Is the Reachout Trust about to fold its tent for good? (page 2)

I just came across this, albeit very old, discussion and if anyone is still tuned in and doesn't know Doug went to be with the Lord just 3 years ago. The trustees decided to continue the work of Reachout and, after a hiatus I was invited to step in and chair the trust. The website is live, as is the blog, and we have a presence on social media. If anyone wishes to know more please don't hesitate to get in touch. And thanks for your kind words.

Blessings

Mike Thomas

cofty

Hi Mike, thanks for the update.

I see you still have my essay on the Ransom online :wink:

jookbeard

its was strange my comment on this thread 4 years ago and was clearly not what I was thinking at all, Dougs comment about " not being religious" really couldn't be further from the truth as I have first hand testimonies from friends who dared disagree with Doug on small doctrinal issues, points 1 and 2 are clearly not so either, also all those years back they passed my contact information to some nut who was a pastor at an evangelical church and who phoned me at very inconvenient and unplanned times ( bear in mind I was still married to a JW and the relationship was certainly struggling) and my wife was not only getting upset but incredibly suspicious about who these calls were from, he seemed kind of agitated and kept repeating how urgent it was that we meet, I dont know if I was being groomed for some sort of "exit counselling" I told ROT and this nut to take me off their so called support network, its was all very strange and weird.

Landy

Dougs comment about " not being religious" really couldn't be further from the truth as I have first hand testimonies from friends who dared disagree with Doug on small doctrinal issues,

I have no experience of them at all and wasn't going to comment, but the latter part of point 1 and points 2 and 3 did seem to contradict the first part of point 1 ........

slimboyfat

Hi Mike good to see you are still going with your ministry. Do you remember me? I met you and Ann one time at the convention near Kidderminster. Is the Reachiut forum going to make a comeback? I called myself Raymond and Donald on the board. There was all the old crowd: Gordon, Vince, bna, curiousanon, dr thaddeus Irvine, Michael and the rest. That was on the JW forum but I went on the Mormon forum too. I argued with you about Rodney Stark one time. I hope you're doing well. I'll check out the Reachout website.

jookbeard

a few things dawned on me at the time I started to make contact with them all those years ago about the early 1990's and certain things seemed to be purposely withheld from you when you begin the initial contact with them is the absolute allegiance they all have in their dedication to evangelical Christianity from Doug at the HQ to the numerous "area representatives" that were affiliated to them , I kind of felt they were very dishonest and certainly questioned their outreach methods, also this was the era of "exit counselling" which was very controversial at the time and still is, I was hoping that they could appeal to me in a more relaxed workshop style form of cult exiting regardless of a persons religious leanings, but it couldn't be further from the truth, I've said it before but Doug seemed to create a cult within a counter cult group, fortunately I only invested a few months and I was able to move on.

slimboyfat

jook how come you changed your mind so much between now and four years ago?

I got in touch with Doug in 2000. His book Awake to the Watchtower! was the first apostate literature I ever read. I wasn't in any doubt they were all about converting people to hardline Christianity from the get go.

jookbeard

Slim, I dont know,maybe I didnt pay too much consideration to the thread at the time but as the years past and after meeting more and more folks that had dealt with them there seemed to be a common denominator as to why myself and the numerous other folks decided to have nothing to do with them any more, the reason being was there extreme Christian stance within their counter cult work, Awake to the Watchtower was a decent book though. I have spoke about my experience on other threads though, I think there is a few out there.

slimboyfat

Maybe it's this forum having an impact on people. Look at nic he's gone from easy going open minded guy to rabid apostle of the new atheists taking no prisoners in just a few short years.

Is the Reachout Trust about to fold its tent for good?

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