I just emailed the Dr. Phil show

by J-ex-W 55 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  sf

  Both the Oprah show and Dr Phil have been very reluctant to address the issue of the Watchtower and JWs. The threat of a lawsuit by the WTS is something they would both shy away from.
  

  But the issue of sleep-rape and the sexual assault of wives minus the religious aspect might appeal to either of them.

  So I think the issue can be addressed if you leave out the WTS.

  For a great length of time now I have embarked on email campaigning, as I discovered it was a great way to bring awareness and exposure to the criminal corruption of the JW/WTBTS organization.

  Many of those emails WERE answered. Some local coalitions and groups responding positively and insured they would "spread the word". Dr. Phil, Oprah and a few others {media} would not even reply with an auto-bot email response saying they received the mail. Many used the auto-reply. Which was appreciated because I knew at least that they read the mail.

  When Dr. Phil did a show on the Amish story and the Mormon polygamy, those shows he asked for participants. At that time, I had emailed him about the jw cult, along with contact info and websites he could review. I didn't even get a courtesy email, as is per usual, especially if they ask for viewers to do so. At least send a reply.

  Since then, Dr.Phil has not been one of my favorite people. He is a lot of hot air.

  I wish you well though J-EX-W. Take LL advice and stick to the sleep rape issue. Not the fact that the perp is a jw. Work that in slowly. I assure you if you work it in as opposed to it being THE issue, the message board he has will go bonkers. THEN you can drill in the jw factor.

  sKally
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  Lady Lee

  sf

  Since then, Dr.Phil has not been one of my favorite people. He is a lot of hot air.

  I'm feeling this way too. I have a real problem that he uses people's problem to have a TV show. Even under the guise of "helping" and getting these people into counseling I think he crosses the line far too often and most often at the guest's expense.
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  J-ex-W

  Actually, sf----- the sleep-rape thing IS the main issue I want to bring to the show. The JW thing is just an adjunct to that--and a factor which complicates handling significant other dilemmas (including ethical dilemmas), particularly regarding [my] kids. Plainly put: Should I go public with such issues when it increases the likelihood that my teenage children will wind up hearing about such happenings between their parents--and will undoubtedly have devastating effects on them...

  Or should I worry less about that and more about the effects that the silence/ insanity has been having on ME--and on countless of other nameless, voiceless victims out there, who say nothing because they expect no one will believe them or help them, anyway.

  Lady Lee----- as far as leaving the WT out of it, completely, I agree that making it the main focus will not work. However, leaving it out shouldn't be necessary to get the other a hearing. It can certainly be mentioned as one of the mitigating factors that impeded getting help, without crossing any lines that might invite litigation. I'm sure the producers are aware of how to balance that.

  And I don't expect them to put someone else on as an expert in lieu of their own cast of regulars. I meant for you to be a plain old guest, but a plain old guest who has a little somethinga extra to add: Experience as a victim AND as a proactive survivor, who is now turning around and helping others. And again--it's a good plug for your website. I have no idea if being Canadian is a factor or not. I could be wrong, but I seem to have a vague memory of a Canadian guest. And, in any case, a letter or an on-air phone call can be arranged, too. Or even a webcam. Lots of options.

  I think a lot of it [getting on the show or not] is just due to timing--what they're looking to feature when. And patience--the same show subjects will get recycled, just like the WT and Awake! articles do. Another one will come around the bend. They will be looking to cover cult issues and sex abuse issues and the like again in future. Just wait for it. And pounce. This is why I say we should agree to keep an eye on the upcoming show topics on his website. If we see one we can work with, go for it. And inform the rest of the group so others can write in under the same thing. Somebody, at some point, is going to have to get heard, if we keep on long enough.

