Happy at Bethel. Can't believe what I'm seeing. (page 11)

problemaddict 2

The copyright thing is a red herring. There are a ton of privately made "happy" videos. I mean you tube is silly with them.

wizzstick

My name is Josh Chang and I was one of the producers and creators of the video. Thank you for your appreciation of the video. It took many hours and a lot of effort to create.

The thing is, it was meant for a private audience and spreading it around is causing potential legal issues with the song copyright as well as the fact that we did not obtain releases from all the almost 900 participants who were in the video. Also, it might cause issues with our assignments here at Bethel, which would be heartbreaking.

Therefore, we are requesting that you please inform everyone you notified as well as deleting all copies that you may have downloaded or been sent. Please do not post it or share it. Also, if you have, please notify those individuals to do the same. This is especially critical if you have posted it in a format that allows others to download it.

Thank you so much for your support and understanding.

Your brother,

josh I 24655 I US-RDC I WATCHTOWER [BROOKLYN]

Wow - just when I thought this thing thing couldn't any more funnier. The muppet didn't get their permission! Or Pharrel's.

HAHAHAHAHA...you're going outta Bethel chum.

I just had a great idea! It's obvious the video had WT backing, to do that at all the different parts of the organization. And that supposed email states the potential copyright problem since they didn't get permission for the music.

Perhaps tipping the big business music industry, who may enjoy an expensive lawsuit/fine on the WT to further lower the balance of their coffers is in order? :)

Brokeback Watchtower

The Governing Body must have the guy that made this video ass in a sling and ready to let him fly out the door. I hope he don't commit hara kiri over this video.

Juan Viejo2

A lot of us are saving this and all of the crazy WT videos for posterity. We'll all be watching them with our grandkids in 20 years.

Also, I want to see "Joe Bethelite" prove that he made that video.

As far as the song itself - Pharrell has acknowledged it and seems OK with it. He complains that he hasn't made much in residual payments in spite of its popularity, but he is a very smart businessman. He would probably not be nearly as well known if it wasn't for all the "happy dance" videos that have been made from this song. This falls in the same category as the "mob dances" that became very popular for a while. In many cases songs that had fallen off the charts got new life and thousands of new sales and a new fan base. Michael Jackson (once a JW himself) will live as long as there are mob dances around the world.

So, how do they explain this occasion of having a "Happy Dance" in a Kingdom Hall? Were they worried about copyright issues then? [starts at 30:30]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcj1-XFqBiE

JV

Pubsinger

So is that the 'official explanation' then? The Happy Video was meant to be a private, in house project, not for public viewing, that got out? Has that email been circulated to JWs?

TheListener

Remember when we used to have congregation picnics? Before they were "discouraged"?

Even as current as a year or two ago my family wasn't allowed to play worldly music over the sound system when doing hall cleaning.

This seems a lot like the expression of the tighter your grip the more sand that slips through your fingers. The rank and file want to be happy and normal and are pushing the envelope. The GB 2.0 has to be careful and strike some balance to allow expression like this while still maintaining overall control.

I could see some congregations falling down the slippery slope of expression and going too far and having the CO or higher come down on them.

Vidiot

TheListener - "The GB 2.0 has to be careful and strike some balance to allow expression like this while still maintaining overall control."

Sure, if they actually want to retain 7-8 million adherents.

I don't think that's as high a priority, these days.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say they'd rather the prune the R&F down to a more manageable size of, say, a million or so hard-core believers (maybe even less).

Tightening the grip on ideological "purity" and non-sanctioned activities would definitely help accomplish that.

insidetheKH

@listener picnics discouraged?

We still have them a few times a year with the whole congregation as well as other recreational gatherings

OrphanCrow

vidiot: Sure, if they actually want to retain 7-8 million adherents.
I don't think that's as high a priority, these days.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say they'd rather the prune the R&F down to a more manageable size of, say, a million or so hard-core believers (maybe even less).

I would go that far, too, vidiot. I think the 'growth' propaganda is mythical. The WTS doesn't need a large following - they already are making a piss pot full of money in other ways like real estate and bloodless medicine investments. The recent push for donations from the membership quite simply separates those who are loyal to the organization from those who are not. The WTS would rather have a small, controllable membership than one that isn't loyal.

The WTS doesn't need a large membership.

Happy at Bethel. Can't believe what I'm seeing.