Violations of privacy re: postal mail by JWs

by Dogpatch 31 Replies latest jw friends

  • Dogpatch
    Dogpatch

    I have been sending out orders of books to JWs, ex-JWS and others for over 25 years. Sometimes plain wrap to keep the family's noses out of it.

    Over the years I have seen the same constant pattern: Whenever the questioning JW lives with OR NEAR family members who are currently JWs, they want to break open the mail to see what others are ordering!! Insane violations of privacy!

    Have any of you experienced the same thing?

    JUST TODAY I got two separate messages, identity protected:

    Greetings you apostate you. Been a couple weeks and wanted to write.

    To jog your memory, I was the person who ordered the "Visions of Victory" book. Is that title correct? Anyway it never showed up. Can't remember if I wrote back to you yet, but the mystery has been solved. Seems my 22 year old JW daughter (who lives here) got the mail the day it was delivered and saw it was from the Free Minds Organization, and thus, put it in the garbage. Ahhh. Raise up a child to the way they should go and they'll go that way forever. Or should that passage say "brain wash a child, the younger the better, and they will be for your service forever"?

    another:

    How does the return address look on your package? I don't want this mail destroyed before I receive it. My father does not believe me that C.T. Russell came up with the year 1914 through pyramidology. I want to give this to him personally. My mail is sometimes checked by my family, even though I'm 2X years old and don't live with my parents.

    I suppose as in everything else, they assume they are superior moral policemen and you are subject to any and all violations of privacy.

    SICK!!

    Randy

    http://www.freeminds.org

  • Eyes Open
    Eyes Open

    But not surprising.

    I remember seeing some pretty complicated diagrams of pyramids and ages in one of my Grandma's books.

  • Bring_the_Light
    Bring_the_Light

    I sent a card to a JW girl I used to date (when I was in the Borg) when I was feeling nostalgic getting out da Army. I suspect it got intercepted, by her husband because I'm pretty sure she would have AT LEAST told me she doesn't feel comfortable communicating with me. Just no response for several months.

    It wasn't anything innappropriate, but it probably would have been interpreted as such by anyone other than her who happened to accidentally violate Federal Law and open it. Ahh well.

    Bring_the_Light

  • Dogpatch
    Dogpatch

    Abn even bigger fiasco I had with a JW mail handler:

    November 22, 1999

    Postal Inspection Service
    c/o Chris ****
    PO Box 91033
    Los Angeles CA 90009
    Attn: Criminal Complaints Dept.
    complaint # 012420431

    Dear Sir,

    The enclosed materials are those you requested. Some are originals (the materials "Roger" sent, for fingerprint identification), others are photocopies as you requested. In the case where photocopies have been sent, I am retaining the originals.

    summary:

    October 2, 1999:
    George **** sent in an order for anti-cult materials exposing the deceptive techniques of Jehovah's Witnesses, namely 2 cassette tapes. Enclosed was a $10 bill. It was sent in a pre-addressed envelope with his return address in the upper left corner as usual, and the Free Minds, Inc. address was very clear.

    October 8, 1999:
    Someone (in the Manhattan postal circuit) marks on the envelope "Return to Sender" but then apparently has second thoughts and decides to type a letter to Mr. **** and signs it "Roger." There was absolutely no reason the envelope should have been marked "Return to Sender" or opened by anyone, especially at the post office. This is a felony offense if I am correct. "Roger" says that he works in the mailroom in the Manhattan Beach area and "not to be nosey but we open all mail and I saw your money and your request for Bible tapes." He directs Mr. **** attention to the address of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society for proper Bible instruction. He sends Mr. **** the original $10 bill, plus his original order letter, and two copies of the magazines published by Jehovah's Witnesses, namely "The Watchtower" and "Awake!" This organization, based in Brooklyn, New York, is the target of Free Minds, Inc. work in order to expose their hypocrisy and deception of such organization. We have been in existence first as Bethel Ministries in 1982, and then more recently as Free Minds, Inc., a registered non-profit organization in the state of California. Our postal box (3818, Downtown M.B. station) has remained the same since about 1982. We have numerous websites, the prime one being www.freeminds.org.

    October 12, 1999:
    Mr. **** phones me and returns all the materials he sent from "Roger," flabbergasted by what had happened. Note the meter imprint on the outside of the envelope sent by "Roger" to Mr. ****. Many of us who are former members of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society (I worked at their headquarters in Brooklyn for 6 years for about $14 a month, from 1974 to 1980 before I resigned) are aware of their deceptive techniques in dealing with "outsiders," as the attached photocopy from a Watchtower magazine, showing how a Jehovah's Witness is obliged to reveal private and illegally obtained information to their headquarters, even under the pain of losing their job in certain cases. Apparently this individual feels he is above the law, and will go so far as to break the law in a very serious way in order to defend his organization. Such a person has no place in the postal system, as I am sure you will concur.

    Please get back to me as soon as possible on this matter. I intend to make sure it is prosecuted. I have an attorney who regularly works with matters such as this involving the Watchtower at my disposal, Jay Sandlin, in Yakima, WA. if this becomes necessary.

    Randall Watters

  • nameless_one
    nameless_one

    Wow, that is outrageous! If I may ask, how did things turn out with the "Roger" situation? Nosy Witness relatives is bad enough, but that is truly over the top.

  • hillbilly
    hillbilly

    Randy.. I know a guy who has a cousin in Detroit who could take care of this for ya.

    Postal theft..how low.

    Hill

  • carla
    carla

    I think the first time I ordered from you I had it sent to my Mom's house, why don't people think of having it sent to a non jw friend or work if possible? Now I don't care because I reminded my jw that messing with US Mail was a federal offense. He doesn't open my packages, he might get apostate cooties and he knows it would be splashed all over apostate land (the evil internet).

  • sf
    sf

    Going along with carla here, perhaps you could suggest on the order forms that if the purchaser feels more comfortable, they should have their order mailed elsewhere for pickup. Include the reasons why it may be a better option. By the way Randy, love the new site. sKally

  • Quandary
    Quandary

    Absolutely outrageous!! Total ignorance of common decency! Respect for a person's privacy is paramount in a civilized society. These people are totally nescient!

  • lrkr
    lrkr

    I know of witnesses who work for Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon.com. One got my number off an order and called me up. That was a few years ago (before I ordered "apostate literature.")

    I suppose if they called me on it today, I'd recommend that they read the book before they make any judgements.

    Fortunately, when I ordered from Randy- my wife was as curious to see the books as I was.

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