"Knocking" website - comments in "Talkback" section...

by ziddina 22 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  ziddina

  I found some aspects of this post quite amusing...

  5/4/07
  Tyrone Georgia
  
  Considering that the film was made by individuals who are not Jehovah's Witnesses, the research was thourough and articulated in detail by various individuals who also were not Jehovah's Witnesses. The point of this film was not to debate the validity of the religion as some of the comments from disgruntled opposers seem to indicate. But rather it was simply to bring to public awareness the contributions Jehovah's Witnesses have made to Civil liberties, which allows these opposers the right to voice their angry opinions. In addition, the film shows the medical advances in blood trasfusions that came about primarily because of the millions of Witnesses who refused Blood transfusions and sought alternatives from which many of their opposers will benefit. Finally the film shows how one relgious group out of many, refused to allow the pressures of nationalism to change their views on how they were to serve God. These were the points brought out in the film and it was not addressing all the other disjointed rhetoric that some of the comments seemed to state. Yes, most Jehovah's Witnesses get along very well with their non Jehovah's Witnesses family members.

  "But rather it was simply to bring to public awareness the contributions Jehovah's Witnesses have made to Civil liberties, which allows these opposers the right to voice their angry opinions. ..."

  NO. The rights that the Jehovah's Witnesses' lawyers tended to focus upon, were the right to stand on street corners and denigrate other religions, the right to go door-to-door ballyhooing their own particular brand of "Christianity", and the right to hold certain eccentric religious beliefs WITHOUT government interference... (No blood, the Gov.Bod gets to decide which sexual habits a married couple can indulge in within the privacy of their own home, the right to shun expelled or departed members, even if it causes severe emotional pain...)

  The Watchtower Society is ADAMANTLY AGAINST the right of citizens to gather in protest outside Watchtower gatherings. It is also AGAINST the free flow of any unflattering information; hence the constant refrain to 'avoid the Internet and Internet socializing...

  "Finally the film shows how one relgious group out of many, refused to allow the pressures of nationalism to change their views on how they were to serve God. ...."

  What, they never heard of the Quakers??? The Amish??? The Hutterites??? There are several other small sects that are strongly pacifist; the Jehovah's Witnesses are certainly NOT the only ones who are adamantly pacifist - and one could argue that, based upon the Watchtower Society's actions in Mexico, that they talk out of 'both' sides of their mouth on THAT issue...

  Zid

  (echo...... echo..... echo..... )
• 

  ziddina

  Oh, crap!!! I LOVE this post!! It's 'supposed' to be pro-Witness, but....

  5/8/07
  Dave
  California
  
  As a Jehovahs Witness for 20 years, I have had to deal with my parents leaving the truth. As a member of the only true religion, we are taught to cut off any family member who leaves the truth. The organization teaches us that the only hope for them to come to their senses is by completely cutting off all communication with them so I have not spoken to them for several years. Last year they even sent me a Christmas card which I promptly threw in the trash. How mean of them to send it when they know that it is a pagan holiday! I still do not know all the details of their disfellowshiping because I have never talked to them since it happened but I trust the elders decisions. If my parents have a good heart they will return to the organization, if not Jehovah will destroy them at Armageddon. As much as I love them, my obedience to Jehovahs organization must come first and I cannot risk my own life by talking to them. I look forward to this film because I have heard so many good comments about it at the Kingdom Hall. Who knows, maybe my parents will see it, repent of their sins and start the long process of coming back to the true religion.

  I wonder whether 'Dave' is actually writing this as an ironically revealing narrative that exposes the ugly underside of the Watchtower Society...

  He certainly confirms the previous comments regarding their rigid shunning practices...

  Zid
• 

  ziddina

  OOOoooooh, this is too good...

  You just couldn't make this sh*t up...

  Just after the above comment, came this one...

  5/8/07
  Martha S
  LaFayette Hill, PA
  
  Dear Sisters:
  
  I appreciate all your comments. I am addressing sisters as I am also a sister.Perhaps it would be wise of us not to read some of the posts. We miss friends and family that used to associate with us. Everyone has the opportunity to comment even if the world can see what some may say.We can be kind and thoughtful in response to those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses. ......

  Yes, all you poor little weak, helpless, mentally-deficient-because-you're-of-the-'weaker'-sex sisters, YOU shouldn't be reading the 'negative' posts, because, just as "Eve" was "stumbled" in the "Garden of Eden", so you too might be 'stumbled' if you come across a tidbit of REAL truth...

  Gag...

  Zid
• 

  ziddina

  Man, reading these comments on the "Knocking" site is almost like being back at the Kingdom Hall... Same bizarre mentality.... Same weird mental processes... Same blazingly chauvinistic comments...
• 

  palmtree67

  Hee hee hee

  I enjoyed this, a good laugh tonight.

