So, let's kick this revolution up a gear

by rory-ks 14 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  rory-ks

  I left a comment on a JWStruggle post - Who's in our worldwide brotherhood? It was aimed at a new visitor to the site:

  What you have stumbled across here is what would be termed an “apostate” website. Under the official guidelines of the organisation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Watchtower of April 1, 1986, page 31 states, “Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses.” It goes on to stress that there only needs to be deviation from “one basic point” and a person can be rightly branded as an apostate.

  The excitement you feel on discovering this site is the thrill of discovering illicit material. JWStruggle is part of the Resistance movement. It is part of the revolution. They are not free to air their disagreements and differences of opinion. The only reason they “are still considered one of Jehovah’s Witnesses” is that they have not been found out. They must operate anonymously, writing under pseudonyms, because if their true identities were discovered, they would be subject to an official investigation and they would be disfellowshipped. Once disfellowshipped they would be cut off from family members, friends, and associates, and this is a hell that they cannot contemplate.

  The love you describe among Jehovah’s Witnesses – either for God, or each other – is an illusion. The revolutionary’s lament is precisely that he is not free to love unconditionally. There is no need to revolt against a loving system. Resistance exists because a system is oppressive.

  The commonly recognised warning signs of an abusive relationship includes this one (as highlighted by the January 2009 issue of Awake!): Beware if your partner tries to keep you away from friends and family. By ensuring that disfellowshipped and disassociated ex-members of the congregation are kept away from friends and family, the Watchtower Society flags itself up as an abusive organisation. All those who abide by the regulations related to disfellowshipping become complicit in that abuse. They become what would be termed an “enabler” – they enable an abusive party to continue their abusive behaviour. They do this out of fear.

  1 John 4:18 states, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love throws fear outside, because fear exercises a restraint. Indeed, he that is under fear has not been made perfect in love.” The love displayed by Jehovah’s Witnesses is an illusion because it is not love, it is fear. JWStruggle (and any other forum) has to exist undercover. They work in the shadows. It is clandestine. It is cloak and dagger. It moves like Nicodemus who came to Jesus in the night out of fear of the religious authorities. It has nothing to do with the official organisation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. By these very writings they have disassociated themselves. Some lead what would be termed a “double life”. They may continue to operate as Jehovah’s Witnesses in the daylight, some of them in an official capacity, even serving as elders. They write their conflicting views here and on the forums, but they have to toe the party line in view of the congregation.

  The determination to operate in the shadows acknowledges that the Watchtower Society is an extremely powerful organisation. The revolutionary believes that more can be accomplished incognito. This is where the struggle takes place, in the hearts of those who disagree but are forced to suppress their disagreements. The mental struggle is ultimately detrimental to the spiritual well-being of the godly man. One can never be entirely free from the nagging suspicion that one is living a lie.

  I believe a more powerful revolutionary outcry can be made by coming out of the shadows and declaring openly one’s opposition to the oppressive regime. It is not right that things are done this way. We must be free to disagree without fear of punishment.

  It got me thinking. Wouldn't it be a more effective revolution if everyone came out of the shadows and let their voices be heard, and hang the consequences?

  Let those who are still serving as elders use the platform to call out the organisation for its maddening policies. They might be warned, they might be removed, but they will get the message heard.

  Let those who have questionable Theocratic Ministry School assignments use that opportunity to express a more accurate rendition of "the truth".

  Let those who have the opportunity to answer up in the Watchtower study call out the Society for its hypocritical stance on matters. You might only get the chance to do it once or twice...but that once or twice might be all it takes to get others thinking, and maybe even do the same thing.

  Flood the body of elders with questions about the efficacy of statements made in the publications. Over-run them with the need to investigate allegations of apostate thinking.

  DO NOT BE AFRAID. The world will not end if you are removed as an elder. It will not end if you are called before a judicial committee. Take the power away from them. A traumatic visit from the elders is only as traumatic as you allow it to be.

  Do not sacrifice your real life to live a false life in the organisation for the sake of those around you. Sacrifice your false life in the organisation in order to live your real life. That might be the most powerful message to send to those still on the inside.
• 

  Chariklo

  This sounds very sensible and logical. But I suspect it's not as easy as that.

  I'm hardly qualified to comment on this idea, because I never even got baptised, though I came very close to it. My own family and long-time are overjoyed to have me back in the world of sanity and reality.

  That puts me into a very different position from those whose families are intertwined with the whole web of the WT. I made what I thought were very good friends in my JW years, and, although I wasn't yet baptised, there was every expectation that I would be, if not in the March just gone then at least at the summer Convention. I was told I was welcome back at any time and as far as I know that hasn't been rescinded...would be, quick as a flash if they were reading my posts here! But, though I'm fairly certain I'm not "marked" or anything, yet, maybe because of the Special Talk, all phone calls and texts etc from the local congregation have ceased, though not from the lovely elderly sister about 40 miles or so away. She is a factor outside any local politics or policy. I'm very fond of her and don't intend to hurt her, which means I am almost daily kept up to date with her version of WT thinking. But that's another story...

