Below is the most recent in a lengthy exchange between the elderly Bethel brother who arranged for the setting up and hosting of WatchtowerFarm.Org and an initially-suspicious inquirer.
(For background see: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/95848/1.ashx)
The entire exchange that precedes it is heartbreakingly illuminating as regards the tragic plight of elderly Bethelites who've devoted their lives to the WBTS and should, imo, be disseminated far and wide. Although the Bethel brother has left it up to his inquirer's judgement as to whether or not to have me post it on this board, because I fear it might cause him and his wife and friends even more anguish and harrassment, I cannot conscientiously agree to do so, at least for the present.
I, on my own, however, have decided to post the following --against my better judgement and without having obtained permission of the participating parties. I may wind up regretting doing so, but, hopefully, it will staunch some of the sad damage being done.
AMNESIAN
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Inquirer:
Thank you Brother ________ for your [agreeing] to my request to post our exchange. Your words have touched me deeply and I thank you for sharing them with me. I do believe that they can have an impact on others if allowed to read them. You, understandably, are quite out of touch with the depth of disaffection and disillusionment that also afflicts Jehovah's Witnesses in general who are beyond the hallowed boundaries of Bethel properties.
Despite your own fearlessness, I do not think it wise for you, your wife and other older friends, at this stage in your lives and in your precarious circumstances, to incur the wrath of the WBTS leadership who has shown itself to be mercilessly vindictive toward those who disagree or merely question. For that reason I have considered it prudent to edit out your name and specific work on the farm you do, that is, with your permission.
Please take your time and review the following. If it meets with your approval, let me know and I will have it posted. If there are changes you wish to be made, feel free to indicate them. Although you apparently do not realize it, what you have written is of the utmost interest (especially your last message regarding the foregoing of having children) to vast numbers of Jehovah's Witnesses and should be circulated. But, again, not at your peril and only with your permission, sir.
Do forgive my continuing to pester you.
With deepest respect.
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WatchtowerFarm.Org:
Brother _______, it seems that the members of the Jehovah's Witness community or ex-Jehovah's Witnesses community are doggedly pursuing if we are genuine or not. Now someone has found the name and email address of the woman who helped us put up this website and she is being harrassed.
I have heard of people being curious, but that someone would go so far is beyond me.
As you know, we have very little money and to sell online is not cheap. You have to have a paypal account and even the website costs money each month. Besides that, every sale we make a percentage of that goes to the host website or some such entity. Anyway, this woman made arrangements with her daughter who lives in New York City for us to have a website of hers that she got cheap through eBay. She is paying the cost of the website each month and she is also paying for paypal and some other stuff. We are making less than $1.00 for each book sold, but we would surely reimburse her if we made any money to speak of.
Anyway, they are acusing her of being us. She is upset and does not know how to respond. I can't take this stress anymore and she certainly does not deserve this. She just tried to do us a favor. She offered it to us in the spirit of love and helpfulness and I cannot let her take abuse. I think it would be best if I just closed the website and put a stop to all of this.
I suppossed that witnesses are so used to being fooled that they think everyone is doing it.
We don't know where they found her name and email address, but it is just too much.
I will always remember your kindness, but I am just a tired old man who for a moment thought I had an idea to change my life. Oh, well......
WatchtowerFarm.Org: JWs and Ex-JWs Continue Destroying Their Wounded!
by AMNESIAN 8 Replies latest jw friends
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AMNESIAN
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joenobody
huh? Can't say that I understood any of this exchange and what the point was.
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AMNESIAN
"huh? Can't say that I understood any of this exchange and what the point was."
I'm sorry. You will have to be familiar with a previous thread for this to make any sense, and it still may not. I'm afraid I only have a limited amount of time to jump in on this. You may refer here if you wish: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/95848/1.ashx
AMNESIAN -
candidlynuts
i'm sorry the woman that tried to help them is being harrassed.do you personally know this couple? i think people doubted that they were in fact bethelites.
i have personally heard of a lot of hardships that befall the elderly bethelites and it is something the wtbs should be very ashamed of and SHOULD be called to task on!
thanks for posting this info.. perhaps posting a link to this thread in the thread you referenced above might be helpful in reaching those who may be contacting the woman who provided the web site.(if you've not already done so)
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CinemaBlend
Sounds and looks like a hoax to me.
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AMNESIAN
do you personally know this couple? i think people doubted that they were in fact bethelites.
No, I do not. I can only say that I, too, started out extremely skeptical myself but after having read all of the correspondence between this skeptical inquirer and the website host I am personally persuaded that it's legit. The Bethel brother's language and details regarding his life on the farm ring true as they can only to one (myself) who spent 30 very involved years as a JW. The elderly brother and his wife and friends simply sound exceedingly na ï ve and not at all sophisticated as regards cybersphere (or the feeding frenzy such would touch off among online JWs and EXs --all from whom they sound cluelessly isolated) and are paying a dreadful price for it. At least that is my impression.
But whoever they are, whether one believes it's all a hoax or legit, the witch hunt and harrassment, imo, are unconscionable, and need to cease and desist. The buyer is free to beware without resorting to such.perhaps posting a link to this thread in the thread you referenced above might be helpful in reaching those who may be contacting the woman who provided the web site.(if you've not already done so)
Thanks for the suggestion, Candid. Besides posting this thread on its own I posted it as a reply on the "Longtime Bethelites..." thread ( http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/95848/1.ashx ). AMNESIAN
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DannyHaszard
Danny Haszard was robbed of his life savings all my family members are being held hostage, robbed of my education,health well being and i spend over a $1,000 a month on expenses exposing the wicked watchtower.
I get the most demented hate mail and must be armed 24/7 for my protection.
Does somebody out there want to make a cottage industry of watchtower services?
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rebel8
I am so sorry to hear this. It is exactly what I feared would happen. I personally emailed the guy and asked him polite questions, which he politely answered. Other than that, I did some online searches and stopped there. I would never have contacted the woman doing the web site. However, it's surprising she used the word "harass". Hard to believe anyone would accuse a perfect stranger of being a liar, for no apparent reason. The woman did nothing to anyone.
There is no way any of us can know for sure if the guy is legit. However, I do believe he is probably genuine, and as you said, nieve. OTOH, he must have realized on some level that this would have stirred up considerable controversy. He probably expected that to be coming from JWs, not ex-JWs. I hope he doesn't now believe we're a bunch of demonized crazy apostates.
If he's legit, I am so very sorry to hear what happened and I hope he isn't permanently discouraged from personal growth.
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truthseeker
Looks like they've changed their website...
http://store.prostores.com/watchtowerfarmreprints/about.html