  Thanks, Zid!!!
• 

  Dogpatch

  As a Jehovahs Witness for 20 years, I have had to deal with my parents leaving the truth. As a member of the only true religion, we are taught to cut off any family member who leaves the truth. The organization teaches us that the only hope for them to come to their senses is by completely cutting off all communication with them so I have not spoken to them for several years. Last year they even sent me a Christmas card which I promptly threw in the trash. How mean of them to send it when they know that it is a pagan holiday! I still do not know all the details of their disfellowshiping because I have never talked to them since it happened but I trust the elders decisions. If my parents have a good heart they will return to the organization, if not Jehovah will destroy them at Armageddon. As much as I love them, my obedience to Jehovahs organization must come first and I cannot risk my own life by talking to them. I look forward to this film because I have heard so many good comments about it at the Kingdom Hall. Who knows, maybe my parents will see it, repent of their sins and start the long process of coming back to the true religion.

  sounds identical to the Hitler Youth as they observed the ambivalence of their parents to support the monster.

  Randy
• 

  ziddina

  Yes, very true, Randy... Thanks for commenting!

  I really enjoyed that post because I believe that any NORMAL person perusing the posts on "Knocking"- "Talkback" section, would see in that post a CONFIRMATION of the previous comments about how destructive the Watchtower Society's insistence on shunning was...

  And I also think that a non-indoctrinated person would also view the Jehovah's Witnesses as a 'cult' - or at least tending in that direction - after reading that comment...

  Funny, how the very words of the JWs themselves can often prove the point ex-JWs make about it's being a "cult"...

  Hi, Palmtree, you wolfie, you!! Thanks for your comments!!
• 

  Hadit

  Thanks for the info Ziddina! If Dave is for real - well thank you Dave! I'm sure you've turned off more than a few people from ever joining!
• 

  steve2

  I cringed when I read the heated prose of the 20-year-old who staunchly defended his religion and issued a badly-worded warning to nonbelievers. Part of my cringing was my realization that when I was a 20-year-old I would have sounded exactly the same.

  I can only hope that one day this oh-so-young staunch defender of the JWs will realize how little he or she really knows.
• 

  ziddina

  Just thought I'd post a bit more to this thread...

  This is on page 8, and it's representative of many comments regarding the Watchtower Society's treatment of pedophiles...

  5/24/07
  
  I am very pleased with the accurate portrayal of the witnesses in the film but am displeased by the thoughts of some that we are insensitive and that we hid abuse. These things simply are not true child abusers are punished like other erring ones yet unlike others they are no longer granted to serve in the position of oversight in the congregation because of this act God Jehovah does not allow wrongdoing to persist in his organizationbut he desires none to be destroyed but all to attain to repentance. That means turning around from their sinful course. We do not sweep wrongdoing under the rug but rather we punish for all who repentantly engage in such for those who God loves he disciplines.

  Comments such as this, "child abusers are punished like other erring ones yet unlike others they are no longer granted to serve in the position of oversight in the congregation because of this act God Jehovah does not allow wrongdoing to persist in his organization..." are very common...

  [repeated and hi-lited for emphasis...]

  Yet none of these JWs making such comments appear to understand that a paedophile who molests a child is COMMITTING A CRIME!!!!

  I wonder how a JW would react, if a person were to ask, "Well, what if a member of the congregation committed murder and it became known to the elders? Would the elders - or the congregation - simply remove their 'privileges', no longer allowing them "to serve in the position of oversight in the congregation"???

  If the JW replies, "Yes", then hit 'em with "Be in submission to the proper authorities, for these powers stand placed in their positions by God..."

  ...and remind them that PAEDOPHILIA is a CRIME, too....

  If the JW replies, "No", then ask them what they WOULD do. [I'm assuming that the typical response would be, "turn them over to the authorities..."] When the JW indicates that the elders would be "morally obligated" to turn the 'sinner/MURDERER' over to the police, then ask the JW why paedophiles - who are also COMMITTING A CRIME - aren't treated the same way...

  For that matter, a person could use that "what would you do if a murderer was found in the congregation" to illustrate that JWs who commit ANY illegality MUST be turned over to the proper authorities...

  And, sure as you're born...

  There will be a few JWs out there - elders and idiot maiden aunts, alike - who will reply in this vein: "But, who are we to judge?? JEHOVAH will judge that person's heart IN HIS OWN TIME..."

  In which case, you might want to ask them if they'd be willing to have that murderer/thief/embezzler over to THEIR house for dinner - go out in service with them - ALONE - and so on... Be creative in making up scenarios in which they'd be left alone with a known murderer who the elders had 'disciplined' by removing his 'privileges', and so on...

  Heh, heh...

  Zid