Intro - First time Post- Ventilation (it's a good read actually)

by BLWashington 52 Replies latest jw friends

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  smiddy

  Welcome BLW glad to have you on board

  smiddy
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  AudeSapere

  marking
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  Julia Orwell

  A big fat welcome for me!!! You sound like you're awesome.
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  BLWashington

  thanks for the welcome- I have been just plastered to this page for the last 24 hours. It's amazing to see the experiences and emotions that are experienced by so many people at the hands of this one thing. I can't think of any other religion (outside of the Amish) that has this painful of a track record. Some of this stuff is difficult to READ, let alone if someone had to listen to it.

  Which reminds me: One of my friends had an idea- and i'd love to hear your feedback- considering some of our experiences.

  A mammoth class action civil suit agains the WTS for a bevy of psychological afflictions that affect many EX JWs that have an effect on us YEARS after we leave the organization.

  i don't really know if it would even be possible or successful- but what if ... a suit big enough to shut the whole thing down.
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  OnTheWayOut

  The mammoth class action civil suit probably would be impossible in the current climate of the United States. Maybe California would have it, but I kind of doubt it. Lawyers smell a loser before taking it on. Laws and opinions just are not on our side. I see such a thing coming about in some other country long before the United States. If something ever gets off the ground here, I would expect it to be against Scientology or some other really whacked group like that before it gets closer to anything remotely "Christian."

  But you never know what may happen.
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  cantleave

  Welcome.
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  ABibleStudent

  Hi BLWashington, Instead of a class action civil suit, I would recommend writing to your political representatives about adding additional requirements for non-profit organizations to be declared tax-exempt and about your experiences. The following are my favorite new requirements and would apply to all non-profit organizations and not just to organizations that proclaim to be religious:

  • All organizations must report child abuse and molestation to local law enforcement and direct victims and perpetrators to contact local law enforcement,
  • All organizations must stop promoting shunning, marking, and other forms of emotional abuse to their members that will be used against members that leave an organization, and
  • All organizations must file annual forms to the IRS that demonstrate that at least 35% of money that is donated to an organization is used to help non-members to improve their lives such as health care, nutrition, housing, education, etc.

  At least organizations with business models like the WTBTS would soon disappear, because of reduced donations from members who could no longer claim a tax deduction.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
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  BLWashington

  Ooooh, I LIKE THAT! for NON-PROFIT organizations...

  speaking of Non-Profit, I "heard" that the GB members live in quite nice accomodations- is this true?
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  Gojira_101

  Welcome BL and thank you for sharing your story. I was heart broken when you were relating the events of your early life but my heart was overcome with joy at the fact you found a family you never knew you had and now have still have a family who love and care for you! I'm glad not all JW stories have the bad endings like mine does.

  I too was baptized at age 10 because I was pressured into it from the people at the KH, and the fact all the other kids were doing it.

  Thank you again for sharing and welcome!

  Shyla
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  Bangalore

  Welcome to the board.

  Bangalore