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Links and news for former Jehovah’s Witnesses.

News And Links For Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses: Video And Interview By Max Elfelt

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VIDEO: Video & Interview – Jehovah’s Witnesses: An in depth look

Watchtower’s First Step Toward “Tithing”?

More on this can be found at this link as well.

NGO calls on Ministry to probe closed religious groups; Jehovah’s Witnesses under scrutiny

The UUT – the Support group for the Victims of Religions – has asked the Ministry of Justice to study ways in which to intervene in the activities of closed religious communities.  The group released a report Saturday on the Jehovah’s Witnesses, which UUT claims uses its own internal judicial system with a board that interrogates members and hands down sentences for infractions.

The Watchtower and Mental Illness

An article from AAWA.

Being a Jehovah’s Witness is, as they say, “no walk in the park.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses live a very stressful lifestyle. While some find comfort and acceptance within the organization, a growing number realize that they are “living a lie.” They can not possibly live up to the standards the religion sets for them. Their sex lives are restrictive, they can not carry on normal relationships with non-Jehovah’s Witnesses, and they are banned from any contact with former Witnesses – including members of their own families. They have limited options for employment or expanding their education. The Watchtower Society even limits their medical options and choices for professional counseling or treatment.

Watchtower word games – letter orders changes in terminology and assembly arrangements

News And Links For Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses: Terrence Howard Says, “If I Could I Would Be A Jehovah’s Witness.”

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VIDEO: TERRENCE HOWARD :- “IF I COULD I WOULD BE A JEHOVAHS WITNESS

I list this, in part, because there continues to be an ongoing conversation about Terrence Howard’s comments. I began following the thread after leaving a comment several months ago. They are … interesting.

Watchtower continues assault on ‘devious’ and ‘hypocritical’ former believers

By Cedars. The Society’s website has online versions of the articles addressed in Cedar’s commentary here.

How the Watchtower Uses Undue Influence to Enforce Its Blood Policy

In my introduction, I asked the audience to think about the “Advanced Medical Directive” and to consider whether “undue influence” could ever play a role in the interference with and subsequent autonomy of any decisions made by an individual.
I then explained how the use of repetitive indoctrination teaches JWs from birth that to even consider having a blood transfusion would be incomprehensible “to anyone who really loved Jehovah God.” Yes, that would be the mindset for all JWs should they ever be confronted by a medical clinician informing them that they might need some type of blood treatment.

Jehovah’s Witnesses Branch Visit in November 2014 (USA only)

In other words, exxers like you and me might be getting visits soon. Gird your loins, people.

Letter to all Bodies of Elders about District Overseers

According to this letter, District Overseers will soon be a thing of the past. Their duties will be falling to Circuit Overseers. My experience with traveling overseers in general is that they are more about giving average Witnesses a chance to blow off steam about their local elders. They never did much for my old congregation, despite the fact that people were lining up to talk to them. Your mileage may have varied.

The Memorial of Christ’s Death – Why Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Observe it Annually?

In case you haven’t been invited yet, The Memorial approaches. I’ve already been invited in several languages. 🙂

News And Links For Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses And Atheists: Richard Dawkins on the Bill Maher Show – Overtime

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VIDEO: Richard Dawkins on the Bill Maher Show – Overtime

VIDEO: Caller Pastor George on The Atheist Experience

VIDEO: The Atheist Experience Discusses the Difference Between Indoctrination (Cults) and Socialization

Children of religious parents at ‘more risk’ of abuse

Countering JW Shunning: How the Implications of Stanley Milgram’s Work May Suggest Using a Different Approach

In an attempt to force abandonment of the cruel practice of shunning, we’ve seen countless impassioned pleas from ex-JW members who point out how cruel and emotionally-painful it is for THEM, the targets of shunning. Although these painful accounts are absolutely heart-felt, they often are quite ineffective; the shunning continues, partly because the cries paradoxically CONFIRM the message that the WT delivers to their members, telling them shunning HAS to be uncomfortable for the shunned since it’s done “for their own good”! The Society claims that shunning WON’T be effective UNLESS it causes pain in the shunned!

Shameful Shunning in a Thousand Words

This is a picture of my dad eating. He had just made lunch for me, but he couldn’t eat it with me. I had to eat it at another table with my four-year-old son while he sat there away from me.
Why? Because that’s what the Watch Tower Society tells him to do.

What is Jehovah’s witnesses?

Add your answer today.

Science Of Cult Behavior

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Finally, I am not dead. But posts will be far fewer during the college semester. Also, as happens every other month it seems like, updates continue to wreck the editor on my WordPress install. One minute it’s there, the next it isn’t. Grrr…

News And Links For Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses: The Jehovah’s Witnesses

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AUDIO: The Jehovah’s Witnesses

John Hoyle on Blog Talk Radio!

AUDIO: BTR Guest: Author & Cult Expert Steven Hassan

Reason on the Facts

New from AAWA.

Practicing what they preach has never been a virtue of the Watch Tower Society! That fact was reaffirmed in capital letters in the November 2012 issue of the The Watchtower magazine in an article titled, “Is Religious Faith an Emotional Crutch?” The reasonable (but damning) piece of evidence reads:

The Lawsuit Landslide: Irwin Zalkin representing ELEVEN child abuse victims against Watchtower

They were there to voice their backing of the “California Victims’ Act,” or SB 131 as it is otherwise known. If signed, the bill will extend the Statute of Limitation in California for certain childhood sexual abuse victims over the age of 26.

Why We Need to Act Now to Protect Against Mind- Control Religions

In most western-world countries, laws protect consumers from fraud and unethical business practices. But to date, there are no laws on the books that recognize destructive mind control, much less prohibit the use of it by cult-like religious groups. However, if my colleague Steven Hassan, the pioneer of exit counseling for cult members and a critically acclaimed author, and thousands of other ex-cult members have any say about it, that may soon change.

Jehovah’s Witnesses link to UN queried

Sect accused of hypocrisy over association with organisation it has demonised.

Jehovah’s Witnesses bring millions of dollars to Long Beach

This article is a more even handed local story about Jehovah’s Witnesses, but does address some of the concerns their critics have further down the page.

Every year, 150,000 to 180,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses hold their conventions here, generating an estimated $64.5 million in economic impact, according to the Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Hampton now leads a support group in Downey for former Witnesses. She says such support is necessary because the organization condoned the physical abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband and told her mother, brother and other family members who remain Witnesses not to speak to her.

If You Set a Boundary, Expect to Deal with Anger

For exxers with Witness relatives that are still speaking to you, this might be worth a read.