A number of posters seem to think that I'm a liar when I claim that, on occasion, harsh words result in good things with JWs. Over the years I've received many, many communications indicating that my "methods" often work to good effect. Below is a dialog that I had about a month ago with someone who contacted me about other matters. The time frame of our exchanges on the old H2O DB is about 1998 to 1999. Obviously, "Frank" is not the guy's real name. I've cut out anything that could identify him or is irrelevant to the point of this thread. At the time, Frank was an ardent defender of the JWs. I've not tried to collate the dialog; each section is from a separate email.
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Frank:
I was wondering and think it is so, are you the infamous AF of H2O fame? I have kept many of your posts for posterity.
Alan:
Yes, I'm AF. What do you do with those old posts?
Frank:
There are just a few good "rants" that I saved, that make me smile when I look at them. One of your quotes to me. "You're a hypocrite at best and a liar at worst."
Those were the good ol' days. That's what I deserve for being a JW apologist.
I learned a lot from your posts.
You get a very nice mention in Gentile times reconsidered.
The last time we ranted I was in the DR and you were in Europe, are you stateside now?
Alan:
Yep. :-) What was your H2O handle?
Like what? Where are you at now with respect to the JWs?
...
Yeah. I was in Switzerland for about 15 months...
Where are you now?
Frank:
I am a pragmatic or Frank person....does that help?
Oh hard to say. You bit and the venom sunk in. ;-) You and a personal experience caused me to re-evaluate my view of Ray Franz. so I got his book and woke up...
I am back in Canada, the land of Penton. Keeping a low profile, rocking the boat when I can.
Alan:
Ok, I remember a bit. Yeah, you've changed. :-)
:-) Sometimes it really takes a knock upside the head with a stick to get some people to start thinking for themselves. Not pleasant, but sometimes necessary.
It's extremely difficult to remain a JW -- and impossible to remain an honest one -- after reading Franz's books.
Frank:
My My, definetly better than our rants on H2O!! :-)
I always was a thinker although you may find that hard to believe. I have often told other Elders, CO's and one DO (a myriad bethelites) that the way they think and talk is why people consider us a cult. I have always been the one to turn down assignments and seek to keep out of the limelight. That has kept me out of some serious skirmishes. The witch-hunt that put me where I am now reads like so many mentioned in the accounts of RF, only I kept my composure and avoided the censure. You are right, sooner or later...so what.
You are right in some ways. Like Franz says, the problem is not with the people it is with the structure. It is hard to reconcile the existance of a human institution such as the WT that maintains such admiration (worshipful) from its adherents, while the very same movement preaches the unreliability of anything manmade and the eventual destruction of everything administered by men...
Alan:
Yeah, but they were fun. ;-)
Not at all. It's just that, as a JW, one's thinking is limited by several mechanisms. I know -- been there, done that and all. When critics like me tell someone he's braindead and not thinking, it's about those artificial limitations, not about someone's unhampered ability to reason.
And their response?
I know exactly what you're talking about. Bethelites who trickle to the top have learned how to walk the walk and talk the talk. It's unique to Bethel, and not hard to recognize once you're tuned to it -- as long as you're not into it yourself. If you're into it yourself, you can't recognize it because you don't recognize it as an aberration, but as being normal.
So there was some sort of recent witch hunt in your congregation? What about?
Exactly. That's one of the hardest things to recognize, and you often don't, as long as you're still connected with the organization. Even after I realized that Watchtower leaders are thoroughly dishonest I didn't recognize the structure as a serious problem until Franz and a few others pointed it out. The structure itself lends itself to dishonesty. Of course, most WTS leaders don't realize that some of what they do is dishonest, because the structure allows them to justify anything at all in the name of organizational interests such as following orders from "the slave", and not making waves so as to avoid "touching the skirt of God's anointed". All of that works hard to prevent change at Bethel, even among those who recognize all of these ills.
Frank:
Well the CO and DO had me removed, but it was a fargone conclusion at that point. The others it was more or less not in such an ominous tone and so passed over as just a "your joking right?" kinda thing.
Human pride, ambition and self interest (preservation) take over. It's like an obsolete department or task inside any corporation. The individual or group subconsciously works to hide their obsolescence and justify their existence to the rest. They will even band together with other endangered departments in an effort to remain valid. Not to long ago there was quite a bit of slashing going on
at Canada Bethel. Even rumours of shutting down and turning the place into a retirement home...
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Now I know that certain, shall we say, less than bright lights who have posted on this thread will think that I just made up this dialog. For them I have nothing but contempt.
For others, who still may think that "harsh methods" never work, take a hint from "Frank". If you think that "friendlier" words than mine would have woken him up, I'll email him your response and let him decide whether to respond.
For still others, please tell me how many people you've helped get out of the JW cult over the years, explain to me your methods, and post your proof. Also tell me how much time and effort you've put into doing it. Or are your efforts merely theoretical undertakings launched from the safety of an impersonal discussion board where you have nothing at stake but a bit of finger exercise? Frankly, I care nothing for the opinions of Monday morning quarterbacks.
AlanF
