by SheilaM 10 Replies latest jw friends
On the 9th I have my value speech for school I decided to do what I need to speak about and that is "Why I believe the Jehovah's Witnesses are immoral"
I only have 5-7 minutes and I know if I talk to much about them hiding the pedophiles withint the organization I will cry (tried that in the car today, bawled like a baby) So I need THREE good points about why I figured 1. They lie 2. They are misogynistc etc. Any input would be great.
Immoral:
-Shunning family members
-Allowing family to die over archaic rules (blood)
I'd do it like this:
One minute explaining the history, Charles T Russell, had a vision and started the WTBT and say that it grew into a six millionmembers organisation. Say you don't have enough time to discuss every aspect, but that you have taken two points and will shed some light on that:
2.5 minutes: The end is near visions, name the dates, 1878, 1914, 1925, 19etc.. Point out that altho they knew in hindsight that prophesies were false, the still claimed to be God's chosen channel. - immoral.
2.5 minutes: Present day tactics to keep the control tights. Shunning, mindcontrol. Immoral act towards the human mind.
1 minute: Link this back to the prophesies, make it clear why the control needs to be so tight, and conclude that their means to keep control are immoral.
Keep it clear, don't try to tell too much info it. Good luck.
Maybe you could make it a little more personal, like StinkyPantz mentioned.
JW = Cult
What draws one to become a JW?
Lovebombing in your time of need.
Association ONLY from w/i.
You may be able to reach someone that is considering joining. Almost everyone as least knows of a JW, from school or the neighborhood ....
Some scenario's:
1) Do you remember a lazy Sat. morning when you finally had nothing to do and all you wanted to do was sleep late and just laze around? Laying their in your bed half-awake, half asleep - enjoying your tranquility.... suddenly it is shattered by a loud knocking on the door. Aggravated by your peace being interrupted you unwillingly go to the door. A young man and an older woman is standing there, with big smiles on their faces, excited about being able to tell you how to save your life. Offering you two magazines - The Watchtower & the Awake.
RUN - Slam the door in their face and never look back. This little ole' grandma is a member of a religious cult..............
..Ultimately to lead you on your path of Self-DISTRUCTION
3) Imagine back to when you were in Elementary school. It is around Christmas time, everyone is acting silly. School will be out for a couple of weeks, everyone is excited about what they are getting for Christmas. The room is decorated with paper ornaments that the class had been making for over a week. A little tree was at the front of the room with little lights and candy canes on it. Remember how exciting Christmas was back then? Everyone had brought something for the "last day of school" party - The Christmas Party. Some had brought drinks, cookies, cupcakes, chips; everything anyone could want to eat! Everyone had also brought gifts to give to each other. Some wrapped so carefully, others put in a paper bag with a ribbon tied around it. Christmas back then was so much fun...
For everyone, except, the little girl with her long hair in a pony tail sitting in the far back corner of the room. The little girl that could not have a cookie or a chip or a drink or a present. The little girl that did not know how these kids could be so happy about Christmas becasue all of them that celebrated it was going to DIE.....
There are 3 scenario's. I don't know the age/type of people you will be speaking with, so I don't know which direction to go. I had to do a speach in college. I talked of a very powerful man, told of his attributes, his endeavors and his achievements. How hard he struggled to where he eventually ended up. Toward the end of my speech people realized who I had been talking of because of his atrocities. My instructor and my classmates assumed I was speaking of man that had a great accomplishment: maybe President, one said Jesus, one said Martin Luther King and so on. I was speaking of Aldoph Hitler. I ended up with a A on the speech. If it had of been "a nice person" it probably would have been a C.
Just my two cents.
I would include some info on their attitute towards "higher education" because it emphasizes "independent thinking" which is not tolerated. I would also include their attitute towards women: stay in a marriage even if your husband beats you and the children, only work if it's absolutely necessary; make sure you only work at menial jobs, etc.
I would also include some info on their attitude towards depression and getting professional help. We've been told time and time again that "worldly" Psychologists or Psychiatrists are really from Satan, and a depressed person really just needs to pray more, go out in Service more and make sure they're at all the meetings. Getting professional help is STRONGLY discouraged.
Discouraging the brothers years ago from paying into company pensions. Those that did were virtually shunned because it showed a "lack of faith".
I agree with those who said to include shunning and disfellowshipping in your speech. I think you should emphasize how these policies destroy family relationships and how fellow members are "forced" to comply with the WTBS's rules or they themselves will be ostracized. A sort of WTBS distorted values versus showing real love among your fellow man.
Mrs. Shakita
I would start with:
Is it immoral to put on a tie and a suit and knock on stranger's doors on Saturday mornings to foist literature on them that they never asked for or wanted? (connect with audience. This is what they know of the witnesses)
No. But I do consider it immoral to deliberately cause suffering the vulnerable or weak for personal gain. (state what the immorality is. I am just guessing, but I think a values speech should define why you hold such a value. A statement like this one helps clarify why you are outraged.)
You might ask, what connection do geeks in suits have with pain and suffering? (Yeah, then hit with a few examples. I agree with you that 5-7 minutes means you need to condense a lot. Instead of trying to hit the whole mess, pick only a couple of examples but cover them well. My personal outrages - the shunning policy that wrenches families apart and does serious psychological harm to the rejected. This policy in turn removes free will from its members, since any conscientious objection to established policy results in shunning. This has led to all kinds of cruelties, such as children dying from withheld of blood transfusions, the turning away of a mother's natural affections for her child, suicides, shunning of abused children that dared to speak up, etc., etc. )
...and what is the personal gain? To maintain the spotless image of the society. Shame, shame.
Don't forget protection of pedophiles.
ft
Seven minutes is not much time to get points across.
If I was doing it, I would discuss two issues: failed prophecy and how it has ruined people financially. Also, the one that Francois mentioned, the shielding of pedophiles.
Gosh Shelia I don't know why but this thread just hit me like a brick I just stared at the screen for a while.
The only thing that came to mind is that they hurt people intentionally. They say they do it as a sign of love. In every abuser program I know of they have always said that abusive personalities always say that the need to contol, the physical abuse, and the mental abuse are all out of love. But it's not, it's about power. They are compelled to control others. Willfully hurting people can never be moral. I have chosen to shield my children from all of this. When they are old enough to understand and make life choices for themselves then they will have the best intution that I could give them to make the choices that will determine the direction of their lives. The dogma of the Watchtower will not be a weight around their neck as they swim the rivers of life. I was looking in the dictionary and came across the word "evil" which was defined as bad: immoral: Socially very harmful. I always thought of "evil" as such a four letter word. But it's not. It's a simple word to solve simple problems. People who embrace evil philosophy or ideology are socially harmful. They distroy lives and that is bad, it is immoral. The Jehovah Witnesses are a dangerous sect.