  What I mean is, even I, with such relatively brief JW links, found I missed some of the JW friends. I missed the camaraderie of the field service sessions...because I'd gone at it in a big way and was out a lot more than just Saturdays.

  Anyway, in my time on here I've come to understand and appreciate, what I didn't as a total newbie this time last year, how very painful and difficult it is for those who are enmeshed in the WT links of family and friends. I know how I would feel if my children and grandchildren were ever to remove themselves from me, if lifelong friends crossed the road rather than talk to me. None of that has ever happened because, contrary to what the WT would have us believe even from early on in the Bible Teach book, people in the world don't ostracise those caught up in the WT brainwash process. They may look on from the sidelines, horrified at what's happening to someone they love, and not knowing how to proceed. (Mine did.) But usually they are all too ready to pick up where you left off and move on without recrimination and not wanting often even to talk about it.

  I felt a bit like this when I read about the demonstration planned in London for the Memorial. I've done a fair bit of political activism in my time and I know how idealistic people can be and how unlikely a process is to gain any kind of success or make any real impact without meticulous and, yes, WT phrase, "detailed planning". Where people have such powerful factors impelling them to toe the line as family links and loyalties and their whole friendship- and life-structures, it's even more difficult, and more dependent on individual psychological and emotional makeups.

  So, I'd be really interested to know what anyone else thinks about this? Can there be a real revolution?

  Just my thoughts, more from the sideline than anything else...
• 

  rory-ks

  Vive la résistance?
• 

  jemba

  Great idea but not do-able by many here as our families are too important to lose. I kinda like the whole undercover sneaking around its exciting.
• 

  Phizzy

  I agree in principle Rory , though the talk of revolution makes me worry, I was always told that when:

  "The revolution comes, you will be first up against the wall "!

  I used to do the subversive things you mention in the final months of my attendance, I will never know what effect they had I rather think. I wish more of us could be like you and tell them what it is all about and then be DF'd and off free, but too many here fear the total loss of family.

  I fully understand that, if it is very close, your wife or huband or children say, I say you must tread carefully. But I have found my siblings and nephews etc treat me almost as though I am DF'd anyway now, so treading carefully still does not keep problems at bay, perhaps some need to tread more carefully than I did.

  I do feel though, that entirely hiding your light under a basket, or whatever it is, to be so undercover that no one knows there is a problem, is never going to get your family or yourself out.

  So, to whatever extent you can, good friends, join in !

  UP THE REVOLUTION !!!!
• 

  Black Sheep

  You have to do whatever it takes to get your target individual to tell you that they are in a cult.

  One individual at a time.

  Without scaring them off.

  There is no point in talking to the back of their heads.
• 

  Fernando

  Hey rory-ks!

  I agree with your sentiments and believe it will come to mass open revolt eventually, if it doesn't simply fall apart first.

  We the deceived dumb sheeple have given and continue to give them power without which the whole world would see what naked, scared, powerless and insignificant wimps they are.

  Well, not the whole world, only those that care enough about the demise of this irrelevant outfit.
• 

  Chariklo

  Phizzy, I'm a bit different:

  though the talk of revolution makes me worry, I was always told that when:

  "The revolution comes, you will be first up against the wall "!

  When I hear talk of revolution, I feel like rolling up my sleeves and getting stuck in!

  I do think that it would be very tough on those who stand up in the KH, for instance, at the Theocratic Ministry School as Rory says, and maybe gives their own view instead of the WT party line.

  Tough on them, and also perhaps not necessarily all that effective, because what would happen? Would the mike get turned off? Would they be stopped somehow, or just reprimanded afterwards? I'm trying to think it though, visualise it. (But I don't want to put a damper on Rory's idea.)

  I'm fairly certain they'd only do it once. Perhaps if it was a nation-wide or even global exercise, with everyone in as many KH's as possible doing the same thing at the same meeting on the same subject? Just thinking as I type...

  But, if this cult/publishing company/religious organisation is to be stopped in its tracks, an effective revolution is just the thing. But what and how?

  I also think Black Sheep has a good point too, because every revolution, or rather, every effective movement has to begin with word of mouth, one to one.
• 

  Londo111

  I feel Black Sheep is right. The sound of a leaf rustling can trigger cult mentality. This is a delicate operation--they didn't capture Bin Laden by marching an army to his doorstep.
• 

  clarity

  Rory-ks, the words that you write are very powerful!

  It seems humans do not like to be singled out.

  Do not, want to be seen as 'different' and will deny their truth when tested (as did the so called apostle Peter). But ..................

  have you noticed how quickley the tide can turn?

  Maybe if all over the world, at the same time ...... we all just stood up. Do you think we could do that?

  clarity