todays Apostate email to my family

by rwagoner 16 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  rwagoner

  Every once in awhile I need to vent to my JW family...it is hardly ever pretty and serve no purpose other than to make me feel better...*LOL*

  I sent this today after re-reading Blondies post on the article for todays Watchtower Study on Apostates :-)

  ****************************

  First let me remind you...that I love you...always will...we may not agree but we're family. I also still respect your belief in Jehovah but NOT in the "Society". With that said here is my latest venting email that you should just delete now to save getting mad

  ***

  Wow...what good timing....

  I just finished reading this weeks Watchtower Study Article. Bet that sounded familiar huh ?

  Circle those wagons....Shun anyone who raises any questions, don't believe anything that isn't directly from the ORG, the media lies...Wow.

  Lets review the basic rules from the ORG here...

  Believe we are the "truth" because we're are God's Inspired messengers...

  and you can beleive that we're His messengers because we tell you so...

  Don't believe when people point out errors, crimes or mistakes...because they're lying...

  You know they are lying because we told you so...and we're God's Inspired messengers so we can't be lying..

  If people show you proof...it must be made up...they are just Apostates attacking us...

  It can't be true because they are contradicting what we tell you...so...they must be lying...because we can't lie...we're God's Inspired messengers remember..

  Don't worry that the bible does not require any mediator to God other than Christ...it is really complicated and we're the only ones who understand it really...after all we are God's Inspired Messengers...

  Don't worry that we now require people to enter into a contract with the ORG at baptism...even though scripture says that our relationship with God is a personal one and does not need an organization... again, we know whats best since we're God's Inspired messengers...

  Don't go back and read older versions of our own publications either...no need to confuse yourselves with the fact that we change our story from time to time...you see the light gets brighter...of course we've even changed our story on that from when we taught that "new light" should NOT change the meaning of "old light"...but again...we know whats best...

  So again...don't believe the News Media...legal documents...email...anyone who contradicts us or questions us...don't even believe Jehovah or the bible unless you hear it from us because we're God's Inspired messengers so if He wants you to know...He'll tell us and we'll tell you.

  Oh and we'll be announcing that we'll be moving to a special compound that the ORG has set up...time to enter into the inner doors of our house and close the door to the ark...do you like Kool-aid ? Drink up its good for you...you can trust us...we're God's Inspired messengers.

  ***

  I know you probably didn't read this far but I do love you. I won't appologize for what I wrote because I believe it is the truth and that I have a responsibility to you as my family, to tell you the truth and hope that you will accept it in the spirit it is intended.

  I love you,

  R

  ***************************************

  *LOL* I know...I'm a jerk...terrible son...Oh well.

  **edited to remove a hypothetical question that was being taken seriously

  Edited by - rwagoner on 10 November 2002 15:7:59
• 

  jack2

  rwagoner, it's actually a pretty succinct and effective breakdown of the study article and the WTS view on such matters, written with 'aposto-flare'. Whether your family will care to read it or consider it is anyone's guess.

  Edited by - jack2 on 10 November 2002 12:11:15
• 

  derrickb007

  You said: "* I know...I'm a jerk...terrible son...Oh well."

  I hope you don't really believe that. Some people wouldn't even bother to try and reach their family. Your doing a fine work. Keep it up and remember, even some of Jesus' family thought he was crazy, but not all of them did.
• 

  JT

  While I believe your Goal is great - in my Opinion your approach could present a problem

  not knowing what "Level" your family is at, :

  DYED IN THE WOOL, INACTIVE, DISCOURAGED, mOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THIER CIRCUIT, viewed as outcast in their Hall, ARE THE IN CROWD, HAVE DOUBTS ,ETC

  it all plays a role in how they will accept your message and that is why you need to tailor your message with these things taken into consideration for if not you will be merely viewed as a LOST SON

  IF you are "Living In Sin" in thier view, smoking, running women, etc then they will often disregard you as someone who wants to do what is wrong, etc,

  but if they see that you really haven't changed beyond selling books on the weekend -going to college, living a regular old life --then they will become very confused, since they have been told that once you stop going to the hall your life goes to hell in a hand basket

  while the direct approach you took often makes us feel good like WE TOLD THEM OFF AND GAVE THEM A PC OF OUR MIND

  in my exp it rarely causes a YAWN in they avg jw= reason is simple the wt has indoctrinated them to expect what you are doing so instead of it being enlightment it is merely viewed as full fillment of bible prophecy as fortold by the FDS-

  my suggestion is go thru some of archives and read about the techniques that many have used to help their family

  as i often say, if your goal is to blow off steam then you have accomplished that, but if it is to get them to stop and think about your comments then your way in my humble exp rarely produces those results and the reason being as has been stated by so many here

