Stephen Bates, "Demob Happy"

by IT Support 6 Replies latest social current

• 

  IT Support

  In another thread someone recently mentioned that Stephen Bates is no longer the Guardian's religious affairs correspondent. (Stephen Bates wrote the articles that exposed the scandal of WT's UN affiliation.) So, when I came across this article yesterday, I was interested to see what he said.

  In this article he wrote for New Humanist, Stephen Bates explains why he gave up this job:

  A couple of points I thought of interest.

  • He views JWs as "bizarre and malign":

  "Some religious doctrines are much more bizarre and malign than this. They occasionally come blinking into the light. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, for instance, believe that those outside their inner circle will be ground to dust on the last day (remember this the next time you open your front door to them) and will only cooperate with the police in child abuse cases if the molestation has been independently and simultaneously witnessed by two elders, which may be setting the bar a little high."

  • He's now become an atheist:

  "Now I am moving on. It was time to go. What faith I had, I’ve lost, I am afraid – I’ve seen too much, too close."

  Interesting.
• 

  stillajwexelder

  has been independently and simultaneously witnessed by two elders, NOT QUITE ACCURATE EITHER
• 

  IT Support

  stilla,

  has been independently and simultaneously witnessed by two elders, NOT QUITE ACCURATE EITHER

  Which just goes to show how badly JWs get their message across, even with someone as well-informed as SB.

  (Sorry for not responding sooner, I'm in the middle of a short but hectic project ... )
• 

  ozziepost

  Stephen, for a while, was a fairly regular poster here on JWD during those heady days when the WTS was being exposed for its 'big lie'.

  It would be really great to 'hear' from him again.
• 

  Dansk

  Besides some pretty unpleasant people, I also met some inspirational ones, working selflessly and often obscurely in the world, motivated not by ambition or for reward but by their faith. This is not to be sneered at.

  Amen!

  IT, Stephen doesn't anywhere say he's now an atheist. He actually says he still considers himself a Catholic.

  Ian
• 

  besty

  I emailed Steve recently around the publicity on NBC and he replied he wasn't doing religious stories any more.
  
  Bit like myself really :-)
  
  Happy days.
• 

  IT Support

  ozzie,

  Stephen, for a while, was a fairly regular poster here on JWD during those heady days when the WTS was being exposed for its 'big lie'.

  I joined JWD after that excitement had passed, but I read all his posts and emailed him for clarification of a couple of points he raised. He replied very fully and we had an extended exchange of emails for a few weeks. it turned out we knew some folks in common.

  Incidentally (and I'm going from memory here, so this may well be wrong!), in one of his posts here on JWD I think he was none too complimentary of the truthfulness of Paul Gillies, London Bethel's official spokesman!

  It would be really great to 'hear' from him again.

  I've just checked and he's still writing for The Guardian, so you should still be able to contact him on his old email address.

  Ian,

  IT, Stephen doesn't anywhere say he's now an atheist.

  You're quite right, not explicitly, but I came to that conclusion because:

  • he wrote the article for New Humanist, an atheist magazine;
  • while he says he still 'regards himself' as a Catholic, that doesn't mean he's practicing;
  • he wrote, "What faith I had, I’ve lost, I am afraid – I’ve seen too much, too close."

  Maybe it was just the way I read the piece. I certainly wouldn't come to blows with you if you arrived at a different conclusion!

  He actually says he still considers himself a Catholic.

  Yes ... ?! So ... ?!

  Since when is being a Catholic and an atheist incompatible ... ?!

  Or am I getting mixed up with Anglicans again?

  besty,

  Happy days.

  Never was a truer word(s) spoken in jest!