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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?

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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…

Meg Myers: An Ex-Jehovah’s Witness Makes An Album For People Like Us

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Meg Myers is a musician and an ex-Jehovah’s Witness. Before you do anything else, listen to the song above and you’ll see that this is very obvious in her lyrics. (There are some naughty words, but if you’re here, that shouldn’t really be a problem.) The clip probably tells you everything you need to know, really.

If you want more, the about page on her website says the following:

I USED TO LIVE IN THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS OF TENNESSEE / NOW I LIVE IN LOS ANGELES

I USED TO BE A JEHOVAH’S WITNESS / NOW I CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY

I DIDN’T GO TO HIGH SCHOOL / INSTEAD I BUILT FORTS

I SING / I PLAY GUITAR PIANO AND BASS

I WILL ALWAYS MAKE MUSIC

XOXOXOXO

MEG

If that isn’t awesome enough, you can get her album for FREE. It includes the music in the YouTube clip above. Get it and cram it on your MP3 player! If you’ve been disfellowshipped, or treated like a bad associate, or judged by Witnesses who used to be your friends, this might be your album. Or at least your song. I haven’t listened to all the music yet, but I will.

The song is angry, but Meg Myers is encouraging. It’s always cool to see a former Jehovah’s Witness do something with his or her life. Way to go, Meg. Good luck with everything.

What Is Sparlock, The New Ex-Witness Meme?

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Sparlock the Warrior Wizard is the Watchtower Society’s newest unintended act of shameful hilarity, one that ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses across the net have latched onto and made their own. It is also the product of an organization run by a bunch of clueless old guys who are probably still complaining about the kids with their Walkmans and those new-fangled airplanes and such. For ex-Witnesses who feel that the Society exists in a Twilight Zone bubble of creepiness, Sparlock could surely serve as our exhibit A.

Sparlock is awesome, even if the video that spread the name is not. If you haven’t seen it yet, the video appears below.

UPDATE: “The man” has dropped the hammer on this video, crushing poor little Sparlock like so many of Caleb’s hopes and dreams. Another version has appeared, and another, and still another, but they will surely go away before many of you can see it. You can get more in the way of details on the actual video at Watchtower’s New “Toy Story” – What Parents Need To Know thanks to Cedars. Check out the rest of his blog while you’re there.

That was part 2. The first part is also on YouTube, and is just as depressing. Not to mention manipulative. But I digress. Remember kids, the Society actually put this video out there for Jehovah’s Witnesses–and all their critics–to see. They spent real money on this turd, went through some sort of editorial process to write it, tweak it, and bring it to life, then produced thousands of DVDs and spread them far and wide, all without realizing just how bizarre and creepifying it would be for those of us who do not exist within their stifling bubble of disjointed magazine covers and old guys in black suits.

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Update on “Truth Be Told” Documentary About Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses

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I just received an update on the “Truth Be Told” documentary about ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses. I mentioned it here a little while back. Aside from all the other video snippets that you can see at the web site (I think any ex-Witness will find these interviews encouraging) the official trailer is now available online as well. You can view it on Vimeo or Youtube right now!

I hope everyone is psyched about this. Especially those who’s lives were deeply affected by their experiences as former Jehovah’s Witnesses. It’s not every day you get to have your side of any story told, especially in a real documentary that many people will see.  Please consider supporting the documentary by clicking on the “Support Now” button at the top of the website and spreading the word.

You can also share your story as an ex-Witness here.

I’m really looking forward to this one.