  FACTS - DOCUMENTATION, PROOFS, EVIDENCE have very little to do with convincing a jw

  that is because they have been trained to expect exactly what you have done-

  but i do commend you for what you are doing , you just may want to try a different technique

  just my opinion, based on what i have seen work and not work effectively
• 

  jazbug

  rwagoner's letter reminds me of this commentary at www.jhuger.com/kisshank.mv. This was NOT written by a JW, believe it or not.

  jazbug
• 

  jazbug

  rwagoner's letter reminds me of this commentary at www.jhuger.com/kisshank.mv. This was NOT written by a JW, believe it or not.

  jazbug
• 

  rwagoner

  JT,

  I do thank you for taking the time to reply and your advised is valid for many. My profile contains a link to my experience for those who are truly interested is seeing where my family and I are at, both personally and related to the ORG. I was in the ORG for about 20 years and have been out since 1989 and while I may not have been posting long I am pretty familiar with the archives and with the various methods of dealing with JW family and friends.

  As you mentioned, we all have our own experiences and styles...I have done the "sweet and gentle" approach...the "here's an interesting point" approach and the "I'll just wait quietly until they are ready" approach. I don't expect them to change or even read it to be totally honest but if I can shock them into seeing just a flicker of truth then I guess I'm happy. If they yawn, thats fine...if they delete it thats okay too at least I have done my part.

  I am a fairly conservative guy...very responsible...try to be a diplomat in most cases and my family knows this. So for me to be SOOO passionate about an issue it must really be something I feel strongly about.

  So point taken and recommended for those new to the game...and I will just keep plugging along in my typically sarcastic and less than effective style.

  R
• 

  rwagoner

  Jazbug --- *LOL* exactly...I got that in an email ages ago....loved it.

  R
• 

  Francois

  There are too many unknowns about your situation to give a really succinct evaluation. But, you know, you can never tell when something you say is going to strike a cord, plant a seed, or raise a question in someone's mind about the JWs.

  I think you could present your facts in a way that would make it EASY for them to contact you. As it is, you've set up a wall between yourself and them that isn't likely to be condusive to communication. I suggest you get yourself a copy of Hoffer's "The True Believer" and really absorb what it has to say. You will come away with far more insight into what motivates people in cults, mass movements, etc. And then, with an understanding of their motivations, you can present your truths in such a manner that will be vastly more likely to achieve the end you seek. (It's not a big book, maybe a half-inch thick. But it covers the entire phenomena of mass movements and of cults. It is not about JWs. It's about the generic background psychological issues that motivate people to become involved in the JW kind of activity, and also of feminism, Nazism, socialism, and all sorts of other kinds of cultism. An understanding of the precepts in this little book will make your knife sharper and your arguments harder to deflect. It will be Popeye's spinach to you, and Superman's Kryptonite to them. Try it and let me know what you think?
• 

  rwagoner

  Francois,

  Again thanks for the comments...

  To be honest I wasn't looking for a critique but mearly posted it as a bit of a laugh. Sort of my way of saying "this is how I spent my weekend" *LOL*

  The "wall" that you mention between us is already there...as I stated before I have been out for quite awhile and don't expect a great change in the family climate here. My family and I have had many...read that YEARS worth of...conversations and know where everyone stands. I have made it very plain that I will always consider them family and show them my love but also clear is that the JW's rules apply to them....they belong...I Don't....If I wish to contact them I will and if they prefer to hang up the phone, delete my email or call the police when I show up at the house they can. *LOL*

  I have made it as "easy for them" as I can....My door is open, the phone works, etc....THEY are the ones making this choice. If I simply sit here and "hope" that they somehow have some "New Light" of their own it would certainly be a very long wait. And so I take another route...the "in your face...HEY...Here I am...Still here....Come See the BS about the ORG that I Found" route...

  Now I know that it is not the nicest approach...and I'm sure they are feeling uncomfortable and it must be so very hard having such an misguided apostate for a son but if nothing else I am playing by my rules and not the ORG'S. As I have said before...the price I pay for DA'ing is that I am shunned but they have to pay a price for chosing the ORG over their son too...and I guess I just like to make sure they pay up once in awhile.

  R