How the Internet Means 'The End' for Apostates and Opposers of the Society

by slimboyfat 89 Replies latest jw friends

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  Mary

  slimboyfat droned: The Internet is truly a blessing for the Society in this respect: apostates are causing less trouble in local congregations than they once did.

  LMAO! What have you bin smoking? If the internet were a "blessing" for the Society, then they wouldn't be hammering away at every frigging assembly about the "dangers" of the internet, and about how "apostates" are on there. At the summer assembly two years ago, the brother on the platform admitted that they've lost alot of members due to the internet. In other words, Witnesses are logging on, finding out what's really going on inside this religion and are leaving. While "apostates" certainly don't have to "cause trouble" in the local congregations any more, they can certainly inflict alot of damage on the Society by exposing their hypocritical stance on many issues as well as expose other problems such as the pedophile problem, the UN scandal and the fact that they've got investments in tobacco companies as well as companies that manufacture arms for wars. None of this would have been possible without the internet. So I hardly think that the Society thinks of the internet as "a blessing." Get your head out of your ass and think about it.
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  garybuss

  I think we're seeing factioning of dissenters. Jehovah's Witnesses in fact, ARE a faction of dissenters from the Advent movement. One easy way to identify a faction is by their "exclusive" profile and practices. Movements evolve from factions. Movements organize and become another "organized" group. Those organized groups become cults and the sects become religions. From those religions come factions.
  
  
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  FlyingHighNow

  I think we're seeing factioning of dissenters.

  Except that we aren't organizing into a religious group. We are more like a giant support group. We are people who have varying beliefs or non beliefs.
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  Mysterious

  The danger is not to the "faithful witnesses" that "accidentally" stumble on apostate sites, but to the curious ones of the fringe that are having their doubts. No longer do they need to go out on a limb to possess "dangerous" apostate literature, or disucss matters that could get them disfellowshipped with their "real" identities. You remove the risk from questioning, doubting and outside research -- it increases the likelihood that those with less substantial doubts or reasons will look into something.

  In the information age people feel that the internet is often a great source of consultation and self help and now they dont need to take any irreversable effects to benefit from that information and help.
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  willyloman

  People have reacted the same way to every new form of communication since the time of Gutenberg. They said the printed word was dead when news and dramatic shows were delivered over the air waves. They said radio wouldn't last when TV came along. They said the movie business was dead when color TV was introduced. They said the internet was just a fad.

  Change is in the air, my friend. This is especially true when it comes to the WTS, which has grown and thrived in an environment based on shutting out all scientific advancements. Dubs by and large don't read newspapers or popular books and magazines, avoid many of the movies and television shows that most people watch, and refuse to listen to music millions of people are tuned into daily. Now they are demonizing the internet at every meeting.

  Clearly, someone at Bethel believes these forms of mass communication are the WTS's worst enemy. Given that, your theory doesn't hold water.
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  Lady Lee

  The danger is not to the "faithful witnesses" that "accidentally" stumble on apostate sites, but to the curious ones of the fringe that are having their doubts.

  I don't know about this. I think it does apply for many if not most. But look at who comes here; elders, MS, pioneers, Bethelites. These are not "fringe" JWs. These are people who often have access to way more info than the average R&F. The elders have seen more than any regular JW have ever seen or heard. They know how it works. The ones that are pained due to the control and lack of love are the ones that find their way onto the net regardless of their status within the org. But it certainly isn't just the fringe.
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  Jamelle

  I too believe that Internet is a powerful tool against the Society. To be quite honest, when I first left the JWs I did so on gut instinct alone. I'd seen enough screwy and harmful behavior going on in our congregation to decide that I didn't want to live my life being miserable all the time. I saw the change to have a life of my own and I grabbed it.

  It took a good year or so before I finally got up the nerve to look things up online - and I found this board. The information I uncovered on this and other websites was a godsend to me. Suddenly all the pieces clicked together - like someone else said - all the individual cracks appeared as part of a big picture.

  The lingering doubt that I was wrong and that I was going to die at Armageddon started to ease away.

  I remember the Society warning about the internet before I left. If they are still hammering away at the evils of the Internet they are really only shooting themselves in the foot. Just in case any doubting JW has forgotten that there is a private information source at their fingertips - the next local needs talk will be sure to remind them.
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  truthseeker

  SlimboyFat, what you described about apostates and the Internet is, for the most part, untrue.

  When I got on the net in '98, I typed in Jehovah's Witnesses in Google. I avoided the apostate sites and ended up going to a half-way site that allowed dissidents and pro-JW supporters to post. This was the turning point for me.

  All that is needed, is that fear of "What will Jehovah do if I look at this site" to disspate and you are reading away.

  There is no need for apostates to be mouth or "in your face" or even protest.

  Being an apostate, by the Society's definition, is for the most part a private thing. A few do inform their families about what they have learned, but most have already suffered and do not want confrontation - and from there is your slow fade.

  Those JW's who have been abused will probably take things further to get the word out, and organise protests, media releases etc.

  Some of us are slow faders like you said.

  The power is in numbers, or lack of.

  Apostates DO affect the congregation, without members knowing of their doubts. "I wonder why Elder ____ doesn't attend anymore" soon gets the rumor mill going.

  The Society really is bleeding.
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  atypical

  Sorry, but I also disagree strongly. If the internet wasn't a colossal threat, it wouldn't be talked about at every meeting. That is not an exaggeration; lately I have even heard it said several times at meetings that if it is not necessary to our livelyhood, we may want to avoid even having internet service in our home. The society would not spend so much time and energy demonizing the internet if it were not so scary to them.

  The fact that many who leave over info they read on internet sites are maybe not as vocal and disruptive as some of the old-school apostates is actually another nail in the coffin for the society in my opinion. Think about it: the line between "apostate" and "normal person with reasonable doubts" is being blurred into nothing. The proof of that is in the number of posters on this board who still go to meetings somewhat (like me) for their family's sake, but are tuned in to the contradictions, inaccuracies, and guilt trips that are used. Just imagine all the people like me who go home after the meeting and find a way to subtly point out to their spouse just one little point where the watchtower was completely wrong. If you don't think this is going to have a devastating effect, you are mistaken.

  I have a feeling the post was an attempt to throw many newbies off. Make the doubters doubt, if you will.
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  carla

  without the internet approx 300 people in my area would not now have been given my antiwitness literature. Some of which I can print directly from the internet. I'm not targeting jw's but those who they try to indoctrinate. For just one person I think hitting 300 homes is pretty good. I don't think I'm alone either. Someone else in my town has been busy a few times as well, sure wish we would meet up! Imagine others like me po'd enough to take the time to warn others about this cult. We will make a difference.