Who's picketing a convention this year? (page 3)

DazedAndConfused

I am offering a place for you to stay if you can make it to Tucson. I know that picketing does work. I know that to most of the R&F a picketer seems like a fool but to some you seem "right". I remember once at an assembly where I was, I was handed a tract by someone picketing the assembly. My aunt promptly took it away from me, like I was a child or something (I was an adult with a child). I was very interested at the time what they had to say. At that time I had doubts. It took me years after that to do anything about my doubts. Who knows what would have happened at the time if I only had the courage to stand up to my aunt and took that tract back.

Edited twice because my vocabulary is not so good at 10:30 at night. grrr...

david_10

Way to go, Flower. And CinemaBlend and Miss_MG----------------------I totally agree. In my opinion, picketing does more harm than good. A lot more harm than good.

When I was active, there was no way that I would have given a protestor the time of day. The picketing only feeds the persecution complex and drives the Witnesses deeper inside. I can honestly say that those in-your-face opposers (combined with bad apostate reading material), delayed my exit from the Organization by at least 10 years. All I saw were these rude arrogant pests, and, even though I was having a terrible inner struggle, I just thought: "See there----the Society is right. Stick with the Organization because there's just nothing that the world has to offer." The typical "Where-Else-Can-I-Go" syndrome. So instead of looking for answers, I stayed inside and kept a lid on my thoughts.

Personally, I have never known anyone or even heard of anyone who suddenly had their eyes opened by being accosted by protesters at an assembly or by finding a flyer under their windshield wiper or any of the other tricks that over-zealous apostates use. There might be a few, but I doubt it and they certainly would be the exceptions to the rule. I think that the best thing to do is leave the JW's alone and let them figure it out for themselves. Most never will, but that's the only way that I was able to do it, and that's the only way everyone I know who has left the Organization has done it.

For those who are thinking about picketing, please reconsider. If you really want to help, leave the Witnesses alone. Instead, take your kids to a baseball game, spend time with your family or read a good book. But leave the witnesses alone.

My humble opinion.

David

DannyHaszard

Know this 99.9% of picket viewing passerby's on a day of street corner picketing are non Jehovah's Witnesses (including members of the media) who WILL get the message.

Some of these's are non believing even opposer significant others of JW's who will be prompted to ask questions.

Standing on a street corner across from Bangor Maine city hall (two miles from the Kingdom hall) I was CHEERED blowing their horns and giving me the thumbs up,

..even the cops saluted me.Many folks got out of their cars to ask questions.People know what an oppressive closed group JW's are and recognized that this was the only outlet to vent.

Picket duty is an effective "witness" BIG time.

Kids of Jehovah's Witnesses

What kind of childhood do they have?
The Price of Free Thought
Growing up within the WT: How parents are taught to influence their children
The introduction of phobias and other cultic traits in the JW child
How to tell your children you have been in a cult

The WT still hold that this 'work' was a fulfillment of prophecy and even calls their street corner picketing the "John the Baptist work".

Junction-Guy

Thank you Dazed and Confused, but Arizona is just a little too far for us, however if you would ever like to visit Tennessee, you would also be welcome to stay with us.

Now on to meat of this discussion:

I get so sick of hearing about "their" persecution complex, I mean I was born and raised a 4th generation JW and I received more persecution from my JW family than any worldly person, all because I simply wanted to live a "normal" life like everyone else.

Picketing is effective, even if the JW's arent receptive to my message. Numerous people have pulled over and asked me about my signs and it has given me the opportunity to anti-witness.

I dont scream or yell while Im picketing, I mean why would I? I have the biggest grin on my face the whole time im out there, the satisfaction I derive from picketing not even money can buy!!!

I believe the heyday for picketing was the 1950's-1970's, perhaps we can revive and refine this lost art form-LOL

Picketing has been my outlet of release, and if I had kept on going I would have died of a heart attack or stroke, I simply decided enough was enough and picked up the signs and went to the 2nd closest kingdom hall I could find. I decided to be a little more pro-active than reactive--there ya go logan, theres an expression you can probably relate to.