  What about the Tyra Banks show? It's smaller and new, and she will take on hard issues. Or the Greg Behrendt Show? Or the Dr. Keith Ablow show? [He's a lesser known psychiatrist with his own new show.] Dr. Phil and Oprah are not the only show hosts out there. Maybe we should aim for these smaller programs--which can still expand our audience beyond just this fourm. Bigger shows/ audiences can flow from there as word gets out. Anyone?
• 

  james_woods

  Count me as me-too on this about the "doctor":

  Since then, Dr.Phil has not been one of my favorite people. He is a lot of hot air.

  I think he is in fact a big blow-hard of a bully. I also did not like that little episode of the dangerous diet drugs he got caught peddling and then ran away from his mess to leave all his partners to clean it up.

  Kind of spooky-looking, too (sorry to say something that personal, but the dude totally spooks me out).
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  J-ex-W

  LOL--'spooky.' Okay, people, we can all agree that the Dr. Phil Show is problematic for a number of reasons. However, even forums such as this website are not without problems. [Not everything that gets stated here about the j-dubs is fact; a lot of it is conjecture but could be misconstrued as fact by those who don't know better, but I digress]. However, I think we can all agree that the forum overall is providing a good and helpful service so that it is a medium STILL WORTH USING!!!

  I'm not asking people to go on a show and talk about the issues because I think the host is such a gee-whilickers good person and needs and deserves our support to get his word out. I'm saying WE NEED TO GET OUR WORD OUT--and we need his help or someone's help or whosever help we can get, and it's important to remember that. And unless it's Jerry Springer, there aren't too many show hosts that I think we should be turning down that help from. It's a medium that is available, and we have an important message to impart. Let's keep the focus on that...and see how many alternative mediums we can think of too. [Madame Chloe does not count.]
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  sf

  Like I said, I wish you well.

  But be prepared to leave the jw factor out of it, all together. I'm sure they will strongly encourage this as well, as part of your agreement to be aired.

  Happy trails!

  sKally
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  JWdaughter

  HI everyone, I am sorry anyone has had to go through this type of sexual assault. If it makes you feel any better, some men aren't as considerate with consensual sex as one of your husbands was with sneaking up on you in the middle of the night. But, I think that the sneaking part totally negates the rest, since it was only done for his purposes of sneaking. Kind of like the drink they give the girls at bars. Get them unconscious, leave them confused.

  On another branch of the same subject tree, the issue of not getting an email response from Dr. Phil. I am not a fan, but I will bet HE has nothing to do with the emails, and only sees the ones that the screeners pass to the producers that THEY think are worthy for him to look over. I am not a Dr. Phil apologist!!!! He gets on my last nerve-but I once went to a church with a popular pastor (tv show for sunday sermons etc) and even HE wasn't given all his mail. The secretary, then his wife, then him saw it. The secretary was supposed to deal with whatever wasn't passed on, but if she didn't, of course, it would have made the pastor look bad. I think she always did. Oops, handle the mail properly. But the land of tv is filled with all kinds of young people, so who knows!
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  J-ex-W

  sf------ If the JW factor needs to be left out, then so be it. It's the sleep-rape issue that drew me to their message board in the first place and that ignited the fire in me to Get the message out. JW or no JW, the sleep-rape issue needs to be looked at and given full recognition for the sake of SO many victims out there.
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  J-ex-W

  And, ya know, for me--even if the Dr. Phil Show never does respond--for me, I'm just happy that I fiinally worked up the courage to put my story out there, to risk public scrutiny into the whole thing. Rape victims are so controlled by an undeserved sense of shame and guilt and self-doubt after what has been done to them that, for me, I consider it a huge mark of progress to feel that my sense of outrage has finally managed to outstrip the shame. For those of you out there reading this who know what I'm talking about...I hope you can get to that point as well. Actually, any of you 'out' apostates do know what I'm talking about. You've finally managed to outstrip the shame and guilt and self doubt that come with the psychological rape (mind control) that comes with being a good, submissive J-dub. Good for you!
• 

  sf

  j-ex-w,

  Have you considered getting in touch with a local newspaper reporter?

  sKally