Could This Be the Most Repellent Watchtower ....Ever?

by metatron 166 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  proplog2

  Farkel:

  The back page of a magazine is an important location. Obviously the front page is the introduction to the magazine's content. The back page is often the only part that gets read. It's one of the most expensive locations for advertising.

  Is there something that says the Watchtower isn't allowed to place a human interest story that illustrates the scope of the world wide work? There is a whole section of "chicken-soup" "feel good" books at the book store. Every night on the news they try to work one of these sappy overly sweet and sentimental pieces. Some actually think there should be more of this stuff.

  And this is what Metatron and the chorus feel is extraordinarilly "Repellent". The 6 million JW's who read that article aren't going to feel that way. And you Farkel made the suggestion that if you asked 100 people the majority would be turned off by that article. Neither of us have the time to really test that out with an objective sample. My friends (who are dry and intellectual) would find the article syrupy and most of them wouldn't buy an Enquirer, Romance Novel or sit around reading one of the chicken soup series. But obviously there are a lot of common ordinary folk who do. In fact there's enough of a market for that stuff to entice publishers to exploit it. I forgot the name of that news paper kids used to sell door-to-door to earn a little spare change. It was full of that "feel-good" stuff and it was offered as a relief from the shocking stories that fill the regular newspapers.

  My conclusion isn't a brilliant deduction. When people get upset about something basically harmless there is usually quite a bit of hate involved. Just because someone has a bad experience with a religious group - that doesn't automatically mean their view is correct. Strong feelings don't make something right. My experience is that everyone of us has enemies. Some people will hate you for whatever reason. You may not be able to do anything about that but you CAN do something about your own feelings. Rather than hate back you can cover over sins with love. I would hope that participants in this forum could avoid posting threads that stimulate hateful feelings in others.

  As you know Farkel, people love fluff and "hate" threads fill that need as much as discussions about oral sex.
• 

  Odrade

  You are so missing the point, prop. We find this article repugnant because we see it for what it is, NOT a nice warm fuzzy story, but as yet another way to manipulate and incite vague guilt, and misplaced pride in the 6 million witnesses reading the article.

  We are angry because no matter how "uplifting" the article is about the poverty stricken dead boy and his family who are so poor the parents had to continue raising the chickens so they could sell them and send their grieving pittance to the mega million $$ corporation that is the WTS, it is still a blatant and unashamed pull on the conscience of every person who wants to spend their $2.50 on a scone or a vacation instead of putting it in the contribution box.

  You are so insistent on seeing us as laying this burden unjustly at the feet of the watchtower, that you can't even see how obvious it is. The WTS did not put this there to offer condolences to the family, they put it there so that all WT readers can see how even in his last hours and in memorium this family sought to send their "widow's mite" to the WTS. Keep in mind, this was not presented as a letter to the editor, which, IMO would make the situation VERY different. Everyone knows the articles on the back page, which as you so rightly pointed out, is probably the most read page, these articles are designed to present a little kernal of "right thinking" to the readers, hoping they will follow the example given by ordering the book, or by sending a donation.

  Clear your head. See this for what it is... a corporate ploy.
• 

  metatron

  Yippeee! This post has generated 8 pages , a viewership approaching 4000 and

  a notice on freeminds.com! I couldn't have done it without you.

  THANK YOU, PROPLOG!

  The FACT IS : that this particular article requires your defense because it is so simple

  to appreciate the Watchtower's motives therein. You, sir, are not here because the point

  is weak, to the contrary

  you are here because the point made is strong. I only wish all Wathtowers could be

  so obvious as to invite your desperately needed defense.

  thanks again,

  metatron
• 

  proplog2

  Odrade:

  You obviously are not going to give any money to the Watchtower. Do they need money to carry on their world wide work? YES! And what is so bad about them asking for money? Did they ever claim they were running soup kitchens, health clubs, hospitals? NO! Is there any law that says they can't tug at the same heart strings ALL non profit organizations tug at?

  The last couple years charities in the US have been hurting because so many people are giving their scarce contributions to political campaigns. Spending millions on bitter and divisive campaigns is considered more important than helping the disadvantaged.

  It would be wrong for the Watchtower to spend the money that is given them for purposes other than those they state in their charter. They are engaged in a Bible Educational work. That's what the money goes for. There is nothing immoral about that.
• 

  proplog2

  Metatron:

  The reason this post continues is that I was looking for a vehicle to simultaneously get me to 1000 posts and get some attention. This board is hungry for someone they can lash out at. There are so many hate buttons you all can be played like a musical instrument.

  The reactions of irrational people are a lot easier to predict than those who keep an open mind. It is in our neuroses that we become alike. Creative and healthy minds are much more variable.
• 

  Sunspot

  **It would be wrong for the Watchtower to spend the money that is given them for purposes other than those they state in their charter.

  Hmmm.........I wonder who pays for the many pedophile lawsuits aimed at JWs?

  **They are engaged in a Bible Educational work.

  No, they are engaged in a WTS indoctrination campaign.

  **That's what the money goes for. There is nothing immoral about that.

  The WTS helps NO ONE but the WTS.............it may not be immoral, but it's not Christian in the sense that Jesus said to feed and clothe the poor. Handing someone a magazine doesn't fill an empty stomache.
  
• 

  frenchbabyface

  WOW SUNSPOT ! ... Very Well said !
• 

  gumby

  Jesus said to GIVE to the poor and FEED the hungry and CLOTHE those in need.........not TAKE from the poor and exploit them for the sake of a lucrative Organization!

  Just as Muslims give their life and possesions through the teachings of Mohammed, just as Christians give their bills $$$ out to support missionaries for Jesus, church activities for Jesus, payed pastors for Jesus, JW's give their ALL to the Organisation.......even money from chickens. Remember the widow who gave all she had? The dubs are no different.... except that they do little to help anyone outside their Organisation as many others do, and put importance to an organisation instead of a single psuedo hero.

  Gumby
• 

  Sunspot

  Let's just take a look at what the JW-media site says about the extent of its own pitiful "Watchtower's Humanitarian efforts" over the past three years---and SEE how impressed YOU all are........
  

  Humanitarian Efforts
  Current News Releases

  Date Headline

  08.29.03 In Monrovia, acts of kindness flourish despite rebel clashes

  01.24.02 Goma relief supplies being sent

  07.25.01 Thousands of volunteers flood Houston

  I'll let you draw your own conclusions on the "acts of kindness, volunteers and supplies" as mentioned......
• 

  undercover

  Just as Muslims give their life and possesions through the teachings of Mohammed, just as Christians give their bills $$$ out to support missionaries for Jesus, church activities for Jesus, payed pastors for Jesus, JW's give their ALL to the Organisation.......even money from chickens.

  There's the crux of the matter right there. Religion, all religion, is a racket.

  Old Joe was right about one thing, "religion is a snare and a racket". He knew it and he knew a way to condemn other religions for it while starting his own racket.