • voltaire
    voltaire

    I see several possible scenarios.

    1) As noted above, the increased exposure could cause other victims to come forward. It might also prompt other men in responsibility to show some courage and add their voices to that of Bill Bowen. (If I were still an elder, I would like to think I would have done that. At this point my voice means next to nothing.)If a chain reaction could be started, the WT could find itself under great pressure to change its policies and create a more open, democratic atmospere. I don't think even this best-case scenario will lead to the down fall of the WT. But the WT would probably look so different from what it does today that it would be almost as though it had been toppled.

    2)A combination of luck and stealhy moves by the WT might enable it remain largely intact. If the coverage gets swallowed up by the scandal involving the Catholic Church, it all may blow over rather quickly. It will still be a lot of sweating for the WT, but they'll be able to make changes that are less drastic. This is still good for those who are trying to help people who feel trapped by the WT. I think that the more the WT opens up, the more they will feel pressured keep making changes. In the long run, #2 may have the same result as #1, but it'll just take longer.

    3)The Dateline episode may only turn out to be about as scandalous as the UN business. It would be terribly damning and very disturbing to those in the know, except that JWs won't be in the know. In this scenario at least the info will be available for those who feel something isn't right about the "truth" and start to investigate. This wouldn't be the great coup everyone is hoping for, but it would add a little more fuel to the fire.

    4) Might the Jws feel attacked and therefore compelled to withdraw even further into their fantasy world? This has happened in the past. The scandals have caused people to leave, but those who stay feel even more committed that before, which eventually leads to more preaching and more growth. I don't see this as very likely. The difference this time, I hope, is that the scandal will become and remain a part of the public record, which will mean that it'll be harder to deny than 1975, for example.

    5)Maybe this is the begining of the great tribulation. The gov'ts are turning on false religion and then they turn on the WT and boom, we're all toast. Whaddya think?!? (I consider this the least likely outcome, right there with UFOs and JFK conspiacies.)

  • happy man
    happy man

    I can tell you frpm our assambly day as we have satterday, in the last spech i hear something intresting,The speaker from headqorter, say, what ever happend we must trust Jehova, we must understand that when the slav is talking it is jehova , and if we dont understan we have to wait on jehova, what ever happend, we can bee sire that nothing bad will happend us , beaucause we have JEHOVAS PROTECTION.
    This talk, was intresting, i think not so many in sweden is avare of what happend widh this UN thing, and this moldestion of children.
    But the man who talked have this info I am sure , thats why he told us to dont worry what ever happend.
    I think things is going to be more exaiting.
    As i say before, for mee it is clear that we have the same situaition as when kings in israel was like hard wolfs to the peopel,we now that jehova use diffrent countries to punnish them, perhaps he now use the media to punishthe gov body, and i think for showing to littel love and compasion, that is what this site showd mee.

  • LizardSnot
    LizardSnot

    Quite simply...I think the Dateline expose will only help those who are interested in learning what the REAL truth is.

    The JW thinking is similiar the "Rich Man's brothers" in Luke 16...

    29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
    30" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
    31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

    You see...no one can convince them if they dont really care.
    You can lead a horse to water....

    Lizard

  • accuracy
    accuracy

    Rather than resorting to the lame name-calling and demonizing of those who disagree with you, why not just wait and see?

    And why does anyone think that all JWs will react in the same way? I think many of you are starting to believe your own propaganda and are marching in lockstep with your own attempted thought control. In short, you are exhibiting the very same phenomena that you rail against.

    What did Gamaliel say? "If this work is of men, it will fail. But if not...."

  • orangefatcat
    orangefatcat

    Can't You see the Catholic Church Gloating??

  • Tinkerbell4125
    Tinkerbell4125

    Dmouse STOOOOOOOOOOOP!

    What a flashback from the past!!!!

    You sounded just like my mother!!!

  • simplesally
    simplesally

    I think that many will not see the Dateline show. Those that do will certainly talk. Except for elders, most probably believe that the elders should report the abuser to the authorities.

    Whatever, there will be no mass fallout. They believe that people are imperfect, that even though someone CLAIMS to be a JW, doesn't make them one in Jehovah's eyes. That even though a pedophile has committed grave errors, he will not get past Jehovah. They always take the "wait on Jehovah" approach.

    I, for one, can see why they say that, however, what is missing in all of that is the injustice of the children and parents having to see these pedophiles not be known and the congregation be warned. In the US, we have Megan's Law and all convicted sexual assailants are to be registered with the local authorities, SHOULD IT BE ANY LESS for publishers??? Should not the pedophile be forced to admit to the new hall what his backround is and the congregation alerted? If the durn neighborhood can know, why not his "church"????

  • Had Enough
    Had Enough

    MikeMusto:

    Ahhhh...spoken like a true mindless, heartless robot. I truly feel sorry you will only be feeling the "pain in your butt" in the moring after. It should be in your heart, but you have lost touch with reality...and for that I feel sorry for you.... but not much...'cuz you've been here long enough to open your eyes and your heart and yet you refuse.

    What a sad excuse for a human being you are!!!

    Had Enough

    "Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world.
    Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
    ...Margaret Mead

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