I sat for 5 years online for 8-10 hours a day browsing through these sights, my blood boiling ever more higher, and I finally decided to do something, but it was almost too late as I had acquired high blood presure and blood clots in my leg.

Picketing is like most everything else in this world, you will always find a receptive audience somewhere, at least one person that you can reach. So yes its effective even if just one "worldly" person becomes informed of the lying,watchtower cult.

Dave

freedom96

How about a sign that simply has this web address on it?

Very simple, easy to read. Perhaps some will remember it and come visit this site.

CinemaBlend

Picketing does more harm than good. For every 1/10,000 doubters it might make doubt a little more, it strengthens the resolve of 100,000 other witnesses because now they feel "persecuted" or like people are out to get them.

Bunker mentality.

It's harmful... and frankly picketers always look like they're crazy. All the witnesses and heck, half the guys on their way to work are just thinking "look at those wackos"

Junction-Guy

Yeah but those 100,000 witnesses will eventually die out, and if they arent replaced, then the religion will die off with them. I have had tremendous success from my picketing especially from the passerby's, besides my objective is not to pull people out of the WT Society, but to keep them from joining in the first place. I usually have a very clean cut look, high and tight haircut, law enforcement look. When they see me out there picketing they will think guy next door, mom,apple pie, and the flag, I dont look homeless or deranged. Besides many people picket abortion, the president, and other causes.

I have website addresses for silent lambs and freeminds on some of the signs, and there are many many people who are unaware of the pedophile problem, it may just get someone to go online and research things.

I love picketing and feel honored to warn people about this family destroying religion.

Dave

Swan

Here's a great sign for the Tacoma convention...

Did you pay for free parking... again?

Tammy

bavman

I don't think picketing in itself is a problem. In fact, I believe it is one very good way to reach people about the "real truth". People need to be educated about Jehovah's Witnesses especially since the Watchtower has there own PR dept. these days and use it as much as possible. Still, most people I have ever talked to do realize JW's are a strange group. The thing I would be most concerned with is how to go about it. What the signs say and how the picketers act. I have talked with J-G about this before and personally I believe he goes about this in a very good manner. He doesn't get all crazy and yelling like some I have seen which is a turn-off to many. Keep up the good work Dave and Danny. We can't all just sit here and complain on these boards forever, we need to actually do something. Whatever niche we can fill we should fill. Besides placards i have thought handing out some information from the BRCI would be helpful in exposing the JW's. From the book "Releasing the Bonds" by Steven Hassan here's a few more ideas using the mantra "Think globally, act locally" :

1. Contact local missing persons bureau.

2. Contact the government

-consumer bureau

-investigation of cult lobbies

-public disclosure of past mind control research

-more funding for "open" mind control research in the future

-public awareness campaigns

3. Mental Health Professionals

-basic research into mind control

-better diagnosis and treatment of patients with cult histories

-more holistic treatment of patients with cult histories

-training in the strategic interaction approach

4. Religious Institutions and Clergy

-preventitive education and counseling

-interfaith declaration for ethical proselytizing

5. Legal Professionals

-hold cults legally accountable for their actions

-new legal measures and procedures

-citizen involvement in the legal system

-legal defense fund

6. The Media

-more in-depth coverage of the cult mind control phenomenon

Seems to me people have already laid a lot of groundwork, now we just need to get involved.

Bav

LyinEyes

I admire those who take a stand like you are Junction Guy.

Even if only a few , probably younger ones who surf the net and are curious, just take a look into their JW beliefs.

3 yrs ago I was on a JW forum, and I hated "apostates". I did however speak to a few of the d/f ones , known apostates who would come on the board and I wanted to know why they so passionately hated the JW religion. It put doubt in my mind about alot of things. That was the seed that was planted, further helped by my hubby , who dug deep in the internet ,, namely Freeminds.

I think it is a great idea what Simple Sally said, put a question out there ,, something to make them think. Put a web addy of your choice, easy to remember while walking by fast ya know.

Of course they may not right away go to the site, and they may even snub you for it, but who knows one day, they just might try and see for themselves what all the buzz is.

Good luck and I hope more JW lives are saved and they have the chance to be free and happy.

Who's picketing a convention this year?

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