Little Toe, GREAT CARTOON!!
I agree with and recognize the validity of all comments on this thread.
With regard to ORGANIZATION. Obviously, we all have a knee-jerk reaction to the word, since for many of us, for the majority of our lives, it was THE WORD (read: hammer over your head). Of course we would react negatively to it. But are we throwing out the baby with the bath water? There are degrees and aspects of organization on many levels that all of us deal with in our lives every day and consider them beneficial. Do you work? Do you go to school? Do you socialize? Do you participate in a democracy? All of these entail organization.
I don't claim to speak for anyone else here, but I believe what it is we all object to about organization is organization that entails authority over others, rule-making and membership with consequences for withdrawal. One thing is for sure, a large, united, wide spread group who agree on a single purpose, will have a far greater effect than individuals on their own. Look at the press coverage the WT gets for its large conventions.
With regard to insignificance of the JWs in the eyes of the public, I agree. IF there is anything we could do in an organized way that might be effective, it should be to assist those still in. There's not much point in trying to have any effect on the general public. They could care less.
With regard to the fact that we have all chosen different paths now, I don't see that as an issue, UNLESS our goal would be to DIRECT them in a particular path. I think that would be a big mistake and make us no better than the WT in some ways. But if our only goal is to show them the EXIT door, what difference does it make what paths each of us has chosen as individuals?
I think the basic question is, IF WE DID become loosely organized with a common goal to help JWs on the inside, WHAT STRATEGY IS THERE THAT WOULD HAVE ANY HOPE OF EVEN LIMITED SUCCESS? That's what I would like to see addressed in this thread. For myself, I would participate in such an effort, but would NOT agree to any authority structure, other than rule of majority, with the option to disengage at any time without consequence. And for those of you who have found a spiritual path post-WT that is satisfying for you, good for you. But proselytizing or promoting any particular faith is a major turn-off to many, including me, but especially to active JWs. That is the fault I find with some of the videos and other publications to date. The expose of the WT in these media is great. But to make part and parcel of such efforts personal testimonies of how Christianity (as an example) has been such a boon to their lives, is distasteful to many here, and smells of vomit to active JWs. In my opinion, efforts to show JWs there IS a way out, should not be accompanied by a recommendation of any particular faith, unless such information is solicited.
For those of us who wanted to participate in any particular campaign, even a one-time effort to get national media attention (which would certainly be noticed by many JWs as was the case with the DateLine program) might be very worthwhile. Perhaps Public Television might be interested in interviewing a panel of X-JWs following the airing of this "documentary" Knocking. Or a large scale demonstration in Brooklyn. The less noise we make, the easier it is for them to sleep, sleep, sleep.
