It would be far more effective to help with the scientology protests. If one of these american cults that run like a business goes down it may make some very ugly precedents for the rest.
The question is if these protests will do anything at all. Im sure even if recruitment fell to 0 they could still last another 50+ years.
The only real weakness that can be exploited is their tax free status. I don't know if protests can do much about this. The only other thing that I could see damaging them is the scientologists overreacting in a very public and illegal way. The scientologists may have already been uploading fake bomb threats about their own churches to youtube, who knows how far they will go.
Trying to get a coalition of ex-cult members and forums together to assist against Scientology will be far more effective at the moment.
The WTBTS is much harder to oppose than scientology, being viewed as a "christian" group they have near infinite sympathy from the general public in the west. The US government dismanteling scientology would raise cult awareness and make set alot of precedents that would make stopping the WTBTS alot easier.
Anonymous protests Scientology worldwide. Will this work against JW's too?
by mavie 13 Replies latest jw friends
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ocelot
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DT
Ocelot,
It would be far more effective to help with the scientology protests. If one of these american cults that run like a business goes down it may make some very ugly precedents for the rest.
I agree. We really need precedents that we can use against the Watchtower Society. These precedents might not come from attacking them directly. For now, Scientology is much more visible target.
The only real weakness that can be exploited is their tax free status. I don't know if protests can do much about this.
The current protests may not have much of an effect, other than raise public awareness. However, there are plans being made that could make a difference. They are thinking about making this a bigger issue in future protests. There is also talk about protesting the state capital buildings over this issue. Some are planning on making copies of letters of petition, putting them in addressed envelopes and handing them out at the protests. All the person has to do is sign and apply postage. There is also an online petition here. http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/stopscientology
I think public awareness is crucial with this. It would probably be a long hard battle to get the tax exempt status of the Watchtower Society revoked, but just having an investigation into their finances would be a big blow. There are already efforts to investigate the finances of of other religious groups and lawsuits could prompt investigation so that punitive damages can be calculated. So maybe this is a real possibility for the foreseeable future.
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Blueblades
The Tort of Misrepresentation: If and when this can get off the legal ground, then the cults will be devastated financially. Wrongful deaths caused by misrepresentations of teachings which makes people put their lives on the line for such cults will have to be answered for.
Blueblades
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5go
NO WAY IT WOULD BE HORRIBLE!
They have been teaching this would come for years. Something like this would trigger a defensive program in the JW paradigm. They would really be dangerous from then on. They would just go under ground like they have before. I hope more or less the facts slowly leak out and it effects recruitment and retention overtime like it has been so far. Something like this would be a self fulling prophesy, and aid in the recruiting of more Jehovah's Witnesses.